Volunteers needed to help children learn to read in schools

Summarised from 2 outlets · Updated 13 Oct, 08:02 · Archive

Schools need more volunteers to listen to children read one-to-one, research shows early reading skills improve concentration and mental health.

Schools are seeking more volunteers to help children develop reading skills through one-to-one support. Research shows that grasping the basics of reading at an early age increases a child's ability to concentrate and is good for mental health. Teachers and education experts agree that learning to read is the most important skill children can master during their school years.

At Bluebell School in Norwich, situated near the University of East Anglia in an area with significant social housing, volunteers spend two hours each week listening to young children read. For some youngsters, this represents the only time that week they will read a book on a one-to-one basis with an adult. The school caters for children from a wide range of backgrounds, with some having English as an additional language.

Despite the importance of reading skills, many children in Norfolk leave education struggling with the basics, making it harder for them to find employment and lead fulfilling lives. The introduction of smartphones in 2007 has led to a significant fall in the number of people reading for pleasure, which has had knock-on effects in education.

How it is being reported

• Sparing two hours a week to listen to children read will make a differenceStepping through the doors into a primary school for the first time in years is an uplifting experience.Norwich Evening News · 13 Oct, 07:32
• Sparing two hours a week to listen to children read will make a differenceStepping through the doors into a primary school for the first time in years is an uplifting experience.Eastern Daily Press · 13 Oct, 07:32

In this story: Bluebell School · Norwich · Norfolk · University of East Anglia

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