EIB Transition Inference Training Project

The EIB commissioned an inference reading project to support transition from primary to secondary school. Here, Justine Blasdale and Michelle Sufa from Ambleside Primary School share their experience..

“We were invited to a full days reading intervention training called, Inference Training, which allowed us to:

• develop an understanding of the intervention: and why reading is so important
• talk through the resources and how to use them 
• meet the project schools and discuss the transition issues between y6 and y7. 

On reflection, we believe that it would have been useful to spend time watching and role modelling with the trainees, rather than being ‘sold’ the intervention.

We have successfully rolled out the intervention in both years 5 and 6, and have found not only the pupils confidence and capability have improved with their comprehension, but across other areas of the curriculum. We noticed an impact on Big Write, classroom comprehension and having more of a passion to read.

We are currently still rolling out the intervention for years 5 and 6, as we believe it will be beneficial to help close the gap between under achievers and their peers in comprehension and reading. The pupils involved started to think about what they had read, not just reading the words.

The intervention teaches them to link in their own experiences to help them to understand the text. Each session gave the opportunity to enhance their vocabulary, by deepening their knowledge of unfamiliar words. When first trained most of the activities seemed quite daunting, however quite quickly not only did the children know how to do each stand alone activity, they were also able to tell you what was coming next.

We noticed that with each session the children’s eagerness and positive attitude increased immensely.

Both Ambleside and Ellis Guilford thought that the two one hour weekly sessions were achievable and were effective.

Year 6 visited Ellis Guilford at the end of the primary intervention, which gave the pupils the opportunity to meet the teaching staff and build relationships with the secondary school.

This is another reason why we think the intervention was such a success, as the pupils were aware that the intervention would continue when they move up to secondary school.”