English

Reading

Reading regularly is vital in Year 6 as it helps the children broaden their vocabulary, and enables them to make better progress in every curriculum area. It also helps them to become better writers as they begin to understand how different techniques can be used to interest the reader.

Reading has an enormous impact on children’s learning. For this reason, we have a huge focus on the teaching of reading. We use whole class reading sessions to improve children's understanding of reading skills using the VIPERS skills.

Fostering a love of books and reading is of great importance. If children enjoy what they are doing, they will learn more effectively. A love of reading leads to better life chances. 

During whole class reading sessions, children investigate new and unfamiliar vocabulary, learn how to understand what questions are actually asking and how to best answer them. We also work on reading speed and accuracy.

Autumn 1

The Piano

The Piano is a flashback narrative based on short animation by Aidan Gibbons.

Studying the film and the themes that run through short clip generates some fantastic speaking and listening opportunities as well as some amazing writing.

The children got a chance to listen to the music to see how it made them feel. they linked it to the past and remembered what happened. Then they listened to the music with the lonely man to began to understand his feelings and memories.

Whilst thoughts rushed swiftly through his mind, the lonesome man tapped his fingers gently on each key. Soothingly, the music reminded him of his past memories however unfortunately the music only made him remember the sombre, sad and depressing memories. Sorrow ran through him.

Autumn 1

The children began reading a story that took place in The Titanic called I Was There...

This  is a perfect introduction for younger readers into stories from the past, allowing children to imagine that they were really there. I Was There... Titanic is the story of a young girl travelling 3rd class on board the RMS Titanic with her mother as they plan to start a new life in America. When disaster strikes, will Jessie make it to the lifeboats in time?

Then working with their talk partner, the children came up with descriptions of what their could see, smell, touch and hear as if they were on the ship. 

Some of the phrases were:

The wood pannelled staircase was polished to a very high standard.

As I sat on the red leather chair in the lounge, I could hear the joyful laughter of women enjoying each others company.

The sunlight was gleaming through the stain glass windows.

The children descibed what it was like on the Titanic.

Autumn 1 - Flashbacks and Biographies

Year 6 are studying novels based on the Titanic and using the short animation of The Piano to inspire their own flashback writing.

We are also studying biographies this half term.  We will be immersing ourselves in many different biographies and analysing the features of them to support our own writing.  One of the biographies we use is Walt Disney.