Teach Secondary Issue 13.6

In our case, at least, we had finally found the fire – or at least a definite bright spark – needed to ignite a love of reading. But as the transition to secondary school loomed, we faced some uncertainty as to how this journey with reading might continue. Would those barriers to my daughter’s reading remain in place as she entered KS3? Would her secondary school be able to recognise and support her needs? Could they continue to feed the fire, or would these burning embers slowly smoulder and fade away? Newopportunities The move to secondary school brought additional challenges as she navigated peer pressure, teenage hormones, technology-driven distractions, social media, and perhaps most significantly, the shift to having multiple teachers rather than just one – some of whomwould only see her once a week. We wondered if and how they might be able to know and support her in the same way. Fortunately, the secondary school she attends has a strong reading culture that actually opened up new opportunities for her. Her transition visits from primary school included multiple trips to the library, sending a clear message that this particular secondary school valued reading. She was even able to spot books by her favourite author on display, and was excited to find that their latest title was already there. The school’s amazing librarian prides himself on learning all 250 of the new Y7s’ names within the first fewweeks of term. He also gets to know pupils’ interests and likes, and will enthusiastically recommend books in between organising weekly Y7 library lessons, student book clubs, author visits and regular book fairs. These events remain open to all, with attendance eagerly encouraged. Productive partnerships Interventions and support for pupils with SEND are carefully woven into the timetable, ensuring that space is given to additional reading skills and seeing to it that students can access the curriculum to the best of their ability. Technology is carefully used to enhance and support pupils’ learning, with regular assessments to track and monitor progress over time. Parental involvement is also encouraged through workshops, parents evenings and celebratory events. Productive partnerships between primary and secondary schools are hugely important for ensuring a continuity of reading progress for students with SEND during the transition period. Primary schools will know their pupils incredibly well, giving secondary schools a rich depth of knowledge that they can and should draw upon. Repeat visits and regular dialogue with students and their primary schools, dedicated transition booklets and joint reading projects can all help to give your younger students the best possible start to their secondary reading journey. Learning from the strengths each phase can offer, close collaboration and positive reading cultures can help to smooth the process of transition for everyone, but especially those with additional needs. My daughter will always face challenges, but the springboard that primary schools can provide, combined with the wealth of opportunities and experiences that a good secondary setting can offer, may just be the perfect combination for starting a reading fire that burns bold and bright. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Karen Wilson is an experienced SENCo, SEND lead worker, deputy manager and class teacher, currently developing support for learners with EAL and SEND within Across Cultures and the Learning Village; for more information about Across Cultures, visit axcultures.com FREE RESOURCE A template produced by Across Cultures, aimed at helping you to understand the individual needs and preferences of your students to enhance their reading experiences. bit.ly/ts136-ST2 35 teachwire.net/secondary L I T E R A C Y