Supported Reading
Literacy at the King John School.
Literacy underpins our core communication skills, both written and spoken, and is the key to success in any chosen life pathway. We embed literacy across all curriculum areas to equip our students with this fundamental ability in order for them to achieve their potential both in school and beyond.
Literacy
Recommended Reads
Not sure what to read? Want to try something different? Use this interactive reading list to help you choose your next book based areas of interest, genres or levels.
The King John School Recommended Reading Lists for Years 7 and 8
Learning Resource Centre
Our aim is to develop a lifelong love of reading in all our students by promoting reading and enjoyment in all its forms by way of a variety of Author visits and reading initiatives such as our Reading Passport, Book clubs, Bookbuzz and Accelerated Reader.
King John’s Learning Resource Centre is a welcoming and peaceful place for reading, working and quiet, educational games. It provides a safe and supportive environment conducive to positive learning and also offers a well-being area for students to relax and unwind. Students also have the opportunity of becoming student librarians or volunteers where they can help with the upkeep of the LRC.
Our Learning Resource Centre supports learning and teaching across the school with access to computers, printers, books (both fiction and non-fiction), audio and Ebooks. Students are able to loan books for two weeks and text books on a termly basis.
The Learning Resource Centre is usually open to all students before and after school as well as being open at break and lunch.
Accelerated Reader
https://ukhosted15.renlearn.co.uk/2237743/Public/RPM/Login/Login.aspx?srcID=s
Information for Parents
Reading is key to academic success and research shows that students who enjoy reading improve their vocabulary, increase their ability to think analytically, become more skilled writers and have sharper memories. Put simply, reading will help them to achieve better results in all subjects.
The Accelerated Reader programme is designed to focus students on reading, and improve their skills in this particular area. It works by an initial test to gauge the current reading level, which then indicates a range of books to choose from, tailored to the reading level. These books are then read by the students, who then complete a short quiz. An average pass rate of 80% is the target for the student to pass the quiz and move up through the book difficulty levels. Quizzes can also be taken at home using the link at www.thekjs.com
The Accelerated Reader provides a positive and tailored approach to reading. The progress of the students on the programme is monitored half-termly, and you will be kept informed of your child’s reading age progress. Your child will bring a letter home each half term with their updated reading age on it for you to sign and send back to us.
We ask that students read their chosen book at home as well as at school, and we would appreciate your support and encouragement in achieving this. We expect each student to read for around 20 minutes each evening.
Students will earn certificates, badges and vouchers in recognition of their progress.
Information for Students
Your XR teacher will issue you with your log on details during your first XR lesson.
You will need to use the link on the VLE or the link above otherwise you will not be able to log on. If you are in school, there is a link to XR on your desktop.
When you have finished a book, you can take the quiz. If you pass the quiz, the words will be added to your word count and you can keep track of this in the Progress section of XR. Certificates are awarded to those making good progress and you can work towards being a word millionaire with badges and special awards for those reading the most words over the year!
Student Accelerated Reader Guide
ePlatform
You can access eplatform from school or home on any device and listen to audio books or access digital books using your normal login and password. At school there is a link on your desktop.
Remember, please only borrow a book if you want it as we have a limited number of loans for the school. There are samples that you can listen to that will help you decide if you wish to loan it.
You can loan the book for up to two weeks and start listening immediately. When you’ve finished listening to a book, take a quiz on XR to add to your word count!
Reading Passports
Your Reading Passport is your opportunity to go on a journey of discovery, find new places and immerse yourselves in worlds and authors you had never considered looking at before. This may influence your life!
At the King John School, we want you to read… but not just anything. We feel diversity is hugely important in every aspect of your life and as such your reading should be too.
We want to challenge you to read at least 10 books by the end of the year. We want you to challenge yourself (whatever your level of reading) and read from genres you have never picked up before.
Have a look at the student book reviews to get ideas of what to read, and there will be lots of ideas in the LRC too.
How does it work?
1. You will be given a passport which will be looked after by your XR teacher in the LRC
2. You start reading
3. Every time you finish a text you go to one of the following places to get a stamp:
- LRC
- Your English teacher
- Your XR teacher
4. If you read 10 books within the year, you will be given the additional reward of a badge for your blazer.
- 10 books – GREEN badge
- 20 books – BLUE badge
- 30 books – YELLOW badge
Reading a range of books will not only help you prepare for GCSEs and A levels, it will also give you a chance to try new things, learn new words and escape.
Literacy Leaders
Here at the King John School we like to give you opportunities to take on some responsibility. This lets us see what you are made of and you get the opportunity to shine. Becoming a Literacy Leader is one way to do this!
Literacy Leaders are selected from Years 10, 11 and 12 and work weekly with students from younger years on a literacy based activity.
Literacy Focus and Word of the Week
Every week King John will announce an area of literacy and a word that is to be used an understood as much as possible over the coming week. Try and use that area of literacy and the word as much as you can (both verbally and written) and you will get achievement points for the correct use!
Your tutors will tell you the literacy focus and word every Monday morning and it will be displayed in every classroom in the school.
Podcasts
For Students:
Circle Round This podcast takes folk tales from around the world and turns them into music-filled, high-production-value radio plays featuring big(ish)-name actors. They’re less than half an hour long and generally have some kind of moral ending with a bunch of talking points for kids and parents.
The Creeping Hour This horror anthology series (think: Tales From The Crypt, Amazing Stories or The Twilight Zone) has only just launched, but seems like an absolute go-to for fans of Goosebumps and the grislier side of everything.
The Puffin Podcast Hosted by comedian, actor, and Celebrity Gogglebox star Babatúndé Aléshé, every episode he and two Puffineers team up to take young listeners on an adventure to a magical world. They’re also joined each week by one of our awesome Puffin authors – guest appearances so far have included Greg James, Jen Carney, and Humza Arshad.
Listen on: Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Acast | Spotify
Fun Kids Book Club is exactly what it sounds like: a fun book club podcast! Each month, the podcast releases a new children’s writer and illustrator round table and discusses kid lit. Authors read chapters from their latest work, making this both kid and adult friendly children’s literature podcast. Find it here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/fun-kids-book-club/id513265306?mt=2
For Parents:
READING WITH YOUR KIDS PODCAST
Want to work reading into your family’s schedule more often? The Reading With Your Kids Podcast will help you make reading with your children not a chore but a way of life. Check out the author interviews to discover new books and get ahead of the game with writers who are about to be the next big name. The podcast also focuses on specific books discussed in depth.
Bring more reading into your life with Read-Aloud Revival. This children’s literature podcast is all about helping adults promote literacy at home. One of the podcast’s signature topics is sharing the benefits of reading aloud. Other episodes include kid lit writer and illustrator interviews and guides and how-to’s on topics like creating a book culture at home and finding joy in your own adult reading life. This podcast is especially good for homeschoolers, parents, librarians, and teachers.
