PR-6216IRE Reading For Success - Book 1

Fluency
Guest reader
Reading aloud – 2
Having a guest reader is an excellent way to involve the school community or local community in
classroom events. Some schools have a special day set aside in which they invite local community
members to come into the classroom to read. You may want to organise this for your school, or simply
invite a community member to your room on a particular day. Authors’ birthdays are excellent occasions to
host a guest reader. Consider having your guest reader come to school on an author’s birthday and read a
book written by that author.
Another idea for guest readers is to invite various staff members to be special guest readers. On a regular
basis, invite the principal, secretary, lunch supervisors etc. into the classroom to read. Staff members who
do not spend much time in the classroom love to come and be the guest readers, and pupils love to see
the staff members in the classroom as well. See page 77 for a sample of a letter that can be sent out as an
invitation.
Parent guest readers
Recruit parents to be guest readers as well. Many parents long to know what they can do to help at school.
Recruit volunteers to come in to read to the class. The volunteers can come in on a regular basis—for
example, monthly—or they can sign up to come in as a one-off. This is an excellent way to get male family
members involved in volunteering in the classroom. The time they need to take off work is limited and it is
important to have male role models reading to children, especially if you are a female teacher. The letter on
page 78 can be used to recruit parent readers.
Child guest reader
You have probably had pupils or children of your own who request the same book over and over again.
Subsequently, the child knows the book so well that he or she eventually memorises the book. Often these
same children can repeat the book from their memories with excellent expression. Invite pupils from your
classroom to be guest readers. Of course, you will want pupils to volunteer rather than being assigned this
activity. See page 77 for a sample of a letter that can be sent out to encourage parent support in helping
his or her child get ready for his or her day as the guest reader. Then, on the big day, allow the child to
‘read’ the book to the class.
Viewing sample
Reading for success 76 Prim-Ed Publishing – www.prim-ed.com