At Coram Beanstalk we're often asked how best to support children in specific year groups and sometimes we can find ourselves becoming overly concerned by a child’s reading age or ability and what level books they “should” be reading. Our Learning and Development Manager, Rebecca Pedelty-cox helps unpick the idea of a 'reading age'. Read more
Giving the gift of reading is so much more than ‘just’ giving a child a book. When we give a child a reason to read that book, when we help them to discover for themselves the value and pleasure that reading can bring, and give them free rein to explore books in their own way.... those children become readers with all of the benefits that brings! Read more
Reading helper Michael Dillon talks about his experience of using joke books, in response to Gill Worrall's blog "Why a joke book is more than just a stocking filler." Read more
With Science Fiction Day on January 2nd, our Book of the Month and theme for January just had to be science fiction books! Love them or hate them, its important to offer children as many different reading materials as possible to help them find their own favourite genre! Read more
December is the month of Christmas crackers so we've got jokes on our mind! Gill Worrall our Resources Developer, explores how jokes and riddles can be a useful tool in helping children with their comprehension! Read more
Adults have a tendency to push children towards reading fictional chapter books because they think that is what 'readers' read. At Coram Beanstalk our experience has shown us that in order to become a 'reader' children need to own their reading experience. Read more
Here's why poetry can be a great hook for children who don't like reading. Read more
We shouldn’t be fooled by thinking that a child who can decode fluently is a competent reader – decoding alone is not enough. The enjoyment of reading comes from understanding and connecting with what you have read. Read more
How can we help a child to find the book that really grabs them - and make our bookcase as varied as our fruit bowl? Read more
Children need to understand that factual books are just as worthy as fiction when it comes to reading for pleasure. Read more
On World Pasta Day we thought we’d take the opportunity to share one type of book that often gets neglected when reading with children, the humble recipe book! Read more
Pushing too hard and always expecting something in return may, over time, turn that keen little bookworm into a child reluctant to engage. Our latest Learning & Development session helps our reading helpers explore just how we can help children feel good about reading. Read more