Reading can be challenging for some children, but a group of Year 10 students has stepped up to mentor them and create a workbook to track their progress. Ammar S shares more.

 

What’s your Tanglin story?
I joined Tanglin in Year 9, and I’ve been at the school for around one and a half years. I’m currently in Year 10.

Tell us about the project where you worked with the Year 3 teachers to produce a workbook to improve Year 3 students’ reading ability. What motivated your group to start this project?
I collaborated with Ahaan, Dvita, Heloise, and Lara to guide our peers in supporting Year 3 students to improve their reading skills. The project began when Mr Steve Porter introduced us to the idea of creating a workbook that would help peers track the reading progress of the Year 3 students they were mentoring. We met with Year 3 teachers to understand the students’ needs and also worked one-on-one with the children, nurturing their individual strengths while supporting their reading development.

What impact did the workbook have on students’ reading confidence and progress?
The workbooks were very helpful, especially since we didn’t work with the same students every week. They allowed us to see our peers’ observations and feedback, enabling us to continue supporting each child’s progress. They also helped the students themselves, as they could read their own booklets to understand what areas they needed to focus on.

Can you share an example of a positive change you observed in students as a result?
One student I worked with spoke very quietly and often skipped longer or more challenging words because he didn’t know how to read them. During our sessions, I taught him how to break bigger words into smaller parts and sound them out. I also encouraged him to read louder and reminded him that he didn’t need to be shy. This approach made reading feel more manageable and helped him gain confidence. Gradually, he began attempting words he would have previously skipped, and after a few weeks, he was reading more clearly and tackling difficult words with greater ease.

 

How did feedback from teachers influence the final workbook?
Initially, we had included just one “positive” box and one “improvement” box, along with the date and the book title. After discussing with the teachers, we realised it would be more effective to include two “positives” and add a space for us to sign our names. This way, since we didn’t work with the same student each lesson, we could see who had read with the child previously and discuss with our peers what areas needed further improvement.

Great job, Ammar and team! Your efforts have made a real difference in supporting these Year 3 students’ reading, and Caroline Wilkins, the Year 3 teacher running the initiative, couldn’t have agreed more. She said, “Our Year 3 students really look forward to reading with the Year 10s. It's often the highlight of their week! A heartfelt thank you to the Year 10s for their commitment, patience, and for supporting, encouraging, and inspiring our younger readers. The Year 3s’ confidence and reading fluency have grown immensely and the joy on their faces after each session says it all.”