Use pictorial flashcards to play games to develop pre-reading skills e.g. Snap, The Memory Game, Odd one Out, Ordering/Sequencing

Pre-teach key vocabulary using visuals. Pupils learning English as an Additional Language need additional exposure to words and opportunities to practise the production of new words and sounds in a small group setting. Play games to reinforce sight vocabulary e.g. point to the word, word bingo, snap cards, barrier games etc. Words could be sent to parents/carers for them to discuss in first language too. Reinforcing the concepts and vocabulary and linking to English is known as translanguaging and will support English language acquisition.

To build reading vocabulary, teach words in context and support with visuals as opposed to using only phonics.

Language Rich Environment

Create a language rich environment where every interaction is an opportunity to model language and displays are enhanced with key words. Display examples of common sentence structures (visually supported). It is really helpful to have key language on display in places the child will know where to look.

It is important to be flexible with reading groups. It is helpful for the child to experience reading at two levels. Support individual reading (at their current level of English comprehension) but also place pupils to follow and listen in a challenging reading group (not a group with reading difficulties). Here, new vocabulary will be learned in context, and the pupil will benefit from listening to the language used in discussions. This is particularly helpful where the child is literate in first language and may have good decoding skills but not yet sight vocabulary or comprehension of what they are reading. They will learn how words are pronounced and hear them used in the context of sentences and discussion in the group.