Reading Buddies Session

This week, Miss Scott’s P1-4 class had a fantastic time teaming up with P5-7 for a Reading Buddies session. It was a brilliant opportunity for everyone to share their love of reading and work together as a team. The atmosphere in the classroom was filled with focus, engagement, and lively discussions about the stories.

The older pupils took on the role of mentors, supporting their younger buddies with reading. They showed excellent patience, encouragement, and leadership skills while helping the younger pupils sound out tricky words, explore the meaning of new vocabulary, and discuss the themes and characters in the books. The younger pupils were equally fantastic, demonstrating enthusiasm and curiosity as they engaged with their books and listened carefully to their buddies’ advice.

At the end of the session, the older buddies offered their little learners some next steps for their reading journeys. These included tips for improving fluency, identifying sounds they can practice, and ways to explore stories in more depth. Everyone benefited from the collaborative experience, and it was lovely to see the confidence and excitement grow in both the big helpers and the little learners.

Meta Skills in Action

This session showcased several important meta skills that both groups used and developed:

• Collaboration: Older and younger pupils worked closely together, sharing ideas and supporting one another.
• Communication: Clear and effective communication was key to making the session a success. The older pupils shared advice in a way that was easy to understand, while the younger pupils asked questions and shared their thoughts on the stories.
• Critical Thinking: Discussions about the stories encouraged everyone to think deeply about characters, plotlines, and themes.

UNCRC Rights

Our Reading Buddies session also supported several rights from the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC):

• Article 13: Every child has the right to freedom of expression, including the right to share their thoughts and ideas.
• Article 28: Every child has the right to an education, which includes learning in fun and engaging ways.
• Article 29: Education must develop every child’s personality, talents, and abilities to the fullest. This session gave pupils the chance to learn from one another and grow their skills together.
• Article 31: Every child has the right to relax, play, and take part in activities, including educational ones like reading together.

Sustainable Development Goals (SDG)

This session also aligned with the following Sustainable Development Goals:

• SDG 4: Quality Education: Ensuring inclusive and equitable quality education and promoting lifelong learning opportunities for all.
• SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals: Promoting collaboration and teamwork among different age groups to support learning and development.