The College Collection Set 1 – for reluctant readers

By: Georgina Jonas


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Products specifications
Attribute name Attribute value
Size: 167 x 118mm each (6 book set)
Pages : 416
ISBN : 9781785831072
Format: Paperback
Published: August 2016

The College Collection centres around five main characters, Luca, Anda, Jim Jam, Woody and Nolan. They are from different backgrounds and first meet at Parkfield College, where they are studying for a BTEC in Media Studies. They quickly become friends. The College Collection follows them through their time at Parkfield College and the adventures and adversities they experience there. Above all they work hard, have fun and their friendship shines through. The subliminal messages of overcoming failure, of acceptance and support run through all the texts, alongside messages of resilience and perseverance.

In each of the first five books in this set we meet a different character, and learn about their personalities, backgrounds and what they did before they arrived at Parkfield College. In Art Attack, they are thrown into a project together, which takes them on a surprising and challenging adventure.

This first set of six books in the reading scheme, The College Collection, is designed to support and extend the acquisition of reading skills, and the enjoyment of reading, through exciting stories and relatable characters.

The books reinforce high frequency words and the core phonic skills needed to access basic reading levels. Each set provides stories which bridge the gap between base level schemes and longer, more challenging texts. They are suitable for readers who still need a formatted reading scheme and are not yet ready to go onto free readers, but who still want interesting, engaging, real-life books. They are flexible, so no matter what other schemes you may be using, these books stand alone, enhancing and extending any reading experience.

The books provide developing readers with age-appropriate material designed to boost competence and confidence, engaging the reader and encouraging reading for pleasure. The books are also useful for reluctant readers or where the acquisition of reading skills has been identified as a problem. They have been specifically designed to consolidate young readers’ skills and to improve the confidence of older readers who are still acquiring and developing reading skills.

Reading age 9–13 years, interest age 11+. Teacher notes to assist with the use of these books in the classroom are available here.


Picture for author Georgina Jonas

Georgina Jonas

Georgina Jonas - the pen name for the collective talent and expertise of one full-time teacher, who has also been a children's storyteller, and one former headmistress who currently tutors and leads workshops to show parents the best way to help their children with maths and English.

Click here to read the author's article for SecEd in which she offers guidance for engaging reluctant readers.


Reviews

  1. -‹Reading schemes for older students are a mixed bag, if truth be told. Getting the right balance of accessible language and genuinely appealing storylines can be tricky - but with this collection it looks like -˜Georgina Jonas' (a collaboration between a teacher and a former head) might well have nailed it. The first five books introduce us to each of the main characters around which the series centres. The sixth, longer story sees them thrown together at college for a project that takes them on a surprising and challenging adventure. With a reading age of 9-13, and interest age of 11+, the carefully constructed narratives reinforce high frequency words and core phonics, making them a superb bridge between base level schemes and longer, more complex texts; besides being thoroughly engaging reads in their own right.
  2. A set of well-pitched stories that will engage older students who struggle with literacy. These stories would be a welcome addition to any Catch-up literacy programme.
  3. For every teacher teaching literacy and reading to pupils who are less than enthused about the prospect is always a challenge. Let's face it, some pupils just don't like to be told to read, and are less than motivated before they even pick up a book. So, when they are asked to read, the text has to hook them in immediately and draw them further into a story making them want to read. This can get trickier as students grow older, and negative or uninspiring experiences from earlier years are embedded into their mindset.

    Yet, reading is an important life skill, and it is crucial that teachers, parents, and mentors all persist in positively showing reading in a non-threatening and enjoyable way. It's always very pleasing when we come across authors who wish to motivate students to read, creating stories which are engaging, provide hooks, and draw students into reading. This is precisely what Emma Jonas and Georgina Morgan have achieved in developing The College Collection, with Set 1 offering six books based on five central characters. Aimed at pupils aged 9+, the collection provides a non-threatening text, with short chapters, a friendly type-text, and a series of teachers notes to support the development of phonic skills and high-frequency words.

    This reading scheme series is a fantastic tool for teachers who have reluctant readers in their classroom. Aimed at pupils aged 9+, the stories all provide stimulating content to encourage reading, encourage discussion, and encourage development of essential phonic skills. If you have readers who are more inspired by reading books on electronic devices, the collection is also available for Kindle, which could allow for more personalised reading conditions for students who live with dyslexia.

    Click here to read the review in full.
  4. The College Collection is a smartly simple, accessible series of stories about a group of teenagers about to start a BTECH course at college. The characters each introduce themselves in their own short book and reveal their personalities, their family backgrounds and the individual challenges they all encounter. These are real kids with real problems; divorced parents, dyslexia, bullying, being a different size and shape to others, and even coping with the downside of having a famous dad. The tone of the books is perky and conversational, and the short chapters and clear font make them very readable especially for those struggling or reluctant readers. Humorous and perceptive, these books have a refreshing take on teenage life, seen from the perspective of each individual character.

     

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