At Avonwood, we consider ourselves to be a reading school and we take every opportunity to read individually, in groups and as a class. We believe that reading unlocks every other area of learning and is therefore crucial to all we do.
Reading is not simply a functional skill though; it provides escape and enjoyment and there is surely nothing better than getting lost in a book. It develops imagination, extends vocabulary and provides an exciting insight into life.
In order for children to really enjoy and experience books, they really need to hear them clearly read and with voices for characters. This is what makes up D.E.A.R.
Every afternoon, each class sits listening to a story. We believe that books read in DEAR time should be ones that capture the interests of the children so that they are all engaged in what is being read to them.
Our drive to ensure children experience daily stories and books is inspired by what we know as teachers, the work of research groups such as Egmont, and by experts such as former children’s laureate Michael Morpurgo who says:
“It is vital that children, young people and all of us have access to stories which give us the knowledge, empathy and understanding we need to negotiate life. But just as importantly, we need to give children and their teachers and parents time to read.”
What is D.E.A.R at Avonwood?
- A daily entitlement for all our children
- A minimum of 10 minutes of a quality text read by the class teacher
- Silence for a wonderful book
- Cultural capital
- Modelling the love of reading
- A time to advertise books to children
- Expanding vocabulary