Basic Additional Language Assessment Table: Reading Skills

Recognises the difference between print & pic5ures

 Has basic literacy skills in first/home language?
If yes…Can they use a bilingual dictionary or IT materials? Are literacy skills age appropriate in first language? Is pupil attending supplementary classes to develop literacy in first/home language? / Knows English alphabet (sounds + names of characters) . Can read printed letters but may find it difficult to decipher handwriting..
Can recognise own name using the Roman alphabet and can identify a range of low numerals. / Relies totally on pictures/illustrations to understand the meaning of texts / Can only listen to texts read aloud for short periods of time with supportive illustrations / Cannot follow or interpret written instructions or questions.
Needs visual aids, prompts & support constantly.
Is beginning to develop mechanical skills as a reader, e.g. basic phonological skills & recognition of high frequency words. Is beginning to hear rhymes and can hear the difference between long & short vowels (but may have no understanding of the words used for ERR sessions) / Is beginning to answer simple questions about texts in single words and short phrases. Needs to be helped about responses with reference to pictures and models provided by adults & other pupils. / Is beginning to read and understand texts which are repetitive relating to everyday experiences and self. Produces simple answers to questions & tends to quote directly from texts to answer.
Can read a limited range of fictional texts with supportive illustrations independently. Has difficulty with texts that contain idiomatic language. / Can retell main events in a fictional text at a simplistic level but needs prompts to do so. Often uses direct quotes from the texts. / Developing greater phonological awareness of written English & possesses a developing sight vocabulary. Still reliant on supportive illustrations for meaning. / Can read aloud but finds reading silently more difficult. Reads with little real expression except when reading direct speech.
Is beginning to read texts with less illustrations but still needs help to visualise particular situations outside their experience. / Beginning to use more syntactic clues as a reader showing a greater appreciation of English grammar/syntax. Beginning to self-correct. / Can summarise main details of a text. Beginning to use own words in the summary but may make many syntactic errors when doing so. / Understands and responds to simple written questions and instructions relating to subject/topic area. Copes.
Has a basic understanding of factual texts but needs further explanation to understand more complex sentence forms involving conjunctions, relative pronouns, dependent clauses, etc. / Is developing inferential skills and can draw some conclusions (orally) from texts. May still need help in following anaphoric references, e.g. use of pronouns. / Can respond to simple questions about texts in sentence form but has more difficulty drawing conclusions in written form / Is beginning to read silently at a greater speed but still needs to re-read information texts to absorb specific details. May need key visuals, e.g. charts to gather finer points (& if literate in 1st lang may need to refer to bilingual dictionary) / Can follow more complex written instructions involving phrasal verbs, quantifiers, prepositions, comparative forms and use of subject specific forms, etc. (But occasionally misses the point).
Is beginning to read and take notes with guidance. / Can follow more complex written instructions & questions without the need for support or clarification. / Is beginning to recognise different genres of writing but sometimes needs particular nuances of language and cultural contexts to be explained. / Wider use of language functions when talking about texts, e.g. hypothetical, explanatory, relating causes and effect. / Continues to find using a
wide range of language functions when writing about texts difficult. Still tends to write as they speak. / Can talk about texts using an increasing amount of appropriate metalanguage, e.g. references to parts of speech, genre type, use of figurative forms of language and can provide some examples. / Is reading an increasing number of texts across the curriculum without particular support or further explanation.
Can make notes on several texts to compare and contrast key points. / Follows & responds to instructions & questions in formal situations appropriately (such as exam/test situations ) / Can respond to texts orally & in the written form with own opinions which are clearly expressed. / Understands and can make inferences when given various text types. / Can compare two texts and make appropriate comments in oral/written form about content and form of texts / Can criticise texts, e.g. recognising bias, poor grammar, poor content, invalid arguments, etc. / Can draw on a variety of sources and IT information to produce a cohesive, coherent summary. / Possesses a well-developed understanding of subject specific language within texts. / Can skim and scan texts quickly. / Will use inferential skills to work out the meaning of new terms & expressions without support / No longer needs access to a bilingual dictionary for formal and informal situations.

Pupil : ...... Date of admission to school :...... Country of Origin :......

D.O.B. :...... Time in England :...... First Language :......