Reading at Falconer.

Reading is an important skill that underpins achievement in every subject in the curriculum. Reading is not just the responsibility of the English department and at Falconer we ensure that all teachers are promoting reading within their subjects. We aim to provide all students with suitable reading material and opportunities to read every day. All KS3 classes have a Drop Everything And Read class once a week, this gives them (and their teachers!) time to relax and read. Reading material can be anything from novels, non-fiction books, comics, manga or magazines and newspapers.

It’s vital that the work being done in school is supported at home. Ask your child what they are reading and encourage them to share the stories or the information with you. Every time you engage with your child you are reinforcing the importance of reading and supporting the work we are doing in school.

 

Why is this all so important?

1. In school, we ask children to read things and find out what’s important – ‘browsing’. It is very hard to teach browsing. The best way to learn browsing is going to a bookshop, going to a library or sitting with a pile of books or magazines and choosing what you want to read, or just sorting your books and magazines in ways that you like.

2. In school, we ask children to think about difficult ideas. This might be about, say, why or how things happened in history. It might be when we ask children to think about ‘if’ and ‘why’. If children read lots of different kinds of books, they will start to think about such things as part of their reading.

3. In school, we ask children to think beyond themselves, to think about why or how other people think and behave. If children read lots of different kinds of books, they will start to think about such things as part of their reading.

4. In school, we want children to ask questions, wonder about things, be curious and interested. Again, if children read lots of different kinds of books, they will be children who do just that: ask questions, wonder, be curious and interested.

5. Like adults, children are full of feelings and thoughts. Like adults, these sometimes boil over and the children don’t always know what to do with them. Reading books often show us people facing up to problems and finding ways to deal with them. This means that reading books helps children find ways of dealing with their feelings and thoughts.

 

COMING SOON!

 

ACCELERATED READER

In the New Year your child will use a software program called Accelerated Reader at school, the purpose of which is to motivate pupils to read whilst keeping track of how they are progressing. This program has a special feature called ‘Renaissance Home Connect’, which you and your child can access outside of school. Renaissance Home Connect is fun and easy to use.  It allows the teacher, you, and your child to share information about their progress in Accelerated Reader. Once the system is in place letters will be going home informing you of how to access this provision.

 

NEW LIBRARY

Work is currently underway to develop a space for our new library. It will be a quiet room where students will be able to go to read. It is currently being designed for us by specialists to ensure that reading has an important place in the heart of our school. Once the plans have been approved we will share them with the Falconer community so everyone will be able to follow these exciting new developments.