A Peer Reading Program at St Bede's
This year I have been involved in initiating and facilitating a peer reading program. The program ties into the overall school goal of improving reading abilities on our junior students. It involved Y9 and Y10 students selected to pair up with a senior student whom had offered to act as a reading tutor. The junior students were selected on the basis of their reading ability from e-asTTle and CAT data – students that were below the average of their cohort yet close enough that some sessions might see them ‘catch up’. Sessions occur weekly for approximately 45mins, and include the use of several reading strategies the tutor utilises as they work through a different reading together. In the session the tutor skilfully works on improving their junior readers’ vocabulary, problem-solving and comprehension. The tutors receive professional development in two sessions at the beginning of the year to ensure they are able to make positive impacts on a young man’s reading. Students have a minimum of 10 sessions, then the tutor and student make the call on when ‘graduation’ from the program occurs.
My impression is that this program has been a success, though end of year data for these students will tell a tale. Just getting these men involved in reading, giving them a little more confidence and showing them older students interest in reading has been great. Initial feedback from students has been mostly positive with comments such as I know I have improved because “…of my confidence in reading out loud in class”, “…I’m actually starting to understand what I’m reading”, “…my confidence in reading has defiantly got a lot better and the different words that were in the stories each week has really expanded my vocabulary”. 60% of students who have responded to the survey indicate they are more motivated to read post the reading program. In addition, 70% of students indicated they believed their reading to have improved to the degree of 4 on a scale of 1-5.
All told there has been 18 senior students volunteer, train and act as reading tutors to 30 junior students.
Callum Wilson
Within School Leader of Literacy