Today, the meaning of literacy, what it means to be literate, has shifted dramatically. Literacy involves more than a set of conventions to be learned, either through print or technological formats. Rather, literacy enables people to negotiate meaning. The past decade has witnessed increased attention on multiple literacies and modalities of learning associated with teacher preparation and practice. Research recognizes both the increasing cultural and linguistic diversity in the new globalized society and the new variety of text forms from multiple communicative technologies. There is also the need for new skills to operate successfully in the changing literate and increasingly diversified social environment. Linguists, anthropologists, educators, and social theorists no longer believe that literacy can be defined as a concrete list of skills that people merely manipulate and use. Rather, they argue that becoming literate is about what people do with literacy-the values people place on various acts and their associated ideologies. In other words, literacy is more than linguistic; it is political and social practice that limits or creates possibilities for who people become as literate beings. Such understandings of literacy have informed and continue to inform our work with teachers who take a sociological or critical perspective toward literacy instruction. Importantly, as research indicates, the disciplines pose specialized and unique literacy demands. Disciplinary literacy refers to the idea that we should teach the specialized ways of reading, understanding, and thinking used in each academic discipline, such as science, mathematics, engineering, history, or literature. Each field has its own ways of using text to create and communicate meaning. Accordingly, as children advance through school, literacy instruction should shift from general literacy strategies to the more specific or specialized ones from each discipline. Teacher preparation programs emphasizing different disciplinary literacies acknowledge that old approaches to literacy are no longer sufficient.

Jumpstart reading success with these reproducible learning packets that teach the first 100 Dolch words in a systematic and fun way! The packets are so easy to use that most children will be able to complete them independently. Perfect for whole-class learning or homework! For use with Grades K-2.

Irving loves to play with his toy dinosaurs and uses his ear defenders when he's in noisy places. When Irving's dad takes him to a summer activity group, he encourages Irving to make a new friend. Diya is also very quiet, but she knows lots about names and what they mean. Soon the two children bond over Iriving's dinosaurs and both are happy to have found a new friend. (Letter-sounds featured: /or/ au aw /ar/ al long /oo/ /oa/ -ou short /oo/ -oul ) Irving's New Friend is part of the Rocket Phonics systematic synthetic phonics programme from Reading Planet. Rocket Phonics ensures that every child achieves phonics success. This fully-decodable Target Practice reading book provides focused practice of a small group of letter-sounds. The book also includes useful notes and activities to support reading in school and at home as well as comprehension questions to check understanding. Reading age: 5-6/Year 1

When Coach Hall announces that they are playing in a tournament at Medchester Football Club, Jez and his teammates are over the moon and decide to buy a much-needed new kit for the event. But when Dexter Hadfield - the star striker for Medchester FC - speaks to their school about a local food bank, Jez and his friends decide to donate the money they have raised to the food bank instead. How will they they progress in the tournament with such a shabby kit? (Letter-sounds featured: /air/ -are -ear -ere /or/ -al ) We Care FC! is part of the Rocket Phonics systematic synthetic phonics programme from Reading Planet. Rocket Phonics ensures that every child achieves phonics success. This fully-decodable Target Practice reading book provides focused practice of a small group of letter-sounds. The book also includes useful notes and activities to support reading in school and at home as well as comprehension questions to check understanding. Reading age: 5-6/Year 1

Everyone is having so much fun at Preeya's party at the soft play centre! Artem and his friends climb nets, crawl through tunnels and race down slides. Then suddenly, Preeya crashes into Artem at the bottom of a slide, causing him to break his wrist. How long will it take for his wrist to heal? (Letter-sounds featured: /n/ gn /r/ wr ) Artem's Broken Wrist is part of the Rocket Phonics systematic synthetic phonics programme from Reading Planet. Rocket Phonics ensures that every child achieves phonics success. This fully-decodable Target Practice reading book provides focused practice of a small group of letter-sounds. The book also includes useful notes and activities to support reading in school and at home as well as comprehension questions to check understanding. Reading age: 5-6/Year 1

Would you like to learn how to sketch? Join Doodle the Dog as he teaches the basic principles of sketching. Find out how to draw a variety of things, including a lion, a gnome and a person. All you need is a sharp pencil, a notepad and a can-do attitude! (Letter-sounds featured: /n/ gn/r/ wr/ch/ -tch/zh/ -s -si -ge) Sketch with Doodle is part of the Rocket Phonics systematic synthetic phonics programme from Reading Planet. Rocket Phonics ensures that every child achieves phonics success. This fully-decodable Target Practice reading book provides focused practice of a small group of letter-sounds. The book also includes useful notes and activities to support reading in school and at home as well as comprehension questions to check understanding. Reading age: 5-6/Year 1

Join Ruby and Jack in Fairytale Woods as they teach their friend Goldy some facts about fungi. On the way, you'll learn about how mushrooms grow, about different types of fungi and what they need to survive. You'll also learn important rules about picking mushrooms in the wild as many can be poisonous. (Letter-sounds featured: /or/ -our ore ) Fungi Facts with Ruby and Jack is part of the Rocket Phonics systematic synthetic phonics programme from Reading Planet. Rocket Phonics ensures that every child achieves phonics success. This fully-decodable Target Practice reading book provides focused practice of a small group of letter-sounds. The book also includes useful notes and activities to support reading in school and at home as well as comprehension questions to check understanding. Reading age: 5-6/Year 1

Yuck! There is a bad smell in the palace. The dogs and the socks are so stinky! The taps in the bathtub and the sink are stuck. Will washing the pups and socks in the moat do the trick? (Letter-sounds featured: ai ee igh oa) Soap in the Moat is part of the Rocket Phonics systematic synthetic phonics programme from Reading Planet. Rocket Phonics ensures that every child achieves phonics success. This fully-decodable Target Practice reading book provides focused practice of a small group of letter-sounds. The book also includes useful notes and activities to support reading in school and at home as well as comprehension questions to check understanding. Reading age: 4-5/Reception

One day when Alba the elephant is gathering apricots for her frail and elderly mother, she comes across a man who is lost. After she safely returns the man to the town, he betrays Alba and sells her to become the king's elephant for the parade. Will the king understand that Alba needs to return to her mother immediately? (Letter-sounds featured: /w/ wh /f/ ph /ai/ ay a-e ) Hayma's Star is part of the Rocket Phonics systematic synthetic phonics programme from Reading Planet. Rocket Phonics ensures that every child achieves phonics success. This fully-decodable Target Practice reading book provides focused practice of a small group of letter-sounds. The book also includes useful notes and activities to support reading in school and at home as well as comprehension questions to check understanding. Reading age: 5-6/Year 1

Nip and Nap are two tiny aliens that are exploring Earth in their space pod. When Kim the cat spots Nap in her house, she chases after him! Will Nap get back to the pod in time? (Letter-sounds featured: g o c k ck e) Get to the Pod! is part of the Rocket Phonics systematic synthetic phonics programme from Reading Planet. Rocket Phonics ensures that every child achieves phonics success. This fully-decodable Target Practice reading book provides focused practice of a small group of letter-sounds. The book also includes useful notes and activities to support reading in school and at home as well as comprehension questions to check understanding. Reading age: 4-5/Reception

Arlo is fascinated by his grandpa's metal detector and hopes they will find some precious coins with this amazing machine. They soon dig up all sorts of metal things, including a bent fork and an old car gear. Then suddenly, Arlo finds something sparkly deep in the ground. Could it be a shiny gold coin? (Letter-sounds featured: oi /eer/ ear air /y+oor/ -ure) Coin Hunt is part of the Rocket Phonics systematic synthetic phonics programme from Reading Planet. Rocket Phonics ensures that every child achieves phonics success. This fully-decodable Target Practice reading book provides focused practice of a small group of letter-sounds. The book also includes useful notes and activities to support reading in school and at home as well as comprehension questions to check understanding. Reading age: 4-5/Reception

Kal the hippo, Dan the lion and Mum the meerkat try to reach the tastiest leaves at the top of a tree, but none of them can. Will Ed the giraffe reach these tasty tips for them? (Letter-sounds featured: c k ck e u r) Ed's Neck is part of the Rocket Phonics systematic synthetic phonics programme from Reading Planet. Rocket Phonics ensures that every child achieves phonics success. This fully-decodable Target Practice reading book provides focused practice of a small group of letter-sounds. The book also includes useful notes and activities to support reading in school and at home as well as comprehension questions to check understanding. Reading age: 4-5/Reception

Paul lives on a planet called Alpha 3 with his mum and his pet hamster, Jaws. Alpha 3 is freezing and everyone has to stay indoors to survive. One day, Paul finds out he has a superpower: his eyes can make laser beams! He also discovers that his mum is a super-villain who plans to destroy a neighbouring planet with a laser and use the heat to thaw out Alpha 3. Can Paul stop his mum in time? (Letter-sounds featured: /ou/ ou /oi/ oy /or/ au aw ) Alpha 3: Thaw Out is part of the Rocket Phonics systematic synthetic phonics programme from Reading Planet. Rocket Phonics ensures that every child achieves phonics success. This fully-decodable Target Practice reading book provides focused practice of a small group of letter-sounds. The book also includes useful notes and activities to support reading in school and at home as well as comprehension questions to check understanding. Reading age: 5-6/Year 1

Lily Sprout lives on her family's farm where she helps feed the animals and look after the crops. When a new donkey named Drew arrives at the farm, Lily is worried as he seems so sad and grumpy. Grandma agrees and asks her nephew, Matthew, who has lots of donkeys, for advice. Can Matthew help cheer Drew up? (Letter-sounds featured: long /oo/ -ew /y+oo/ ew) The Grumpy Donkey is part of the Rocket Phonics systematic synthetic phonics programme from Reading Planet. Rocket Phonics ensures that every child achieves phonics success. This fully-decodable Target Practice reading book provides focused practice of a small group of letter-sounds. The book also includes useful notes and activities to support reading in school and at home as well as comprehension questions to check understanding. Reading age: 5-6/Year 1

Can Marv and Maya help Patricia the musician on a fantasy mission to find four missing animals? In order to do so, they will need to do the special chair yoga poses - the eagle, lion, cobra and downward dog. Would you like to join in with the yoga poses, too? (Letter-sounds featured: /o/ (w)a /sh/ -ssi -ci -ti) The Musicians Mission is part of the Rocket Phonics systematic synthetic phonics programme from Reading Planet. Rocket Phonics ensures that every child achieves phonics success. This fully-decodable Target Practice reading book provides focused practice of a small group of letter-sounds. The book also includes useful notes and activities to support reading in school and at home as well as comprehension questions to check understanding. Reading age: 5-6/Year 1

Thunk! Something falls on Chimp's and Cat's heads. It's a rock chick that makes loud clacking noises. Can Chimp and Cat return the rock chick to its nest? (Letter-sounds featured: ch sh th ng) Rock Chick is part of the Rocket Phonics systematic synthetic phonics programme from Reading Planet. Rocket Phonics ensures that every child achieves phonics success. This fully-decodable Target Practice reading book provides focused practice of a small group of letter-sounds. The book also includes useful notes and activities to support reading in school and at home as well as comprehension questions to check understanding. Reading age: 4-5/Reception

Comprehension Ninja Workbooks are ideal for supporting your child's learning at home. With bespoke non-fiction texts and hundreds of questions, they're packed full of comprehension practice with strong links to the National Curriculum. Created by teacher and bestselling author of Vocabulary Ninja, Comprehension Ninja and Write Like a Ninja Andrew Jennings (@VocabularyNinja), they're perfect for developing those all-important literacy skills at home and for boosting children's confidence in reading comprehension. Key features of Comprehension Ninja Workbook for Ages 5-6: - Covers popular National Curriculum topics currently taught at Key Stage 1, such as minibeasts and healthy eating - Features a variety of question types including true or false, fill the gap and multiple choice - Contains illustrations throughout and a fun ninja theme to engage children - Includes advice for parents and answers at the back of the book