Focus on Garfield
A new approach to reading at Garfield Primary School is beginning to pay off for its students.
Teacher Melinda Howell said students had been using a variety of strategies to learn to read.
“We have taken a new approach as research has shown that it brings good results,” she said.
“We’ve already comments from several parents that their childs’ reading has improved significantly this year.”
Students are able to choose books that are of interest to them from the school’s own library.
The reading cafe concept involves students gaining comprehension, accuracy and fluency in the their reading while expanding on their vocabulary.
Junior school students have been using various strategies to improve their reading, including chunking sounds and stretching sounds.
Garfield Primary School senior students said they could see advantages that the program brought to their learning.
“We can see what we need to achieve,” Kade Nibbs said.
“The teachers help us to read with an emotive voice,” Sarah Martin said.
Rylee Craven said she enjoyed being able to pick books that interest her and suit her own learning needs.
Erika Sortori said the program allowed stu- dent to establish individual learning goals.