NET Scheme News 2024 Spring issue 45

In tr o du c ing Re ad ers: F u n For the past 12 years, the English Team and I have dedicated ourselves to planning and teaching the school-based Fun Readers programme at our school. Four years ago, I embarked on a mission to elevate the reading competency of my students. To pursue this goal, I undertook doctoral studies at The University of Hong Kong. The outcome of my rigorous research and scholarly endeavours was the conceptualisation of the ‘Adaptable Reading Instruction’ (ARI) framework. This innovative approach has garnered significant attention and recognition among esteemed educators and scholars on a global scale. So,what exactly isARI?Well,it is a revolutionary approach to reading instruction that takes into account students’ individual differences, as well as the valuable insights of teachers and decision-makers. The Fun Readers Programme The programme spans across three primary levels: P2, P3, and P4 where students engage with various reading activities in a 70-minute double lesson each week. The programme is meticulously plannedandadaptedeachyear to cater to individual differences such as ability, motivation, learning styles, and social preferences. Students are split into three different ability groups through pre-reading tests conducted at the beginning of each year. Each Fun Readers lesson is thoughtfully designed to incorporate various components: Whole class instructions (10 minutes) Shared reading/ teaching of high frequency words and phonics are done as a whole class in the first 10 minutes of the lesson. P2 students learn the short vowel sounds. P3 learn the long vowel sounds, r-controlled words and consonant digraphs. P4 students learn phonics in context. 2 NET Scheme News Issue 45 Reading Programme