Helping with reading

ValerieF, I see where your coming from but payment isn’t just about money and financial gain?

I spent many years volunteering for Victim Support and supporting survivors of terrible crimes at court, no one was ever ungrateful and that gratitude was my biggest ‘earner’ in my life.

Over the years helping with reading and IT skills I got to go to the Millennium Dome, a Stately House, an Urban Farm, the Natural History Museum and the London Eye to mention just a few, as a result of volunteering in school, I felt well rewarded. I still have a bunch of cards from the lovely children I worked with.

I always loved reading to my classes and they loved hearing books read aloud (with some rather dodgy attempts at trying to change voices for different characters). I think one of the most important aspects of teaching reading is to foster a love of books which generates a desire to read.

I used to help out at a local school for years. If time allows, I used to do a few memory games or where's Wally type books at the end as the children loved the challenge.

I did this 30 odd years ago when I was a School Chaplain it was most enjoyable

I used to do one to one reading with a Year 2 class. One book we were reading made me laugh. Then I couldn't stop laughing. Something about a man thinking a bush was a huddled old lady. In the fog. Well the little girl smiled politely and tried to carry on but I had one of those moments when the laughter wasn't stopping. I ended up with tears streaming down my face as I laughed and gripped the table desperately trying to stop. It took a while and we carried on. But even now, 30 years later I'll guffaw about it. As to the OP go for it. It is great fun. Can be hilarious sometimes ;-)

I used to listen to readers before covid; the school arranged a couple of days training for me.
My main tip is to check that they are not just reading mechanically using the phonics, but are actually taking in what they have read. Many apparently competent readers have no idea what they've just read.
To do this you could ask them at the beginning about the characters or what has happened in the story so far, maybe using the illustrations to help. Then after they have read to you, you could ask them a question about what they've read or say "Ooh, I wonder what will happen next?" and talk about it.
If they are reading with comprehension, you can use that when they get stuck on a word. Suggest they read on to the end of the sentence and then think of a word that would 'fit' with the meaning/story.
Don't forget to praise them when they have finished, using a specific thing they have done well- e.g. "I really liked the expression you put into...., it made it very exciting".

I did 10 years voluntary every afternoon at the local infant school and loved every minute of it.
So rewarding.
Have fun Newquay.

I think it's a lovely thing to do and being able to have their company will be great for you too after a year of hardly seeing anyone.

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

I think you will have just what they need. You are excited about doing it and being involved. Concerned for the children, that you get it right. Enthusiasm and interest. What a recipe for success. I wish you and the children joy. Have fun.

Many of the children who read with you won’t, for a variety of reasons, have the opportunity to read to adults at home. In a way you will be just like a friend or relative listening to them read. The school will tell you what to do so it will ne quits straightforward.

As has been said, a one-to-one reading experience is most of what is asked. A discussion of the text might be useful. A lot of reading schemes have suggestions for this at the back of the books. I wouldn’t get too hung up on phonics. It’s a good way of decoding longer unfamiliar words but can be over used .My GS used it for EVERY word until I played flashcard games with him to build up his sight vocabulary. The main thing is to have fun! Enjoy !

You can help at schools as a ‘teaching assistant’ - properly DBS and COVID checked - without having qualifications. Go for it, you’ll love it.

When I worked in London for a large multi-national company they had a scheme whereby we used our lunch breaks once a week to travel to a school in the East End to help with reading. We were allocated a particular child who had a fairly difficult home life and were encouraged just to give them some 1-1 time which they didn’t always get at home. They came on in leaps and bounds and we were invited by the school to attend Sports days and Nativity plays. My company were very happy for us to take a little extra time off to do this and even provided taxis to get us there. It was wonderful and I often wonder how those children are now doing

@Newquay - how exciting and what an honour to be asked. I’m sure you’ll enjoy spending time with the children ?

I did this thirty odd years ago at my children’s school. Mine were very able readers but I was so happy to be able to listen to children for whom it didn’t come naturally or didn’t get this attention at home. I’ve never forgotten one child who asked for some more reading time with me as he loved it. I was simply delighted as he was a lovely boy who said no one ever listened to him read at home.

I used to help with slow readers in Year 6 and loved it. The other thing I loved was teaching small groups to cook, also in Year 6. We would go shopping for ingredients first at the village shop and then make whatever I had been told they had to make.

I have helped with lsow readers in primary schools. Often we did hardly any reading but the head teacher always reassured me that it is the listening to the child, the givig
ng it your time - just for him (usually) or her - as these children often have no such input at home. Boost the child's self esteem and the rest will follow once they realise that they are valued.

Sounds like a great thing to do. You'll need a check first, obviously - what used to be called a DBS or something. But it does sound like a terrific experience for both you and the children.

So rewarding. Lovely to see the light dawn in a child's eyes as they realise that they can read and understand.

Thanks for all your messages-I will, of course, be completely guided by DGD. Obviously helping her learn to read has paid off! ? As to my going in at the mo, again it’s all in the hands of the school. I can walk with them to swimming cos it’s out of doors but have to await DBS checks in any event as well. So looking forward to it.

I am a primary school governor and have done this.

However, I do not think it would be allowed at the moment as the children are in bubbles at school and not allowed to have indoor contact with visiting people. I am surprised it has been suggested just now.

I hadn't realised stickers had become so contentious in the space of a generation! I now know ?Of course ask the school first, we used to stick them in the reading record rather than the child put it on them. Just a bit of fun and you can get eco friendly ones too if that's an issue. Have fun, I loved listening to the littlies read and now some of them are 30 with children of their own?