Tutor Time Read

Tutor Time Read is a programme that all tutor groups in years 7, 8 and 9 participate in twice a week. We hope that these sessions help promote the joy of reading and expose pupils to stories and perspectives beyond the scope of their normal reading habits.

How the sessions work:

Educational research suggests that texts being read to pupils, modelled by a skilled reader, helps aid comprehension. Therefore, every Thursday and Friday the form tutor reads aloud to the form from a fiction text for around 15 minutes. Pupils have their own copies of the text and follow along, using a ruler, to promote active reading habits.

Which books and why:

The aim of the Tutor Time Read sessions is to give regular reading for pupils and we have tried to select texts that are engaging but also thought provoking in the themes they tackle. From September to July forms will read three novels, year 9 will read four novels, which are rotating around the tutor groups. The texts for each year group can be seen below:

Year 7	Year 8	Year 9
Ghost Boys: Jewell Parker Rhodes	A Kind of Spark: Ellie McNicoll	The Pearl: John Steinbeck     Inside Out and Back Again: Thanhha Lai
Private Peaceful: Michael Morpurgo	A Monster Calls: Patrick Ness	The Moth Occasional Magic: Edited Catherine Burns
The Night Bus Hero:  Onjali Q. Rauf	The Killing Sea: Ricard Lewis	The Giver: Lois Lowry

 

The link between the classroom and home:

Successful readers tend to talk about what they have read. At the end of each session there are one or two questions that the form group respond to in order to consolidate their understanding of the story. This process can also, if you wish, extend to the home. Simply asking a little about the text your child is currently reading, getting them to summarise what has happened so far or give their opinion on a character or some of the themes the story is addressing, can help strengthen their knowledge and enjoyment of the book.

Paired Reading

The Paired Reading Programme is a reading initiative that aims to promote the joy of reading and allow pupils to develop their reading fluency in a low stakes and more bespoke environment.

How the sessions work:

Educational research suggests that texts being read to pupils, modelled by a skilled reader, helps aid fluency. We also know that a child’s confidence in reading will develop the more regularly they practice reading. This programme operates 2 cycles throughout the year. One cycle starts from the beginning of November and continues up until February half term. The second cycle begins in March and continues until the end of the school year. Approximately 35 Year 7 students per cycle are selected as individuals who would benefit from extra support with their reading. They attend the sessions once a week during Form Time and paired with a Sixth Form Reading Buddy. They will meet in the Hub’s library space to read together. The Sixth Former will read a section first and the Year 7 student will then re-read this same section before continuing on with the chapter. Successful readers tend to talk about what they have read. Therefore, after completing the reading there are one or two questions that your child will respond to in order to consolidate their understanding of the story.

This opportunity to read fiction aloud and develop reading fluency is very helpful for developing confidence in reading, as well as comprehension skills.

Sixth Formers receive training on the approach and there is always a supervising staff available during the sessions too. The book that the students read during this programme is a selection of short stories from Anthony Horowitz’s ‘The Night Bus’.

Our students said the following about their experience of paired reading:

'It's really nice to help people with their reading. I don't have a younger brother or sister to help at home so it is a good experience to do this at school' Year 12 

'I like reading out loud to my Sixth Former. Paired Reading has helped to boost my confidence, so I feel more able to read out loud in other lessons in front of the class.' Year 7 

'Paired Reading is a great experience to get to know Year 7 students and develop my teaching skills.' Year 12 

'It's good to have time to read fiction books in school' Year 7 

'Selfishly I am really enjoying reading the ghost stories, also helping another student, so it's a win win'  Year 12 

'Paired Reading is interesting, I like my sixth form reading buddy and the plot twist in the book was good.' - Year 7

 

 

If you have any further questions, please email Beth Pelleymounter Literacy Curriculum Coordinator and Subject Leader of PSHE (bj.pelleymounter@huntington-ed.org.uk)