Independent Reading Program

If you head into the Library during class time, any day at MSC the chances are you will see the Independent Reading Program (IRP). The IRP is delivered to all Year 7 and 8 students twice per week and focusses on the key skills for reading comprehension.

Each class has two teachers who will take the students through the focus skill for that lesson and, through their teamwork (a college STARR Value), aim to make the invisible skills of reading visible to our students. Afterwards, whilst the English classroom teacher supports student in their reading of a ‘just right text’ the second teacher, known as the Reading Specialist, will work 1:1 with students. They will hear them read, set and monitor their personal reading goal whilst re-enforcing the importance of reading. This interaction is important as students continue to improve their literacy and see it as a transferrable skill vital to all their classes.

During an IRP session every student will participate in the mini-lesson focussed on one of the reading comprehension skills; reading independently for up to 40 minutes; monitor their personal reading goal; demonstrate the lesson goal and then reflect on their own performance. Recording the amount of time spent reading, the text they have read, the skills use and how well they have understood they lesson.

When combined with the reading time at the start of every English class, Year 7-10, students spend over four hours per cycle engaged in reading, something we are very proud of at MSC. The school is committed to improve the literacy of all our students and in doing so improving student outcomes. If you have a child in Year 7 or 8 ask them; which skill did you practise in IRP this week? And which book are you reading?