Solana Santa Fe Reading Together
A small group of Solana Santa Fe students recently had the opportunity to take on the role of teacher as part of a peer-reading program called Reading Together. The Solana Beach district-wide program was implemented at Solana Santa Fe last year.
“I think peer tutoring changes everything,” said Allison McGee, the reading specialist and Reading Together Coordinator at the elementary school. “It’s amazing to watch how quickly they become good friends and the mentoring that goes on.” Over the school year, two different groups of students participated in Reading Together.
During the most recent session, seven tutors were paired with younger students over a three-month period. In addition to reading, they participated in activities such as board games that encouraged reading fluency and comprehension. McGee said her favorite part of the program is the growth she sees in the students and the confidence they feel in reading.
Twice a week McGee met with the tutors to go through the scripted lesson plan for the week. “They know exactly what to say and what questions to ask,” she said. “They really need to be prepared.”
McGee said the school has definitely seen improvements in test scores after implementing the program. “It’s very exciting for us to see what an impact it has had,” she said. “It really builds reading fluency on both ends.”
More information about the Reading Together program is available on the Learning Together website: