Riverside Reading
Reading for pleasure is the highest indicator of future success!
(OECD 2020)
According to the Open University (Reading for Pleasure, 2020,) there are three main ways we can encourage a lifelong love of reading:
1. Reading aloud - this could be students reading to a younger relative, or hearing parents or carers read to them. It does not have to be limited to fiction
2. Reading alongside students - reading at the same time helps students to develop resilience. This could be shared reading, or parents and carers could read their own individual books - knowing that their parents or carers are readers sends a powerful message
3. Book Chat - discussing what students have read and expressing an opinion is a big motivator. Having an adult show interest in a story, and encouraging discussion around the events within the story will develop comprehension skills and deepen understanding
What are Harris Academy Riverside doing to help?
- Revamped library space with a new and varied range of books which opened (finally!) on 1st November 2021 (in the period 1st November to 26th November, approximately 400 books have been loaned! Read more about our library.
- Providing regular lesson related reading through our Prep packs
- Taking our year 7 students to 'Waterstone's' to kick start their literary passion
- Sixth form readers
- Bedrock vocabulary programme and associated rewards
- Explicit vocabulary instruction in all lessons
House Group reading
Key stage 3 tutor groups read each a range of texts in their morning registration sessions.
- In half term 1, they focus on non-fiction texts.
- In half term 2, year 7 begin The Windrush Child by Benjamin Zephaniah. Their first session they have the opening chapter read to them by an actor who applies different accents and ages to their voice to help immerse the students in the text ('Reading alongside students'). They then read together as a class and build up to independent reading. They also have a session each week where they discuss events in the story and discuss their opinions: 'Book Chat'.
- In half term 2, years 8 and 9 read a range of opening chapters from various fictions texts to ignite passion in a range of genres.
- As the year progresses, the students are given time in the academy library to select their own books for the remaining half terms. Book options are also in each classroom for students to select.
Our prep packs provide students access to disciplinary literacy directly related to their lessons.
Reading prep with your child a few times a week will help them learn lots of new subject specific vocabulary and promote confidence in reading and learning.
Encourage your child to access our library space and join a book club today!
