All of the children in school are paired together to read once a week. The older children spend time once a week sharing a story with their 'Reading Buddy.'
The children absolutely love reading together and we feel that it is a really valuable activity. The older children take on the role of a teacher or parent and model reading for the younger child. They discuss the stories that they read and ensure that they support the younger children to read unfamiliar words and understand their meaning. The children are allowed to find a comfortable place to read (which doesn't have to be formally sitting at a desk) and share a story of their choice.
Participating in Reading Buddies helps to develop the reading skills of both the older and younger children and most importantly helps to promote reading for pleasure and enjoyment, something we really value at Tower Hill.
