News


Reading between the lines – how new figures about what children are reading can be used to boost literacy


Comment by James Bell, Director of Professional Services, Renaissance Learning R


enaissance Learning’s annual What Kids Are Reading Report was published at the beginning of March, offering free to access insight into the reading habits of more than 400,000 children across the UK.


For educators, this provides a contemporary picture of the books children are most enjoying and can help inform decisions on book buying and recommendations for pupils. For example the fastest mover in this year’s ‘most read’ charts is David Walliams, making his first appearance as the fifth most read author in UK schools. As much as these insights make for interesting reading however, the challenge for librarians, teachers and school leadership is how to use this information to inform their wider literacy strategies.


This year’s results show that in primary schools both the difficulty levels of books chosen and the accuracy with which they are read is on the rise. However, in Year 7 when students are making the transition to secondary school, children are choosing books six months below their chronological age and from then on reading difficulty plateaus or declines. So how can we continue the positive trend in primary education and keep up that momentum


when students move on to secondary? Encouraging children to read more challenging books may be one starting point. The downturn in the difficulty of books being read at secondary transfer does not necessarily reflect a lack of ability, what is more likely is a lack of challenge. There is a particular need to challenge secondary school students whether they are struggling readers or high achievers as both groups are currently under challenged by the books they are choosing to read. An individual approach for each student is required. Teachers and librarians can make a huge difference, by encouraging each child to challenge themselves with their reading choices at the appropriate level for them. The report also demonstrates that where children are exposed to highly motivational characters and plots from a wide range of media, they are encouraged to try books which are often significantly above their chronological reading age. Far from limiting children’s imagination, it could be that the films and computer games adapted from books may actually encourage children to try more challenging reads.


In an increasingly multi-media world, these


findings suggest that technology can support literacy, rather than acting as a distraction. For educators this means a new range of books that appeal to children and that they are more likely to try, and be challenged by.


There are plenty to be on the lookout for in the upcoming year, particularly film adaptations of three books voted as students’ most loved in the 2014 report are due to be released this year. ‘Divergent’ by Veronica Roth, ‘The Fault in Our Stars’ by John Green and the final instalment of J R R Tolkien’s ‘The Hobbit’ could all offer a good challenge for late primary and early secondary pupils. For older students Lois Lowry’s award winning ‘The Giver’ is also set for the big screen and Jennifer Lawrence and Bradley Cooper will be taking the central roles in Ron Rash’s ‘Serena’.


The core of any literacy strategy should be establishing a student’s reading level to ensure they are guided towards suitably challenging books that they will actually comprehend. But with new literary adaptions sweeping the film world every year, harnessing the Hollywood hype of a new film might be a good route to encouraging students to pick up a book that will offer them the challenge they need.


uwww.whatkidsarereading.co.uk


Trinity to release seven syllabuses and a range of new books in 2014 T


rinity College London will launch seven new music syllabuses from July this year, including Piano, Electronic Keyboard and Brass. A range of new supporting publications will also be released and will be available through music retailers and from Trinity’s online store.


New syllabuses for Piano, Woodwind and Jazz Woodwind, Brass and Singing will be available in July. Each syllabus will include refreshed repertoire lists and technical work.


The 2015-2017 Piano syllabus will include fully refreshed repertoire lists and technical work. Alongside well-known classic and contemporary pieces, the new repertoire includes a number of original compositions by composers from all over the world, who responded to an invitation from Trinity to submit pieces for consideration. A new series of graded repertoire books with all new repertoire and exercises will be available in July, as well as new scales and arpeggios books and a new teaching notes book.


The new 2015-2018 Brass syllabus will include updated repertoire lists and refreshed technical work. Respected British trombonist and composer Mark Nightingale has composed a new set of exercises for the new syllabus and these will be published in a new set of scales and exercises books for Treble Clef, Bass Clef, French Horn and Trombone.


A newly commissioned set of exercises will be April 2014


included in the 2015-2016 Woodwind & Jazz Woodwind syllabuses. The new exercises will be published in new scales and arpeggios books for Flute & Jazz Flute, Clarinet & Jazz Clarinet and Saxophone & Jazz Saxophone.


A new 2015-2017 Singing syllabus will also be available in July and the repertoire lists will remain largely the same, allowing candidates to choose from an extensive and varied list of pieces. Trinity have introduced accompanied sight-reading at all grades.


The current Guitar and Strings syllabuses will be extended for a year and reprinted for 2015, with a full refresh planned for 2016. They will also be available in July.


A new Electronic Keyboard & Organ syllabus for 2015-2018 will be released in September and will include all new repertoire from Initial to Grade 5. These new pieces will include all-new arrangements and original compositions, and will be published along with new exercises in a new set of Electronic Keyboard Pieces & Exercises books (Initial to Grade 5).


A one year overlap arrangement will be in place for all of these syllabuses so candidates may perform repertoire and technical work from the current syllabuses until the end of 2015. Francesca Christmas, Trinity’s Head of Academic Governance for Music said:’2014 is an exciting year for Trinity, with the release of seven


music syllabuses, a range of new music books and an array of new support materials on our online learning platform for teachers. We’re confident that these refreshed syllabuses are useful assessment tools within pupils’ wider musical learning, and provide a means of developing the full range of musical and technical skills through different musical styles and enres. Teachers will enjoy the flexibility offered within each syllabus, and the individual approach taken to each one, where the specific skills and understanding required for each instrument is addressed.’


uwww.trinitycollege.co.uk/music www.education-today.co.uk 5


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