A life-long reading journey commences with encouraging
word-reading and comprehension skills and cultivating
an enjoyment of books so reading becomes a pleasurable
activity. A love of reading can set children up for education
success and introduce them to people, places and ideas they
may not encounter in their everyday life. Research shows
that reading for pleasure increases vocabulary and an
‘ … understanding of other cultures, better general
knowledge and even “a greater insight into human nature”.
(Clark & Rumbold, 2006)
Creating a reading strategy for your school can have a
positive impact on students, teachers and the whole school
community. Consider this when thinking about your school’s
strategy.
- Recognise that being able to read well is a key life skill for
children, whatever their background. - Every child can learn to read with the right teaching and
support. - Acknowledge that not all children will have had the
opportunity to develop a love of reading at home. - Build time for all children to read independently, read
aloud and be read to during the school day. - Involve parents to ensure reading extends into the home.
- Develop a whole-school strategy for promoting reading
for pleasure and encourage everyone in your school
community to advocate for reading. - Devote time to resourcing and training staff so they are
equipped to support children’s enjoyment of reading.
How does Oxford support a whole-school reading
strategy?
When the teaching of word-reading and reading for
comprehension are combined, reading outcomes may be
better for students. Oxford’s reading resources support
teaching word-reading and reading for comprehension by:
- addressing key issues including phonics, comprehension,
developing talk, reading for pleasure, early reading
intervention and writing - encouraging reluctant readers (especially boys) into reading
and providing resources for children of all abilities - helping teachers to assess children’s reading levels to plan
steps to develop reading skills and monitor progress - including age-appropriate content approved by educational
experts and being structured to build children’s wordreading
comprehension confidence and skills
from Building an Outstanding Reading School: Six strategies to make reading for pleasure work in your school by James Clements
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