Wortley Hall Remembered - 7 July 2011

Some of our partner schools and Fay, one of our Reading Mentors, are involved in a Summer Show of drama, history and music at Wortley Hall on 7 July 2011. Sounds like a great evening out. Download a pdf programme.

Continued Professional Development Opportunity - Supporting Reading Development

one day accredited training course

11 July - Sheffield, Bannerdale Centre

14 July - Huddersfield, Brian Jackson House

An interactive training day for professionals who support children’s literacy:

• Gain an insight into the literacy curriculum
• Understand how children develop reading skills
• Diagnose reading difficulties
• Develop strategies to improve pupils’ reading skills and confidence
• Develop experience and confidence in supporting pupils to become enthusiastic and confident readers
• Analyse reading support practice
• Prepare for NOCN Level 2 accreditation
• Lunch and refreshments provided

Just £195 per person

Please contact 01274 692219 or info@readingmatters.org.uk

Download a poster [pdf] to display on your notice board. 

Book Relief - Community Volunteer Reading Mentors Programme in partnership with the Bideford Learning Community

Reading Matters will be delivering some accredited training and support sessions on 6 and 7 July to prepare Volunteer Reading Mentors to deliver reading sessions in Bideford schools.

It is an exciting new progamme organised by the Book Relief in partnership the Bideford Learning Community.

Full details are available on the Book Relief website. Do take a look, especially if you would like to become a Volunteer Reading Mentor in a Bideford school and really help to improve the reading skills and confidence of young people, and gain some valuable work experience and a national accreditation.

Dr. Seuss says Read Read Read

A wonderful letter with great advice from Dr. Seuss:

Sent in response to a Librarian in Troy, Michigan in 1971. Found with more letters on Jack Cheng's blog.

Reading Mentor Resources at Firth Park Community Arts College

I was at Firth Park Community Arts College last week, placing a new Reading Mentor. We explored all sorts of new resources including many for particularly reluctant or struggling readers. I wanted to share them with you:

• Dark Man series by Peter Lancett - Minimal text and dark pencil illustrations, in particular the use of repetition helps embed word recognition
• Dark Flight series - 'Horror' tales designed to grab the attention of young teenagers with low reading ages
• Right Now! series by Dee Phillips - Very low word counts fiction books for teenagers lower reading ages
• Zig Zag series - Aimed at younger children but still popular at the secondary school
• Barrington Stoke - Barrington Stoke are our go-to publisher, the series above are aimed at young reading ages than Barrington Stoke's traditional audience, but their Solo and Go! series, plus the new Tribe series, will be suitable.

I also learnt that the rather wonderful author, Malorie Blackman, is name checked in the song Written in the Stars by Tinie Tempah. How cool is that!