Guided Reading
Under the Drop Everything And Read scheme key stage 3 pupils stop what they are doing three times a week to read with their form groups (from 10.30am-11.00am). In the academic year 2017-18 we decided to move away from a more passive style of reading to follow the principles of ‘guided reading’ we see promoted at primary school. All pupils in years 7-8 are split into ‘teams’ of readers (some based on ability and some in mixed groups) and each group is given a differentiated text to read. They are supported and / or challenged with their reading by their form tutor and / or our team of reading ambassadors. The emphasis is on engagement and purposeful discussion to show understanding. Below is a PowerPoint which talks you through the principles of guided reading.
Here at Cardinal Wiseman we teach our pupils that reading is a life-long skill, which opens doors both on a professional and personal level. It is important because it develops the mind and our imaginations. The mind is a muscle which needs exercise, and understanding the written word is just one way in which the mind can grow in its ability. Reading is therefore promoted at every opportunity.
As well as the guided reading programme referred to above, a number of pupils are supported and / or challenged with their reading via a series of interventions. We have the ‘Elite reading’ club for our more able readers (those in Year 7 with a reading age of 15+), the ‘paired’ reading scheme where reading mentors support pupils once a week, and a ‘Reading Between the Lines’ club, where a group of Year 7 and 8 pupils work on their inference and deduction skills. The LSC also supports the reading of a number of pupils across years 7-8.
