Case Study 7: Edinburgh
School Background
Case Study 7 is from a small primary school located in central Edinburgh with a population of 161 pupils. The school is located in a relatively deprived area and a high number of pupils are eligible for free school meals.
How have the materials been used in school?
The books were used with the learning support teacher and with groups of pupils in primary 4, primary 5 and primary 6. All the pupils were boys. The younger pupils used the books on a 1:1 basis and the older pupils used the books in groups of 3 or 4. On the whole, this approach worked well. The school found that the topics in the books related well to work they were doing in school, particularly the books on knights and castles.
What did the school think of the reading books?
On the whole, the way the books were presented was viewed positively by the teacher. She felt the books were appealing and the photographs were excellent. The covers were, 'upbeat and cheerful'.
The repetition characters in the stories was something the teacher also viewed positively. However, she did feel that although the Quiz page was a good idea for some pupils she would like to see more challenging questions for older pupils.
The books were seen as a,'handy additional resource'.
What did the school like most about the reading books?
The aspects of the books which were particularly liked by the school included the Before Reading page and the inclusion of non-fiction texts in the reading books.
'[The] Before Reading page is an excellent idea and something that I did in the past when I had more time. It is so beneficial to highlight Tricky Words to the pupils before they begin.'
The teacher was particularly impressed with the Tricky Words section,
'I particularly liked the Tricky Words and will recommend to colleagues that they use this technique'.
The way the reading levels were displayed on the back of the books was also seen as a good idea.
What do the pupils think?
Pupils were enthusiastic about the books, although younger children found the books more beneficial than older children. The jokes were particularly well liked by pupils.
Overall
The school were positive about several aspects of the reading books. They particularly liked the Before Reading page and the colourful appeal of them.
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