English
The importance of reading
Storytelling allows children - and adults - to connect with others. The magic of storytelling also allows us to see the world from an alternative perspective, opening up a whole range of possibilities.
McCarthy’s reading program
McCarthy’s reading program provides the opportunity for students to dive into worlds unknown, igniting the imagination about a whole range of possibilities while also confirming the safety in what we do know by providing access to non-fiction works such as biographies and newspaper articles.
As part of that reading program, students in Years 7 and 8 will use the Renaissance Reader platform which tracks their reading growth throughout the year and helps students to select books which have been categorised to foster that growth. Students will be tested four times a year, and are able to see the leaps they make in reading skills and the way this leads to increased vocabulary, comprehension and reading fluency.
The College’s reading program also places an explicit focus on the many ways stories can be told in order to increase students’ access to stories and information. Students can access the Renaissance Reader platform to find articles about their interests or select short stories and novels to escape into fictional representations.
In order to build success as readers, students are encouraged to:
Read on a regular basis in their classes.
Read in mentor groups every Thursday morning
(For students in year 7 and 8) read at home for 20 minutes every day.
How can you help?
There can be a perception that reading is a solitary activity, and for many people, this is exactly what they seek. However, there are other aspects of reading that are social and in engaging with this social aspect of reading students can increase their reading age, raising their fluency and comprehension, which can then be applied to all of their studies. Parents and carers can capitalise on the social aspect of reading by:
Having your child read to you and then talking about their reading.
Asking your child questions on what catches their attention in what they are reading or what they think would like to happen next in the story.
We welcome parent input into each student’s reading journey. If you have any questions about your child’s reading, please contact me or your child’s English teacher.
Melissa Carr
Leader of Learning - English
mcarr@arm.catholic.edu.au