In August the Support for Learning department use the information given by our associated Primaries to identify pupils who may have difficulties with, or lack confidence in, reading. Those pupils are offered a place in the Scotland Reads programme.
Parents have the opportunity to attend an afternoon session with Mr McGinty and the School's Educational Psychologist to have programme outlined to them and ask any questions.
Every Monday-Thursday during registration, these pupils go to the library where they meet with their Paired Reader. Here the pupils can access Hi-Lo readers (age and reading level appropriate books) either in paper format or digitally through our digital library on RM Books.
For ten minutes the S1 pupils read out loud to their Paired Reader, who will offer encouragement and will help the pupil with any difficulties.
Most of the Paired Readers are S6 pupils who have volunteered to take part in this programme, to help their younger schoolmates and develop key skills which will help them in their transition from school to further or higher education or employment.
The Support for Learning staff monitor how well pupils are doing using running records and give appropriate advice when necessary e.g. to try a more difficult level of book. Certificates are awarded to pupils when they complete two, five, eight, twelve and fifteen books. Parents have a further opportunity to monitor progress and give feedback through the pupil's reading logs.
This programme is popular with both S1 readers and S6 volunteers. "I like the books we can pick"; "I enjoy reading here" (S1); "It's good seeing the pupils get more confident in their reading"; "It's helped me develop communication skills" (S6).