Reading groups

LEARNER 1

Did you want to turn your chair a bit round and I'll bring Sue closer to you. Then she can get to the table.

SHAUN

I run a reading group every Friday at my local library, and it's brilliant.

LEARNER 1

A reading group is about a group of people coming to read a book and read at their level of reading.

LEARNER 2

[Reading from a book] "'An adder,' I say, 'aren't they poisonous?'"

RON

I first started coming about five years to here, and my reading were rubbish. Since I've been coming here, it's brought me out of my shell. It's boosted my confidence a lot.

[Reading from a book] "Ann pats him on the shoulder."

SHAUN

Excellent, Ron.

LEARNER 1

Reading a lot has helped me because I'm more confident now in reading and when I first came to the reading group, it was the first ever book I'd read.

LEARNER 2

If somebody's got, like, a disability, if they've got dyslexia, we just help each other out.

RON

[Reading from a book] "Mrs Kingfisher and all the kingfisher… babies, is it?"

LEARNER 2

Yeah, yeah.

LEARNER 1

If we get stuck on a word, we all help each other read the word and, you know, in some cases, we'll split the word up so you can actually read it yourself. And if we don't understand the word, we'll discuss it as a group.

RON

If I didn't have this, I wouldn't be learning at all, I don't think.

LEARNER 2

[Speaking to the group] Hundred per cent marks on it.

RON

Hundred per cent?

LEARNER 2

Yeah.

RON

No, you'll make my head big. I won’t get out the door now! [Laughter]

Now it's even encouraged me to come in this library during the week.

LEARNER 2

It's like being one special family. It's like, coming to it every week and it's just looking forward to doing what we do every Friday, like reading out to one another. Like making a group of friends.