For an Alta student, learning to read is a transition from being a non-reader into the literary world as an emerging reader. It is no easy feat, since at some point in an emergent reader's life reading was a chore put off in favour of things far from the frustrations of recognising words and combining sounds.
Readers are born everyday not only through the mastery of technical skills like word recognition, but also by learning to make inferences that are often discovered through discussion. It is a place emergent readers discover new feelings about reading. At Alta, it is called the Reading Circle.
Alta students come from various socio-economic backgrounds, with different experiences and world views, and yes, differing aptitudes and limitations. Alta's Reading Circles close the gap traditionally filled by the parents and guardians of emergent readers in the household. They provide support which supplements lessons taught in the classroom to reinforce skills and promote the reading habit.
Obtaining fluency is that much harder when the learning environment is stressful and reading becomes a chore. Joining a Reading Circle is a mental shift from having to pick up a book as punishment, sitting still in silent reading in a library or fumbling to read aloud as students look on. It is revolutionary.
The conversational style has always been part of the Alta Reading Circle. With the Guided Reading approach now fully introduced it has evolved into formalised picture walks and comprehension exercises. Reading tutors are called "guides" because they use these tools to develop comprehension competence in students, helping them to glean greater meaning from the texts they will face every day.
Reading guides bring the pages of a book to life in ways that the Alta tutor cannot, due to the time constraints of the traditional classroom setting. A good reading guide ensures that emergent readers who have reached a plateau do not regress. No hard and fast formula can be applied across the board here as each group of students is unique. Therefore, caring and tact must also be accompanied by a certain dynamism and flexibility.
Alta will conduct a one-day training workshop for new Reading Circle guides this Saturday, October 4 at Alta's training room in Belmont. If you can devote two hours of your time per week and would like to help Alta students with their reading then the Alta Reading Circle is for you. Reading guides are needed at 13 locations across Trinidad, especially in South: San Fernando, Princes Town and Pt Fortin.
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�2 Call 624-ALTA (2582) for details on Reading Circle venues and to register for Reading Circle training. Volunteers also needed as tutors for academic year 2015/2016. Interviews begin in October until February 2015. Volunteer, Donate, Sponsor a student. Like us on Facebook:Alta Trinidad.