The Better Reading Partnership, Partners in the FAST LANE

last updated:July 2009

We chose this case study because it illustrates the FAST LANE (Families And Schools Together Literacy And Numeracy for Everyone) approach. This is used to train reading volunteers and parents reading to their children using the principles of the Bradford Better Reading Partnership. As the author of the original case study commented: 'Many parents comment "I just don't know how" when asked to support their children with reading.' This is particularly likely to be the case with parents of children with EAL. The FAST LANE programme enabled parents to access three different types of training, accredited at varying levels, to help them support their children's reading more effectively:

• Reading at Home: Informal parents' workshop (one hour)
• Reading Friends training  (three two-hour sessions)
• Better Reading Partnership (two days plus one half-day follow up)

Parents' workshops covered the importance of parents talking about pictures in books their children are reading. Not only does this help the child but parents who are not confident themselves when reading can use them to support their child’s reading. Referring to pictures provided parents with a way of introducing names of characters, linking new words to the illustrations, and relating the story to the child's own experiences.

Workshops emphasised the importance of praise and the avoidance of the word 'No'. Children responded more positively to: 'Have a closer look at that' or 'What went wrong there?' Pupils with EAL particularly benefited from additional questioning in a friendly, conversational tone, to probe their understanding: 'Why do you think he did that?' or 'What do you think would happen if...?'

Parents learned to encourage their child to use pictures to read on and make guesses about the meaning of difficult words. Once they saw the results, parents realised they can really make a difference to their own and other children's reading skills: 'My little boy is really keen to read now when he comes home'. Or as a class teacher commented: 'It really makes a difference ... makes the children feel much more confident'.

Reading Friends sessions involved adults meeting their pupil once or twice a week for half an hour, under the supervision of a trained support worker. The reading partner notes down when the child then uses the three reading strategies: grapho-phonic (visual), syntactic (structure) and semantic (meaning). Weaknesses in the pupil’s understanding are addressed through prompts such as: 'Does that look right?', and 'Does that make sense?' Adults give pupils specific praise for what they achieve.

The Reading Friends encouraged the children to look for meaning from the whole text and the supporting illustrations, rather than the individual letters of words. Initially the adults were retired people from the local community who were eager to support children in school. The scheme now has parents helping out, including some who were already in school as lunch-time supervisors. Following the success of the first Reading Friends group, set up in February 1997, there were now 25 groups in school throughout Kirklees. Five schools had two groups operating successfully.

Better Reading Partnership training was for parents who have successfully taken part in a Reading Friends project or have been supporting pupils regularly. They were recommended for further training by the participating schools. The training was accredited through the Open College Network at levels one and two, leading to a Better Reading Partnership qualification at level three. Adults with Better Reading Partnership training were expected to maintain weekly progress records and analyse the child's strengths and weaknesses in more detail than the Reading Friends did.

What impact did the programme have on pupils and adults?
Typically over the ten weeks of the programme pupils showed a three to 18 month increase in reading age, as well as more positive attitudes to reading. Parents liked being able to support their own children at home as well as the pupils they work with in school, gained in confidence and appreciated being able to acquire accreditation. Involving volunteers other than parents brought other benefits such as helping to strengthen the school's links with the community.

Reference
Anne Dunford, FAST LANE coordinator for the Reading Partnership, Kirklees 

National Literacy Trust: Partners in the fast lane