Tutor-led reading in form time
‘A word
after a word
after a word
is power.’
(Margaret Atwood)
Here at Beverley High School we believe passionately in promoting reading and encouraging pupils to read a range of texts that challenge them and introduce them to new ideas and styles of writing. ‘41% of 11-15 year-olds in England do not participate in reading and writing activities that are not required for school in their spare time.’ (Taking Part: Annual Child Report - 2015) There is much evidence that illustrates the link between reading and exam results and ultimately future earnings. However, reading is also of cultural benefit and it exposes pupils to lives and experiences they might never otherwise come across and in turn promotes emotional intelligence and empathy.
The importance of reading for pleasure cannot be underestimated and we hope to build up pupils’ enjoyment of reading and their confidence to read independently so that they make personal reading choices at home. However, the tutor reading also aims to expose pupils to more challenging texts they might not otherwise choose for themselves and to increase their cultural capital. As such they will read a range of varied literature in Years 7-10, from classics to modern autobiographies, with their tutor reading aloud to them, modelling fluency and articulating complex vocabulary. All pupils can then offer their ideas and join in discussions with their tutor and peers as they progress through their reading journey. After all, ‘a reader lives a thousand lives before he dies … the man who never reads lives only one.’ (George R.R.Martin)
A selection of the books include:
Years 7 -8: Private Peaceful, Skellig, The Giver, Rooftoppers, Holes, Refugee Boy, Mortal Engines, Treasure Island, Ruby and the Smoke, The Pearl, Noughts & Crosses.
Year 9-10: The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, The Old Man and the Sea, The Diary of Anne Frank, The Metamorphosis, The Catcher in the Rye, The Lord of the Flies, I Am Malala, The Sign of Four, The Picture of Dorian Gray, The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy.
