Discussion sheet 3

Book groups
• What is the value of having book groups for children?
• What do you see as key issues in helping children to develop as readers in your class?

A Year 4 teacher talks about starting a book group

I’ve started a book group now as suggested by the project for the group that I want to target. It’s been
remarkable really. Already it seems to have had an impact which has totally surprised me in a way. The
children involved have been really buoyed up. What I’ve asked them to do every time we have a session is
to read a little bit more at home and they’ve come in the very next day saying, ‘I’ve done it Miss.’ It’s been
really good.
I chose a mixture of boys and girls – they’re in the category where some of them, if they concentrate, will be
able to follow a story, but some are on the borders of that. They are approximately on National Curriculum
levels 2c/2b.
The first time we just looked at the cover for quite a few minutes. We’re reading Fantastic Mr Fox (Roald
Dahl). They take it in turns to read aloud. But we’re also talking in a lot of detail about the characters. Then I
read the beginning of the next chapter, to leave them with that desire to carry on. Some of them are carrying
on with the reading at home, some in independent reading during guided reading time. The next time we
worked along the same lines. They are really enjoying the book group – working with me makes it a special
opportunity. The group takes place once a week – it would be nice to do it more often but it’s difficult to fit it
in.
I’m doing the book group in assembly time – I could have done it at lunch or break time but for these
children I didn’t want it to appear to be a punishment! Some people are kept in at those times – I didn’t
want it to be a negative. It’s for about 15–20 minutes.

Year 4 teacher/English subject leader

I would like children to become a bit more sophisticated about their choices and be able to talk about why
they like particular books and authors – those are the main things. They love reading generally so I don’t
have anybody who doesn’t read at reading times. That generally isn’t an issue.
I want them never to be scared of having a go at reading or to feel they can’t read. With this class I’m getting
them to talk more about books. I do a lot of talking with the children, and I try to make it more them than
me. I want them to become a bit more sophisticated about their choices and talk about why they like things.
The challenge for me is to encourage children who always choose the Horrible Histories to try something
else.

Useful tips from teachers: a book club project in Southwark

(Excellence in Cities/CLPE 2005)
• Leave a book if it’s not going well – you can always come back to it.
• Try and establish some rules for the club – listening to others, keeping up with the books.
• I read to them sometimes and they absolutely love it.
• I always nurse them through the first three or four chapters. They need help to get through
the initial challenges. Then I say, ‘I’d like you to get to a certain place,’ for example four or five
chapters ahead, and say we’ll discuss a particular chapter.
• Most of what we do is discussion. I’m trying to make it not like work.
• Having some ideas or themes in your head from your own reading of the book is important.
• I know roughly where they are in a book. I will come to the group and say something like:

00617-2007DWO-EN Leading improvement using Primary Framework / CLPE 

© Crown copyright 2007 Primary National Strategy
 – Well, I didn’t expect that to happen!
– Were there any clues?
– I thought we might look at character so and so.
Then I ask them to bring along some ideas to the next session. This gives them a focus.
• One of the most important things about the group is status – for the children and for reading.
• You can flag up the book group through notice boards, announcements in assembly or report
back in assembly.

 Leading improvement using Primary Framework / CLPE 00617-2007DWO-EN

Primary National Strategy © Crown copyright 2007