It was great to visit a number of CDC groups in L Block on Friday morning last week and see some exemplary practice linked to our Friday Reading scheme being modelled by CDCs and the Learning Assistants present in the classrooms. All students were carefully following the well chosen texts as they continue to be exposed to higher order reading that aims to expand their vocabulary and support their progress and learning across the curriculum.

The 20 minutes each week provides a vital opportunity for the adults in the classroom to model expressive reading and stop and pause on some of the more challenging vocabulary and discuss the context and meaning. Sometimes it is a learning experience for everyone in the room as some of the vocabulary is quite challenging – but that’s okay; it is good to model how to learn and expand your horizons in this area by using a quick internet search for the exact meaning of some of the more complex words in the texts.

As parents and carers you can also do your part by ensuring that your child reads regularly outside of school. It all helps!