Literacy

Promoting reading at home is essential to your child’s literacy development: it increases their dexterity and ability to deal with texts in all subject areas. It also promotes use of punctuation, phrasing and increases their vocabulary and allows them to access their imagination and be creative when processing the imagery and information the writer is demonstrating. Our reading ability is like training any muscle: the more we use it the stronger it is – and the less we use it, the more work we have to do to regain the strength that we once had. We must keep reading to keep our ability and deftness strong.

At BVGS we encourage and promote parents and carers:

to monitor their child’s reading of prose fiction (fiction books with paragraphs and chapters) for at least 30 to 40 minutes each day – e.g. before bed, or, before or after dinner;
to find moments to read with their child and ask them questions about character and setting; themes and the genre; and in general, spark natural conversations about the book their child is reading and to ask what they like and dislike about the book they have chosen;
to promote their child to select books from their ZPD range (discussed later) from the school library and to encourage their to child to do Accelerated Reader quizzes at home, or, at school in the library in KS3.;
to remind their child that the school library is open before and after school, at break and lunch. Also to remind their child that in years 7, 8 and 9 students are expected to carry their AR book as part of their equipment.
to encourage their child to read articles from broadsheet newspapers and magazines as well as books and to discuss these with them.

The Accelerated Reader Programme at KS3:

This programme allows us as a school to monitor and track the progress your child is making with their reading. At four points over the academic year, we test the students to find out their reading ages so we can assess where a student may need support. Students are given a number (a ZPD or zone of proximal development) which they use to select a range of appropriate books to develop their skills and love of reading; they will have written this number in their planners.

After reading a book, students should quiz to test their comprehension of the text. The quizzes lead to awards such as certificates, prizes and house points to add to the house competition rankings. Look out for more information about the Accelerated Reader programme here at BVGS via the Headteacher’s newsletter.

As always, we appreciate your support with your child’s education. If you have any questions feel free to get in contact.

Please click here for further information.

Please click here to discover more information from English department including reading lists for your child.