Reading for Pleasure

Partnership working between parent support workers and the high school librarian linked with the St Margaret's High School cluster led to the development of the Reading for Pleasure programme. After it was identified that children were having difficulty participating in Kids Lit, an internationally organised literature quiz, a programme was devised to encourage children to read for pleasure and widen the breadth of their reading.

The programme was rolled out in the associated primary schools to enable children who transferred to the high school to have increased confidence in their ability to participate in the quiz.

The learning outcomes link with national and local authority priorities:

Outcomes:

Increased interest in reading for pleasure
Parents became actively involved in children's learning
Increased confidence in discussion groups
Strengthened links between primary and secondary campus
Aided transition from primary to secondary school.

National/local authority priorities:

Raising attainment by encouraging parents' participation in the education of their children
Provision of an integrated service
Supporting Curriculum for Excellence
Five National Priorities

I really liked the group. There was loads to do and you felt grown up.

My aunt kept telling me there was an interesting bit coming up so I had to carry on reading it.

Two participants of the Reading for Pleasure groups

Enticing participants

Sessions were planned with an emphasis on fun, and the reading that was to be done at home was extended through related activities – arts and crafts, quizzes, and computer searches for information on the author, other titles, and reviews. To ensure enjoyment and full participation it was important that attendance at the group was voluntary and that the lead was taken by the children to attend. Only children accompanied by an adult could attend the group.

To encourage children to attend, a presentation with display boards, quick questions and prizes was made to the P6/7 children in each of the participating schools. The presentation spoke about the benefits – arts and craft activities, prizes (small- and large-scale possibilities) and competitions. They were informed that members would have ID badges and would receive a mission pack with posters, pens, stickers, short story books and word searches.

The children were given a form to complete to note interest; these were collected on the day. A letter was given to the children to take back to their parents. Parents were contacted by phone to encourage them to support their child at the group.

Resources

The groups, with librarian support and facilitated by parent support workers, met for 90 minutes after school once a fortnight, in each of the participating primary schools. In consultation with the RDO, a set of 'crossover books' was purchased for the groups, initially consisting of 10 titles. Youth workers provided activities for siblings attending the school and sixth form pupils supported group members when necessary.

Other resources required were:

arts and craft materials
computer access
refreshments
printing and photography materials
prizes.

Enjoyed it once the ice was broken.

Brilliant, fun and exciting, fun, fab, fab, fab, fun.

Two participants of the Reading for Pleasure groups

Session planning

Practical elements were built into each session. There was regular discussion about the books and children and parents were encouraged to complete written reviews about the books they had read and to share their views with the group.

Examples of activities:

Brainstorm suggestions for the group name and design the group logo.
Using the materials provided make a picture of a character you particularly like/dislike and explain to the group why you chose them.
Provide website addresses and ask participants to research tasks, eg find out something about an author you have read, find a review of a book you have read, write three quiz questions about each book to ask the group.
Hold an inter-school quiz with children dressing as a favourite character.
Make clay models of characters.
Meet an author.
Make your own comic strip.

Children are enjoying the groups and feedback is positive from parents, children and staff. Attendance so far is consistent and parents/carers are in attendance with their children. Discussions show that parents and children are encouraging each other and other family members to read, either separately or together. Quizzes demonstrate that the group are reading effectively and have retained what they have read.

It’s great reading these books with my Gran and my wee brother.

Really interesting.

Two participants of the Reading for Pleasure groups

It is hoped to extend the life of the groups beyond the eight weeks by:

providing reading lists
developing a children's review magazine
rolling out the project in other associated primaries.

The following partners have supported the facilitators and the groups:
Education Resource Service, publishers, primary schools, parents, St Margaret's High School sixth form pupils, and youth workers.