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• 16Apr2012

  Refreshing reading this summer!

  Posted by Judy Clark

  This summer take time to refresh and reexamine the teaching of reading across your school. If we can develop a reading culture where pupils read for pleasure, they will have develop a refreshing attitude to reading as a life skill that is precious and necessary across all elements of learning and beyond. 

  A welcome emphasis on the importance of reading for pleasure in raising attainment has emerged in recent Government policy along with the ongoing focus on early reading development through the systematic teaching of phonics. As schools we have always seen the importance of both, however in recent years the vital element of reading for meaning and developing comprehension has received less limelight.

  Now is the time for us to ask ourselves the following questions:

  Do we have a whole school consistent approach and philosophy towards how reading is taught beyond decoding?

  At every stage do phonics application, comprehension and enjoyment merge and compliment each other underpinned by response, high level discussion and communication?

   Is guided reading doing the job we want it to?

  Ofsted’s latest report Moving English Forward 2012  has some interesting points to make about guided reading. Though clearly seen as a "potentially useful strategy", like so many strategies it has been distorted and bent out of all recognition by process. The report rightly notes:

  The important question for schools is not whether they make use of a guided reading approach but how effective it is.

  Ofsted also goes on to remark:

  Students themselves frequently commented to inspectors that they would like more opportunities to respond in a creative way to the books they read.

  Therefore we should also be asking ourselves how much time and opportunity do we give to developing quality talk, drama and response around the books we share with our pupils?

  Our Reading Talk, Reading Thought conference in York and London this summer will help you answer all these questions and more, as well as giving practical strategies to help your school develop engaging, exciting and meaningful approaches to the teaching of reading beyond decoding. If it's time to refresh reading in your school then this is a conference not to be missed. Find out more and book now.

Tags: Network, Policy, Schools & teaching, Schools Network

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