ConceptualModelofReadingforPleasure@UniCamPrimSch

ReadingforPleasureTree,whichrepresentsalltheelementsthatnurtureReadingforPleasureatUCPS.

AimeeDurning,UniversityofCambridgePrimarySchool

1. TherootsareentwinedintheResearchRichPedagogiesWebsiteresearchfindings.Thefivestrands(Teachers’knowledgeofchildren’sliteratureandothertexts,Teachers’knowledgeofchildren’sreadingpractices,Readingforpleasurepedagogy,Readingteachers:teacherswhoreadandreaderswhoteach,ReadingCommunities)aresharedwithstaffatUCPS’sTeachers’ReadingGroup.https://www.researchrichpedagogies.org/research/reading-for-pleasure

2. Thetreerepresentsourschoolandallthemanyspacesthatfosteraloveofreading.TheresearchfindingsofPhase1and2ofTeachersasReaders(2007/8),flowfromtherootsandtravelupthetrunkintothebranchestonourishallthereadinginitiativesthatwehaveatUCPS:SecretBookClub,SnugglewithaStory,Teachers’readingalouddaily,LearningStreetSocialReadingTime,ParentBookClub,Teachers’ReadingGroup,staffprofessionallibrary,Teachers’recommendingbooksandanoutdoorreadingarea(Photo1).

3. Thegoldenthreadsfromtheschool’scurriculummodel(page2)flowfromthecurriculumtointothetreeviaoneoftheroots.Thetextrichelementprovideschildrenwithaplethoraofauthorsanddiversetextswhichcontributetowardsgoldenmemorablemomentsinclass.Childrenmakevitalconnectionswitheverydayevents,subjects,plotsorinformationthattheyhaveretainfromatextthattheyhavepreviouslyread.OthergoldenmomentshavebeenwhereparentshavecommentedonhowRfPpracticehashadanimpactontheirchild’sreadinghabitsespeciallyonTwitter.Thesegoldenmomentsproducegoldenleavesonthetree.

4. UCPS’sReadingPedagogicalFramework(page2).

5. TheleavesonthetreeareallofthebooksthatIhavereadinayear(Teachers’asReaders).Therefore,Iamabletorecommendbookstomembersoftheschoolcommunity.

6. Oneleafhasfallen,representingacontinuumoftimeandthetreefeedingreaders,booksbeingborrowedandreturnedtomyownpersonallibrary.(Photo2,bookrecommendationsandabookdoorinthelearningstreet.)

7. Acrucialpiece(Jigsawpuzzle)ofthereadingforpleasureculture,UKLATeachers’asReadersExecutiveSummary2007-08.

OfstedInspectionreport:UniversityofCambridgePrimarySchool,20–21June2018.Extracts:

§ Aconsistentlystrongfocusonstaffparticipationineducationalresearch,inparticularintodevelopingpupils’reading,(page4)

§ Readingforpleasureisactivelyencouragedacrossthewhole-schoolcommunitythroughbookclubs,notjustforpupilsbutalsoforparentsandschoolstaff.(page4)

§ Theschool’sseniorteachingassistantisanimpressivechampionofthejoyofreading.(page7)§ Bytheendofkeystage1,pupilsattainstandardsthatareconsistentlyabovethoseofotherpupils

nationallyinreading,(page9)§ Pupilshavenumerousopportunitiestopractiseandapplytheirreading(page10)

Acurriculumdesign&readingpedagogicalframeworkthatenablesreadingforpleasure

JamesBiddulph&LukeRollsUniversityofCambridgePrimarySchool

TheUniversityofCambridgePrimarySchooliscommittedtoexemplaryteachingandlearning.Itaimstobebold,freethinkingandrigorous;underpinnedbyacommitmenttothevaluesofexcellence,equityandlearnerempowerment.ReadersareempoweredatUCPS,TheRightsoftheReader(Pennac,2006)issharedwithallchildren.Timeisallowedforchildrentoexploreallkindsofreadingmaterialincludingdigitaltexts.Inordertodevelopcompassionatecitizensfornowandthefuture,whoengageindiversetexts,werealisethatthewaysweengagewithchildreninformallyandformallythroughouttheirtimeinschoolspacesandhowtheyareengagedwithathome,willdeterminehowtheprinciplesareenacted.So,weaimtodevelopenablingspacesforpossibilitiestoarise;spacesconstructedcollaborativelythatfosteragencyandallowforreadingcommunitiestocometogether.Spaceswherespontaneousbooktalkisfacilitated.Connectionsaremadebetweentextsandteaching.Text-RichCurriculumiscrucialtoexposingchildrentothediverseandcomplexworldwenowlivein.Thecultureof‘possibilitythinking’enabledthetypeofreadingbehavioursthatseemedtodevelopapleasureintext.Wewantedchildrentobeplayfulwithlanguageandthemultipletextstheywereengagedinatschoolandathome,and inbetween. Theenvironmental contexts are key to supporting thedevelopmentof children’s playfulness, orallanguage and other representational abilities, and their development as self-regulating learners. The relationshipsforged through the explicit nurturing of our school values creates the enabling space which contextualises thecurriculumdesignandthelearningandteachingwithinit(seethegoldenframingofourcurriculummodel).

IndevelopingourEnglishPolicyattheUniversityofCambridgePrimarySchool,werecognisedvalueinthedifferentperspectivesofReadingandsoughttosynthesisetheseinaschoolapproachthatwouldattendtothedevelopmentofreadingwillaswellasreadingskill.Thereadingframeworkhereidentifiestheaimsofaschoolreadingculturethatplacetextscentraltocurriculumdesign;asapowerfulmeansforlearnerstomakemeaningoftheworldwhichiscentraltobecomingacompassionatecitizen:

i) ReadingasaSocialAct:Childrenandteachersaresupportedtoexperiencereadingaspartofacommunityathomeandschool.Textsanddialogueintermixtocommunicatereadingpleasureandtoexploredifferentideas.

ii) ReadingasEmpowerment:Asenseoflearningautonomyisfosteredinchildren.Theyfeelasenseofagencyandvolitioninrelationtotheirreadingexperiences.Thiscarrieswithitcertainrightsfortheiridentityasreaders-theyarefreetolike/dislikebooks,theycanstopreadingthemhalf-waythroughandtheyaregiventhespacetofollowpersonaltastesandinterests.

Meaning-making

iii) ReadingasInterculturalEngagement:Textsopenupwindowsintoothercultures,religions,morality,spirituality,issuesaroundgender,ethnicityandmore.Theyhavethepotentialtogrowknowledgeandempathyfordiversehumanexperiences,tofostertoleranceanddevelopinterculturalunderstanding.

iv) ReadingasanAuthenticExperience:Throughdialogueandrecordedresponses,childrenarehelpedtounderstandreadingasapersonalact.Readersaregiventhedialogicspacetorelatetheirexperiencesoftextstotheirownlives;tousethestoriesorideastobetterunderstandthemselvesandsoalsosomethingofthehumancondition.

References:Chambers,A.(2011).TellMeChildren,ReadingandTalk:TheReadingEnvironment.HowAdultsHelpChildrenEnjoyBooks.

Clark,C.&Rumbold,K.(2006).ReadingforPleasure:AResearchOverview.NationalLiteracyTrust.

Cremin,T.,Mottram,M.,Collins,F.,Powell,SachaandSafford,K.(2009).Teachersasreaders:buildingcommunitiesofreaders.Literacy,43(1)pp.11–19.

Dombey,H.(2010).TeachingReading:WhattheEvidenceSays.TheUnitedKingdomLiteracyAssociation.

Miller,D.(2010).TheBookWhisperer:Awakeningtheinnerreaderineverychild.JohnWiley&Sons.

Scarborough,H.S.(2001).Connectingearlylanguageandliteracytolaterreading(dis)abilities:Evidence,theory,andpractice.InS.Neuman&D.Dickinson(Eds.),

Handbookforresearchinearlyliteracy(pp.97-110).NewYork:GuilfordPress.

Tennent,W.(2014).Understandingreadingcomprehension:processesandpractices.Sage.