At Cramlington we recognise the importance and value in all our pupils becoming expert readers. We know from widely available research that creating a curriculum which helps develop pupils’ literacy skills opens doors for young people giving them the essential skills to succeed which, in turn, enables them to lead a healthy and fulfilling life.
The ambition to create “expert readers” is a key part of our aims for the school and is threaded throughout our curriculum across all key stages.
Firstly, it is important to remember that we believe it is most important that pupils enjoy reading and see the benefits of immersing themselves in a great story or book. With our librarian we have created a library full of interesting reads and give our students access to an exciting programme of author visits throughout the school.
Expert Readers choose to challenge themselves: We want students to experience a range of reading material which helps them to broaden their understanding and knowledge but also deal with complex language. Expert readers deliberately choose from a wide range of genres and styles (both fiction and non fiction texts).
Expert Readers act like a word detective: To succeed students need to enrich their understanding with vocabulary which unlocks meaning in each subject discipline. Expert readers have a broad and deep range of specialist vocabulary. Expert readers are curious about words they experience, checking their meaning, origins and links between words, using them confidently in their own writing.
Expert Readers always use expert strategies: Teachers across all departments plan into schemes of learning the use of subject specific texts from science and history to art and literature. Expert readers know the strategies that help them read, employing them to stay focused and understand better. Expert readers understand what to do when reading breaks down.
Expert readers confidently read aloud: Expert readers are able to read a text quickly and fluently and with expression. For some of our pupils improving their reading fluency will be a key aim of becoming an expert reader; speed and fluency affects how well we read and understand a text.
Expert readers reflect on their reading: Expert readers are self regulating; they are engaged with their reading material, setting themselves goals and reflecting on their own motivation and progress in reading.
Our Students talking about the importance of reading
Some of our Year 7 and 8 expert readers have put together a video talking about the TOP 10 REASONS to READ at HOME.
The Big Read
The Big Read event is a celebration of the amazing work pupils and staff do to ensure that reading remains a key priority for all our students across all year groups but particularly in Years 7-9. The event is also a chance to raise the profile and importance of reading for pleasure throughout school as well as developing pupils’ understanding of the reading skills and strategies used in different subjects.
Throughout the week lessons in all subjects have been planned to immerse pupils in opportunities to read subject-specific texts as well.