English

Volunteers Needed to Read with Students

I am a grandparent of two students who attend Wantirna College.  I am retired but quite busy with the various activities I am involved in - Tai Chi, pottery and a Book Group to name a few.  However, I also felt the need to do some volunteer work.  Late in 2013, I noticed an article in the WSC Newsletter asking for people to assist in the English Faculty reading program.  I made enquiries and after deciding that this is just what I would love to do I agreed to give it a go in the first term of 2014. 

The first job though was to get a ‘Working with Children Check’ - a simple process that is handled at the Post Office in the first instance. I was initially presented with plenty of information to help me understand what my role was to be.  And there was wonderful support from the English teachers I was working with. 

I was assigned to Year 8 classes on Thursday afternoons - the time slot that suited me -  and I would sit with one student at a time.  I listen to them read a page or two to get an idea of their competency and then ask three or four questions to see if they understood what they had read.  My questions could be as simple as ‘who are the main characters?’ or ‘do you like that character?’ to ‘does this story remind you of others you have read’ or ‘what messages is the author trying to convey’.  They may be reading biographies such as ‘Ponting’ or the latest teen fiction such as ‘The Hunger Games’.  It is their own free choice book.

On average I spend about 10 minutes with each student.  I keep a record of our discussions for their teachers so that progress can be monitored. Without exception the students have been polite and courteous I am really enjoying this small part I am playing in encouraging all the students to get more out of the books they read.

 Now we are looking for more volunteers for the Wantirna College reading program to assist in 2018.  Any adult of any age, who has a Working with Children Check and is a competent reader would make an excellent candidate for this role.  Working with Children Checks are easy to obtain – please ask assistance from the school.  

If you are interested in assisting please let me know as soon as possible, providing your contact details telling me what days and hours you are free. 

If you are undecided and have further questions, please do not hesitate in contacting me.

Email - hrbatty@iinet.net.au

Telephone: 9802 1193 / 0447 543 791

Helen Batty