The Foundations of Reading
with Dr Sarah Moseley
15 June 2023: 9 am – 12 pm
How to develop core prerequisite and emergent reading skills for our most complex learners
In this session, we consider developing literacy skills as an entitlement of all learners, including those defined as having PMLD and the most complex needs.
The focus will be on developing the foundation skills for literacy learning for this group and where to begin. In addition, we will deepen our understanding of the prerequisite skills such as engagement and motivation, communication skills, sense of rhythm, pattern and order, sound discrimination, awareness of vocabulary and intention of the text, attention skills and developing working memory.
The aim is to demonstrate how to create a reading curriculum for all, exploring the continuum of prerequisite skills and ways to provide an engaging, motivating and creative reading curriculum for our most complex learners, explicitly touching on ideas for the home environment and empowering parents/carers.
This course is a more in-depth look at the prerequisites of reading than ‘Teaching Reading to ALL’, so it is an excellent follow-up to this if you want to know more. But, equally, it is perfect as a standalone course.
NB: Updated to reflect the outcomes and implementation of the Reading Framework published in July 2021.
9.00 am Admissions and virtual tea/coffee to start the session
9.10 am Warm-up activity: Why do you read? What makes us pick up a book?
9.20 am Session 1: What does an inclusive reading curriculum mean, and what is our role in this?
You will learn:
the importance of purpose, participation, praise, pace and passion in learning to read
why learners with SEND may approach the task of reading with uneven patterns of language skills and what this means for a reading curriculum
the difficulties learners using AAC experience when learning to read and supportive strategies to use
the four aspects of processing in learning to read and the effect these have on the learning experiences provided both in school and at home
9.50 am Breakout Room Chat Task
10.00 am Session 2: The development of prerequisite skills in an inclusive reading curriculum
You will learn:
what a continuum of prerequisite reading skills looks like for learners with complex needs
ideas and resources to engage and motivate learners learning to read
the importance of storytelling and drama
the effect of a literacy-rich learning environment
10.30 am Breakout Room Chat Task
10.40 am COFFEE BREAK and mini online learning course
11.00 am Discussion of key points from online learning course
11.10 am Session 3: Creating an inclusive reading curriculum – continued
You will learn:
the importance of rhythm, pattern and order, sound discrimination, awareness of vocabulary and intentionally of text in learning to read
the importance of attention skills and working memory
which practical online resources and key texts are available
11.40 am Questions and Answers
12 Noon Thank you and goodbyes!
This will be appropriate for classroom practitioners from special schools and colleges, mainstream settings with specialist SEN provision and early years settings, who are working with pupils with severe/complex learning needs and/or autism.
The following resources will be available in your account for one week after the course date: a digital recording of this event, any resources shared/signposted during the session and a transcript of Zoom chat.
Each place costs £75 plus VAT
You can choose to pay by credit card for this booking. You can also request an invoice by confirming your booking by entering a Purchase Order Number on the booking form.
To make a group booking, please select the number of places you wish to book using the drop down menu in the ‘Book event’ section. Select ‘next.’ Complete the requested fields and the name and email addresses of those wishing to attend. If you don’t know the email address for any delegate, you can email this to lois@hirstwood.com later.
‘It gave lots of good ideas. I particularly liked the idea of personalised books’
‘Knowledgeable trainers were ready to discuss questions raised in the group, and it was very helpful to hear the thoughts of colleagues in different settings’
‘The course was affirming. Thank you’
‘Amazing!’
Dr Sarah Moseley has over 25 years of experience working in special and mainstream education, from teaching assistant to Headteacher. In addition, she has a solid research background, including a master’s degree and PhD in Special Education, focusing on teaching reading for pupils with SEND and inclusion. Sarah has presented nationally and internationally at conferences and is a published author.
Sarah’s PhD centred on teaching reading to pupils with SLD and the impact on their feelings as learners. Her research focused on six special schools across the UK with pupils aged 11-14 years and found positive results from including all pupils in a reading curriculum.
