Some points to note:
Our group time was in addition to instructional reading with the class teacher.
AE had made no progress in reading for more than 2 years prior to this year.
Reasons for Success
* Less distractions - our group met in a smallish room which we had all to ourselves
* 100% teacher focus - there were no other students for the teacher to 'manage' at the same time
* Time spent building a culture where the students felt safe to show their weaknesses meant that they could ask questions without fear of 'put downs'
* Texts were carefully selected and introduced
* Choral reading gave the students confidence and modelling
* Collaborative follow-up tasks provided support and success
* ???
I will almost certainly be working again next year with some of the same students and I am confident that continuing with, and further refining these strategies, is the way to go!
