Step-by-step
to reading success
Why learning to read is Examples of Phonics and tricky words used in a Level 0 story
so important Ax and Uz jog to the
rocks. Wags is in
She is well, and she has
six cubs in her den!
the rocks!
We all know that reading is a vital
skill. When children are conf ident
with phonics and reading it will help
them succeed with all their other
subjects at school. As well as giving
children access to information, books
open up a world of imagination,
adventure and enjoyment. This can lead
to a lifetime of reading for pleasure.
Phonics and tricky words
Phonics teaches children to break down words
into sounds. By sounding out and blending Sight vocabulary
the word, they can then read and understand As children get more confident with the building
it. Read it yourself with Ladybird Level 0 is blocks of phonics, they will find it easier to sound
designed for children learning phonics. At out words and they will become increasingly
each step, they will meet new sounds and familiar with common words. Eventually, they
practise reading words that include these will start to read many words without having to
sounds. But some tricky common words, sound them out. This is called sight reading.
such as is, said, and the are difficult to When the brain can recognize words
sound out using phonics, so they need to be automatically it is then free to concentrate on
memorized. Read it yourself with Ladybird understanding what is being read.
stories use plenty of these tricky words and Helping children to gain this sight
these are repeated as many times as possible vocabulary quickly and enjoyably is
throughout each story. what Levels 1 to 4 of Read it yourself with
Ladybird are specifically designed to do.
2 3
What is Read it yourself Why Read it yourself with Ladybird works
with Ladybird? • The careful grading of the books ensures that
children are not overwhelmed by a large number
Read it yourself with Ladybird is a series of of different or unfamiliar words
graded readers that can be used at home with
parents or carers, or in the classroom. • Level 0 books introduce beginner readers to phonics
with fully decodable text and essential tricky words
It includes:
• The repetition of key words helps children to
memorize them
Phonics First reference
• There is a clear progression from one level to the next
• The comprehensive notes for parents offer advice on
how to get the most out of the books
• There are questions and activities in the books to
check that readers have understood the text
Clear pictures match The story is made up of
and support the text decodable and tricky words.
Traditional tales Modern stories
These books provide young readers with the
opportunity to practise developing skills and
build their conf idence as they progress
through the levels. Repeated words
encourage sight reading.
4 5
Getting started
If your child has not yet had any formal reading If your child has already taken the f irst steps in
instruction, use this checklist to make sure that reading, use the chart on the next page to work out
they have key skills for them to get the most out which Read it yourself with Ladybird level will be
of Level 0. best for them to start on. Try to start at a level
simpler than they are reading at school, so the child
can take pleasure in reading conf idently. It’s
Reading readiness important that children are not always meeting new
sounds and words, and have a chance to practise the
Children who are ready ones they know well. When children can’t identify
to start on Level 0: around 9 out of every 10 words, their understanding
of what they are reading falls dramatically and they
Enjoy looking at books and join in with can become demotivated. Look for ways to make
familiar parts of the story
reading personal to your child by
Can orally break a word down into choosing books together that
sounds (cat, c-a-t) you know will interest them,
feature their favourite
Are starting to link sounds and letters characters, or describe
incidents that relate to
Use their phonic knowledge to decode
and read simple words their own life.
Can hear sounds at the beginning and
end of words
Recognize that certain words rhyme
and can give a string of rhyming words
Show that they understand what they
have read
6 7
Which Read it yourself with Ladybird
level is right for each child?
Reading stage Skills Read it yourself level
Link letters with sounds and use
First synthetic phonics to read new simple words
phonics accurately. Recognize and read first
tricky words.
Begin to focus on words as
First steps well as pictures, and to read
more words with some help.
Able to read more words, simple
Developing phrases and sentences. Begin to
work out new words independently.
Can read short books containing
an increasingly varied vocabulary,
Conf ident and is keen to attempt more
advanced reading material. 3
Ask for help when needed.
Happy to read without help, able to
work out new and often complicated
Independent words, and eager to try to read
independently.
8 9
Special features Twelve levelled books to Level
0
develop synthetic phonics skills.
of Level 0 Phonically
Books 1 to 12 introduce letters and
decodable text Short sentences sounds in a systematic order.
builds reading with simple
confidence language
Practice of words
that cannot be
sounded out
Repetition
of sounds in
different words
10 11
Ideas for using Level 0
Activity pages
Read the
Start at Step 1 and work story together, At the end of each Level 0 story, there are two
the way through the Level. giving plenty simple activities for extra practice and to help
If your child has difficulty of praise and embed new knowledge. The activities focus on
tricky words, story words or high-frequency words.
with certain sounds, they encouragement.
Look at the activities with your child and talk
can reread stories for
about their answers.
extra practice.
This will help them to progress to the next book in
You don’t Level 0 with confidence.
need to read
As your child reads, help them both stories in the
to identify and sound out the book at once –
phonemes (sounds) in any save one for later
if your child
words they struggle with. Then is tired.
blend these sounds together to
read the word.
If there are
any words your
Talk about the story
child finds difficult,
and see how much your try making simple
child has understood. word cards that they
Go back together and can use for extra
see if there’s anything practice.
they have forgotten.
Have fun
Look at the fun activities at the end with rhyme!
of each story. Working through these Pick a word from the
together will help to reinforce learning text and ask your child
and show your child’s progress. to think of a word
that rhymes with it.
12 13
Special features For children who are ready Level
1
to take their f irst steps in
of Level 1 Thorough practice of reading or who can read a
few simple words with help.
high-frequency words
vital for reading
Careful match
Short sentences between the
story and the
pictures
14 15
Ideas for using Level 1
Story words page
You may Look at the first double page
wish to read and talk about the characters
The opening pages in Level 1 books show
the story to and their names. Many of these some of the most useful words from the
your child words can be sounded out, and story, along with their illustrations. This is
f irst. you can demonstrate this when to help the reader master some of the words
you return to the book. they will need for the rest of the story. They
will often be character names, such as
Goldilocks, Peppa or Rapunzel.
Read the story like a song and
It is easier for children to tackle the rest
Talk encourage your child to join in,
about the of the story once they have got used to
especially with strong, repeated
pictures and ask these words.
phrases, such as “Up jumped the
what might troll!”– or they could take on the
happen next. voice of one of the characters:
“Who’s been eating my porridge?”
Enjoy
listening to your Read the short sentences to your
child reading the story. child several times while you are both
They can try to read looking at the words. You can use your
the sentences to you f inger to point and decode the words.
when they feel ready.
Help them with
any words they
can’t read. Make up little
quizzes about the
story (there are
some suggestions
at the back
of each book).
16 17
For children who can read short, simple sentences
Special features with help and who are beginning to attempt Level
2
of Level 2 Regular repetition of main new words by sounding out or judging what
words and phrases to makes sense. With practice at this level, familiar
encourage f luency sentences will begin to be read with more f luency.
Simple vocabulary
Easy-to-read
sentences
Reuse of many
of the words
from Level 1
Careful match
between the
story and the
pictures
18 19
Ideas for using Level 2
Punctuation
Show your
Look through the book and For children who are developing their reading
child that
talk about the pictures to skills, learning about how punctuation works
you enjoy them
begin with. Has your child reading to is vital. Introduce them to simple punctuation
heard this story before? you. such as the full stop (.) comma (,) question
Why not make up your own version of
What can they remember? mark (?) and exclamation mark (!) and talk
some of the stories by doing the fairy tale remix
about how it can change the meaning of what
activity on the Read it yourself
you are reading.
Play ‘How sharp with Ladybird website?
eyed are you?’. For example, a question mark means someone
Help them with any
Take it in turns to At this stage, it and
can an
be exclamation
useful to look
words they do not know is asking a question mark
ask, “What colour
by sounding them out was the fox’s coat? at and talk about the
shows excitement or emphasis. punctuation
together. How many dogs in the books.
Speech marks (“ ”) show that one of the
chased the fox
away?” characters is speaking.
These are all clues
Continue to make up to help a reader
your own quizzes, or visit understand the story
[Link] to and add expression
have a go at the quizzes there. to their voice while
Encourage your child to ask reading.
you questions, too.
Why not
make up your At this stage, it
own version of can be useful to look
at and talk about the
some of the
punctuation in
stories? the books.
20 21
For more conf ident readers who
Special features Level
3
can read simple stories with help.
Sentences that are
of Level 3 longer but still not too
The books in this level are longer
and designed to help increase a
complex, to encourage child’s reading stamina.
conf idence and f luency
Stories
simply told
Vibrant pictures
with details that
add meaning to
the story
Wider vocabulary,
thoroughly
repeated
22 23
Ideas for using Level 3
Don’t be tempted to leap in
The books are longer at this stage (48 pages as soon as your child struggles
rather than 32) so it’s important to keep up to read a word. Give them time
the reading encouragement and make sure the to use the strategies they have
experience is still enjoyable. You can show by already learnt, e.g. to sound out
the word. You could perhaps
your body language and expression how much
encourage them to read to the
you appreciate the effort your child is making.
end of the sentence to try to work
out what the word might be. Help
them to decide whether their
suggestions are sensible.
How would
your child like to Enjoy talking
approach reading at this about the pictures
stage? Would they prefer and looking at
to hear you reading the By now, Talk together
the details.
story f irst, or would they your child will be about things you
developing their own have learned from the
like to read the story to
taste in books. Look stories – how shoes
you and see how they are made, what beans
get on? for titles you know
grow into…
will interest them and
ask their opinion of
the stories and the
characters
in them.
24 25
Special features Level 4 is ideal for readers who are
ready to read longer stories with a
Level
of Level Fuller stories, told in an exciting, wider vocabulary and are eager to
straightforward way begin reading independently.
Rich language,
thoroughly
repeated to
boost f luency
and conf idence
Detailed
Ideal longer
illustrations to
sentences to
capture the
develop reading
imagination
stamina
26 27
Ideas for using Level 4
Make friends with mistakes
At this stage, your child’s All children who are learning to read will
reading is about to take off!
make mistakes, so it’s important to make sure
They will probably have instant
that your reaction is always one of positive
recall of most of the key words
encouragement. It can be helpful to regard
on the page, understand what
they mean and use phonic skills mistakes as useful clues to what sort of help
or context clues to work out is needed.
unknown words. • Would talking about what’s happening in the
story help with understanding?
Respect your
child’s preference for • Would a focus on letters and sounds help
reading aloud to you, or your child work out an unknown word?
Encourage them
for progressing to silent,
to work out new words • Perhaps your child is not quite
independent reading.
by sounding them out, They may still enjoy ready for this book or they
and to come to you reading the story with need a little extra help and
for help whenever you and talking about encouragement.
they like. the pictures.
• Mistakes are an
essential part of
learning. If we knew
it all and made no
mistakes, there would
be nothing exciting
to learn!
28 29
Using the series
at home Make the
sessions fun!
Sharing Read it yourself with Ladybird
Laughter helps
at home with children is a perfect way
learning.
to support the reading they do in school.
Because the books are clearly structured,
working their way through the levels will
If your child is really
give children a great sense of achievement.
struggling, move down
With your help and encouragement your
to a lower level and reread
child will enjoy the feeling of success
stories they already know.
that reading can bring!
It’s important that they
read f luently and with
A few tips when understanding.
using the books
Keep reading
sessions short –
You can show
ten minutes a day
your appreciation
several times a
of your child’s efforts
week is f ine.
– through hugs,
praise and your
It’s always better to body language.
show your child that
you value their effort
over accuracy.
© Frederick Warne & Co. 2018
There are downloadable lesson plans, activity sheets
and other interactive material available free at
[Link]
TM
30 31
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