READIT2
Readit2 trains adults to inspire children to love to read and learn.
Readit2 is a one-to-one reading programme. At its core is an emphasis on the development of an emotional attachment to reading and learning: it is this daily one-to-one reading experience between a child and expert practitioner that has been proven to make a difference – whether at home with a loved one or in a pre-school, Nursery or school setting with a professional who shows the child that they ‘care’ – developing professional ‘love’.
Readit2: Ten Magic Minutes – Supporting Children to Love Books
A tried and tested effective early literacy programme that will improve the reading of all 3 – 7-year olds. At its core is the programme’s unique emphasis on the development of an emotional attachment to reading and learning; it is this daily one-to-one reading experience between a child and an expert practitioner that has been proven to make the difference.
Read Professor David Messer’s 2019 research:
Prof David Messer, from the OPEN UNIVERSITY, carried out this analysis of the data from a number of schools that had recently taken part in the programme with children in Nursery and Reception. The data reflects the impact on children in receipt of the EYPP and in many cases on the SEND register.
Encouraging information was that at the beginning of the study only 8% of the children recognised letters and 24% recognised their own name, four months later the respective figures were 65% and 84%
The data analysis following the daily intervention over a 4-month period showed significant impact in the following areas
- Difficulty in keeping his/her interest (reduced)
- Happy to talk about the books (increased)
- Good mood at the end of the session (increased)
- Completes sentence/fills in missing words (increased)
- Points at words and letters (increased)
The Readit2 programme explains how reading aloud benefits babies, toddlers, pre-schoolers.
Developed by Sarah Kingham, who has over 35 years experience of working with a wide range of educational settings, Readit2 is informed by both research and personal experience. The Readit2 programme explains how reading aloud benefits babies, toddlers, pre-schoolers and, in fact, all young children and is clearly explained by Sarah, who passionately believes that all children can enter school as reading equals, with the pre-literacy skills that enable them to successfully learn to read.
Once the programme had been successfully trialled, assessed and more recently validated by OFSTED, Sarah decided to set up a social enterprise dedicated to extending its reach and impact.
Readit2 has one clear aim: to help children who are identified as needing early intervention at ages two to five enter school as reading equals, through an emotionally bonding, one-to-one reading experience.
It’s not complex: it’s grounded in theory and research and, in fact, has been used by many school leaders to enrich their staff understanding of
- child development,
- attachment theory
- emotional well-being – staff and children
- dialogic reading
- early literacy
- parental engagement
…and used as an intervention programme for children from 2-12, in need of extra support to inspire them to WANT to read.
Regular reading aloud benefits children in so many ways – don’t we all enjoy listening to someone else read to us? ‘Audible’, has enriched the lives of so many adults, many of whom have found the delights in reading solely because they can listen to someone else reading them to them – Readit2 offers that in an educational setting – a one-to-one 10 minutes of uninterrupted adult-child emotionally bonding time, for conversations and story. If you’re interested in upskilling your staff on the benefits of reading to children, get in touch.
EYFS Co-ordinator attending Readit2 training, February 2018
“Inspiring training with a wonderful tool to empower children to love to read and learn, the emotional approach has made a deep impact on my general view of teaching in the Early Years.”
Programme
The programme provides:
- Specific training modules for a variety of audiences
- A comprehensive resource pack
- An up-to-date booklist
- A literacy-focused environmental audit
- An assessment and monitoring tool.
Reading Benefits for pre-schoolers
The Readit2 programme uses a limited collection of carefully selected books to act as the vehicle to develop this vital emotional bond, generate natural conversation and create literacy orientated pre-schoolers, giving them:
- an emotionalengagement with books and learning
- high expectations of print
- an understanding of the language of books
- an interest in and familiarity with symbols, letters and words
- improved social and emotional skills
- stronger relationships with peers and adults.
Key elements for success
All of the following components are essential if the early-years setting is to achieve Readit2’s successful outcomes:
- A committed leader who understands the theory and practice of pre-school literacy that lies behind the programme
- An appropriate environment for reading
- Carefully selected books
- Daily one-to-one reading using a particular dialogic approach
- Rigorous monitoring and assessment
- Regular communication with parents
- A whole-school (including governors’) commitment to the programme.
Ways to implement the Readit2 programme
The programme has been implemented in a variety of ways in the different schools and settings. Its impact has been as significant for all the children on the receiving end of the one-to-one reading – an emotional bond with reading and learning established, children confidently observed enthusing about books and story; an acceleration in progress.
What are the reading benefits?
Roebuck Primary School trained their Teaching Assistants throughout the school on the Readit2 programme. Each day they come into the Nursery for 20 minutes to read with their named children. It’s a special time for both the children and the TAs. The children have developed an interest and will to read and a bond with learning.
At Peartree Way Nursery School, a member of staff was appointed as the Readit2 practitioner. She read daily with the selected children.
One of the significant outcomes observed in all the settings was the increase in the levels of self-esteem these children had. When, several weeks later the rest of the children were introduced to the books, the children who were part of the Readit2 daily one-to-one reading programme, were more self confident as these were books that they loved and knew. They became ‘the experts’. They were latterly observed spending more of their child-initiated play time engaging with books.