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Reading at Key Stage 2| Struggling Readers
You will need to help student teachers to recognise that many factors may contribute to a KS2 child being described as struggling. Refer to What children need to learn/possess to become readers to prompt their thinking and to English & Children with Special Educational Needs in Key Stages 1 and 2.
Reading Schemes
At Key Stage 2, struggling readers may still be ‘on the scheme’ and student teachers will need the opportunity for critical analysis of such texts. You could do this in shared reading, using the same criteria as for choosing children’s literature to evaluate their strengths and weaknesses. Groups of student teachers can read the handbook for a popular scheme and, using the same criteria, read and evaluate some of its texts, sharing findings in class (Williams, 2001).
Once student teachers have understood ‘how texts teach what readers learn’ (Meek, 1998) then they should be able to recognize how continuing with a reading scheme can constrain children’s development by limiting reading experiences. They need to recognise that while readers may gain satisfaction from their progress through the scheme (an affective response that should not be undervalued), they do need to be encouraged to read more widely (Allington, 2001; O’Sullivan, 2007).
Book Choice
Student teachers need to realise that:
- it is difficult to develop reading preferences when your only choice is the next in the series;
- individual book boxes with a wide range of reading materials, related to personal interests and enthusiasms, may well motivate a reluctant reader (Graham, 1999; The Role of Popular Culture in Primary English - Books, magazines and comics);
- picture books can support and motivate struggling readers (Gamble, 2007);
- newly independent readers in Year 3, used to scheme readers, may need help in choosing suitable texts e.g. short chapter books. These need to be included in student teachers’ bibliographies.
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