Engagement in reading!

This week I have introduced Literacy Circles to my class. They are split up into 5 different groups.

I have not done anything special or different with the planning itself of this programme, I have just used Sheena Cameron's exemplars. What I thought was worth sharing, was how much it has engaged my kids, particularly the boys (who stereotypically, do not enjoy reading).

In my class, it has especially seemed to engage the boys who achieve on the lower end of the spectrum, which is so exciting to see! They have never read chapter books before, and I literally have to take the books off them to get them to stop reading. 

All the kids WANT to read their books. They are so happy to have a change up in their reading programme, (even though they are still doing a comprehension focus on top of the literacy circles so have other work to complete).

I filmed this shortly after explaining the tasks and handing out the books - 

Every kid in the class, either reading, or whom had already finished their allocated chapters.

Today as well, while having 'Managing Self' type time (where students have to finish off certain things, and manage themselves in order to do so), I found more kids reading independently..

I feel so happy that I have provided my students with something exciting, new and different when they are feeling so tired of doing the same sorts of tasks all the time (in preparation for testing). I do believe that we can balance both a time for focusing and preparation for testing, and keeping things interesting for students.