Fun Reading: Reading Buddies

What are Reading Buddies? It’s when older students from a partnering class come to read with younger students and engage in  fun activities. Having a Reading Buddy program in the classroom is one of the things that both older and younger students benefit from in so many ways.
The ‘Little Buddies’ benefit from:

• hearing stories read-aloud (modeling of reading fluency, phrasing and expression)
• having conversations with an older student about topics that interest and involve them (extending their vocabulary, oral language abilities)
• having regular opportunities to practice familiar reading with 1:1 assistance
• enjoying fun, positive experiences with ‘big kid’ who is now a recognizable face in the school community

The ‘Big Buddies’ benefit from:

• further developing their own literacy skills
• fostering leadership and problem-solving skills
• boosting self-confidence from being a role model
• a very real and important reason to be responsible, and an opportunity to be ‘caught’ (and praised) for positive behavior

Reading Buddies programs promote a higher interest and engagement in reading, improvement in social and communication skills, particularly for students learning English as a second language.  And, most importantly, it’s just FUN.