Book Buddies

Book Buddies can work successfully with children to address reading difficulties and boost their reading age. The reading scheme supports the acquisition of good reading skills and is designed to improve the way children read, enabling them to be independent problem-solvers who read with understanding and enjoyment.

Book Buddies is a targeted, time-limited, one-to-one intervention.

Could you be a Reading Volunteer?

We are looking for parents, carers, grandparents, aunts, uncles and other grown-ups to read with our children at Air Balloon Hill.

Do you have any spare time to support children with their reading? We offer full training, support and sometimes tea and biscuits! If you would like to find out more, please contact

Becky Cox – bookbuddies@abhps.com

We will carry out an enhanced DBS check for all volunteers, as it is requirement

Supporting Early Reading at Home

A guide for parents

When supporting your child, the aim is to make reading an enjoyable experience. Consistency is essential if progress is to be made. Try to:

Practice regularly
Set aside a specific time for reading
Read for between 5 and 10 minutes
Use a comfortable and quiet area
Make it fun and interesting
Be encouraging – there is no need to correct every mistake if it still makes sense.

Learning to read is like trying to crack a code. Children should be encouraged to look for different clues to help them understand what they are reading. Learning individual words is important but they are really aiming to work out the whole message.

When you hear your child read, let them hold the book. Encourage them to use the following strategies to solve words:

Key/Tricky words
Letter sounds and blends
Pictures
Meaning of the text
Length of the word

It is important not to confuse your child so concentrate on developing a few skills at a time.

REMEMBER to give lots of PRAISE, and be specific!!!

“Well done, you had a go on your own.”

“Good try, but did that make sense?”

“I like how you read that bit again to check it.”

“Well done for using your sounds”

READ 2 DOGS – Pets As Therapy

The READ 2 DOGS scheme improves children’s enjoyment and confidence in reading. Research shows that when children share a book, with a registered PAT dog, they can become less stressed and less self conscious.

Leyan, a Blue Great Dane, her owner Diane and Mrs Cox listen to children read in a comfy area in school. When you see Leyan, please ask Diane if you are allowed to stroke her and make sure you wash your hands afterwards.

Please visit the Pets As Therapy website or see Mrs Cox for more information.

READ 2 DOGS

After reading with Leyan, Mason was inspired to read his book to his own dogs Bailey and Betsy. He said they are not as good as Leyan and need a little bit more training! But he did reward Bailey with a biscuit for good listening (Betsy was too fidgety to be given a one!) Happy reading Mason!

Silver Stories

Children phone a Silver Listener and read a short story or a chapter of their book to them. This helps our readers to become more confident in their reading skills and our Silver Listeners can enjoy listening to a story whilst they sit in a comfy chair!

Air Balloon Hill Primary School – Support in Reading

Below is a supporting video of Mrs Cox reading a RR 11 (reading recovery levelled book) with one of our younger children.

Air Balloon Hill Primary School – Early Years Teachers discussing phonics and reading.

Click the video to find out more about teaching a child to read.

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Look out for details coming soon of our best class attendance of the week

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