A new programme to improve pupil attainment in reading through support from their peers is being trialled in the East Midlands by researchers at Nottingham Trent University.

Peer Assisted Learning Strategies (PALS) is used extensively in the USA to support reading development and is now being established in the UK. It aims to improve pupils’ reading comprehension, oral reading fluency and overall reading attainment.

Researchers are looking to recruit 120 schools in the region for the 20-week programme, which will see Year 5 pupils, age 9-10, paired up to take part in activities each week. These will include partner reading, summarising the story and the main points of each paragraph and predicting what happens next.

PALS-UK is being funded by the Education Endowment Foundation (EEF) and the Department for Education (DfE) and is being delivered by Dr Emma Vardy, senior lecturer in Developmental Psychology at Nottingham Trent University’s School of Social Sciences, along with Dr Helen Breadmore from the University of Birmingham. It will be independently evaluated by Manchester Metropolitan University.

Dr Vardy said: “We’re looking for schools to help us build an evidence base of whether PALS is as beneficial in the UK as it is in the USA and elsewhere in the world. For the pupils who take part, it can improve not only their reading comprehension and oral reading fluency but also build their confidence in reading aloud. There are also social benefits through improving peer relationships.”

Schools taking part receive a day of initial training and additional top-up training for Year 5 teachers. Pupils also receive support from their classroom teacher in the first month to learn how to undertake the activities and work with their peers.

Schools can find out more about the trial by visiting the EEF website or by contacting [email protected]