In Year 2, children learn to:

• read accurately by blending the sounds in words that contain the graphemes taught so far especially recognising alternative sounds for graphemes;
• read accurately words of two or more syllables that contain the same graphemes as above;
• read most words at an instructional level 93-95 per cent quickly and accurately without overt sounding and blending, when they have been frequently encountered;
• read aloud books closely matched to their improving phonic knowledge, sounding out unfamiliar words accurately, automatically and without undue hesitation;
• re-read these books to build up their fluency and confidence in word reading;
• develop pleasure in reading, motivation to read, vocabulary and understanding by:
  1. listening to, discussing and expressing views about a wide range of contemporary and classic poetry, stories and non-fiction at a level beyond that at which they can read independently;
  2. discussing the sequence of events in books and how items of information are related;
  3. becoming increasingly familiar with a wider range of stories, fairy stories and traditional tales;
  4. retelling a range of stories, fairy stories and traditional tales; and
  5. being introduced to non-fiction books that are structured in different ways.
• understand both the books they can already read accurately and fluently and those that they listen to by:
  1. checking that the text makes sense to them as they read and correcting inaccurate reading;
  2. answering questions; and
  3. predicting what might happen on the basis of what has been read so far.