Teach Secondary -Issue 15.1

A NEW CHAPTER As the government prepares to roll out new statutory reading assessments for Y8, Meera Chudasama highlights some effective ways of supporting students who struggle to engage with books... T he government recently announced plans to have all Y8 students sit reading tests to ‘Drive up standards’ on reading. Should the plans go ahead, it will present secondary schools with the challenge of how to make reading appeal to all students, and ensure that they’re able to access a range of texts that they’re all able and willing to engage with. Whilst many have argued that these proposed reading tests will generate yet more work for teachers, they will at least give teaching professionals – not to mention parents/guardians and carers – valuable reading data that can be used to support a child’s reading journey. Atoolbox of strategies As things stand, secondary schools across the country are already working tirelessly with a whole toolbox of different reading strategies – from reading challenges and tutor reading programmes, to interventions aimed at addressing phonics gaps. It should be noted that this has largely been driven by a rise in students who struggle to decode and deduce meaning from the written word. Whether due to households with relatively low levels of literacy, or simply a lack of interest in reading on the part of young people, secondary teachers are increasingly encountering students unable to read subject- specific content. For that reason, I want to share here some ‘small win strategies’ that you can use, enhance and potentially adapt for any struggling readers in your classroom. I will also detail some whole school strategies you can start actioning now, so that you’ll be better placed to support your students if and when the government’s mooted reading assessments are introduced. Get to the library! My first recommendation is to get familiar with your school library. Your school librarian will have a huge pool of knowledge with regards to fiction and non-fiction books suited to any topic, module or subject youmight be teaching. So book some time in your school’s library space and design a suitable ‘library lesson’. Here are some potential ideas to get you started. Non-fiction investigation Assign students to pairs or groups of three to four. Each pair or group is given a small pile of books focused on a sub-topic linked to your subject. These books can be pre-decided by yourself or your librarian. Working together, the students can jot down key details of their books on an accompanying worksheet (see tinyurl.com/ ts151-SR). Visit Authorfy! You can also visit the wonderful Authorfy website (authorfy.com ) to engage students in a range of activities set by authors. This way, students will be able to develop their own reading and writing skills using techniques suggested by an industry professional. Read &Share At the start of your lessons, try reading short extracts from either a fiction or non-fiction book. Make it a rule within your practice that you’ll read to your students out loud as much as possible to demonstrate good reading. Modelling reading with appropriate expression, intonation and flare will enable students to hear words they don’t know being read out loud. If time allows, hold a brief discussion on what students have learned about: •A key character or figure. • The book’s setting. • One of the events described within the book. This is a slow and steady strategy, but one that can deliver great wins in the end. Reading logs and diaries It might seem like a strategy that’s only viable in primary schools, but a good way of keeping students’ reading momentum going through Y7 and Y8 can actually be for students to keep reading logs or diaries. Entries could be added at the back of their exercise books, or a separate mini exercise book or booklet. Encourage the students to read at home, so that they can respond in class to the following kinds of questions: BOOKS & BISCUITS ‘Books and Biscuits’ is an intervention programme designed for struggling readers that involves older students who find reading a pleasure. Students can attend a pre-school or break/ lunchtime sessions where key texts are read to them by older students over a range of biscuits. A softer form of intervention, this approach can help to give your whole-school reading strategy a more inclusive, community-minded feel. 38 teachwire.net/secondary