Library News
“Literacy involves a continuum of learning in enabling individuals to achieve their goals; to develop their knowledge and potential, and to participate fully in their community and wider society” (UNESCO, 2017)
Continuing the Reading Detective Program through COVID 19 schooling: how parents can help at home.
In 2020 St. Peter's College has embarked on a structured literacy and reading program: the Reading Detective Program for years 7 & 8 at both Cranbourne West and Clyde North campuses as part of the English and wider school literacy program. The program gives the students strategies to improve their learning and literacy (including comprehension and vocabulary), in ALL subject areas, whilst promoting a love of reading and experimentation with new genres.
It is even more important to your student’s learning that they continue to read at home and engage in their Reading Detectives lesson (once per cycle). Please ask you son or daughter is about the Reading Detective book they have chosen. St. Peter's we value the support from families in order to consolidate and continue your son or daughter's learning journey at home. Research has shown that those that read regularly do better in their learning and reinforces details and increases memory capacity. It is an expectation of St. Peter’s College that students read for 30 minutes each day with their chosen novel.
To help students think about their reading and learning, the teachers use the chart 'What do good readers do? (see below) This chart can be used at home to continue conversation about reading; both about their current novel or a subject text. Expect the unexpected when you start these valuable reading conversations!
How long should students read at home every day and what should they read?
To develop the habit of reading regularly and to improve reading ability, all students are expected to read for 30 minutes at home each weekday; this is an important expectation for students of St. Peter's College. Students should be reading fiction as well as their school texts. Reading fiction has been shown to increase general knowledge, develop a strong vocabulary and increases insights into other cultures and society.
How can I be involved in my child's reading at home?
- create a regular, comfortable space for reading with minimal distractions
- talk regularly with your son or daughter about what their current Reading Detectives novel
- be interested in other books they are reading both for school and recreation
- provide plenty of reading material e.g books, magazines, newspaper etc.
- use your local public library outside of school time and encourage regular borrowing try audio books, available through St. Peter's College and the public library
Ms Sendeckyj
Head of Library