Who we help…
Even in a prosperous area like Oxfordshire there are many children who have trouble reading.
- Some have lost confidence because they’ve fallen behind.
- Some are shy and don’t communicate well.
- Some have missed out on the development of vital skills in early childhood.
- Some have difficulty concentrating.
- Some don’t speak English at home.
- Some just need a boost to help them catch up.
The children are chosen by their teachers as the ones most in need of help.
How we help…
At ARCh we recruit, train and support volunteers in primary schools across Oxfordshire, we help hundreds of children a year.
The children have two individual half-hour sessions each week during term-time with their ARCh volunteer. The sessions are at school during school hours. The main idea is to make the children feel happy and successful, so they start to think of reading as something they can enjoy.
With this in mind, ARCh volunteers do a variety of things with the children. In addition to reading they may play word, board or memory games, make and draw things, help the children write their own stories, or just talk. This all helps to boost confidence.