This full day conference focused on inspiring children to read for pleasure, approaches to reading choices, being creative with books and whole reading strategies that raise attainment.
The conference was chaired by the Guardian's Children's Books editor Julia Eccleshare. Ed Vere author of Banana, Max the Brave and Mr Big talked about creating and illustrating stories for young readers and the importance of visual literacy in reading for pleasure. SF Said author of Varjak Paw and Phoenix discussed the process of writing for children. Prue Goodwin, lecturer in literacy and children's books demonstrated effective strategies to get children reading, learning and achieving. Teachers Catherine Millar and Esther Brown shared how their reading for pleasure initiatives have transformed teaching and learning at Carnagill Community Primary School.
There were workshops on reading for pleasure in schools led by Prue Goodwin, Catherine Millar and Esther Brown, Charles Dickens Museum, House of illustration, Teach your Monster to Read with Matthew Rogers, a primary school teacher based in South London and Book Clubs in Schools.
The conference explored ideas for promoting enjoyment and engagement in reading, raising achievement, strategies to encourage whole school wider reading, the writing process and what makes a good children's book, the importance of illustration and drawing in reading for pleasure, being creative with books, working with cultural organisations that promote a love of reading and sharing good practice.
You can download a write up of the speaker sessions and workshops by clicking on the link below.
Guardian Education Centre Reading for pleasure conference notes - 7 November 2014
Feedback from delegates who attended the conference
Truly a fantastic day – thank you!
This was one of the best courses I have attended, so informative and useful.
Excellent! Thank you I come away with lots of ideas.
An enjoyable day – a good range/variety of themes, ideas, sharing practice and new ideas.
Fantastic - the balance of author/teacher guided sessions made the advice so accessible, lots of great ideas to implement, inspiring speakers.
So useful – just too many things to mention!
It was great to share practice, hear from experience professionals and be inspired. Thank you.
It was great to get ideas on how to improve the enjoyment of reading.
It was very useful day; finding out about useful bookings was particularly good for me.
It was a really inspiring to start the day with Ed Vere and great to see how books can be used can be used throughout the key stages. Thanks for a good day.
Incredibly useful – I am now starting to plan a school wide reading action plan.
I was able to gather ideas for motivating teachers, parents and children to read for pleasure.
Inspiration – yes! Some good ideas and as always, great practical tips and ideas. It was very organised and well run.
Very useful – I have lots of ideas to take back to school.
I feel spurred on to encourage reading and especially visual literacy.
Inspirational content - I have ideas to boost reading and comprehension skills in a multi-sensory way.
I heard about lots of strategies to promote reading for pleasure. There were lots of reminders of things I should do but that often get pushed out by 'other' things in a crowded curriculum.
A fantastic day – thank you. I have lots of practical ideas to promote reading for pleasure in school.
I have got help with logistics of teaching reading and practical ideas to use in the classroom.
It was enjoyable and I have ideas about visual literacy to feedback to my class. It was great to hear what other schools are doing and hear the authors.
Very useful – Inspiring ideas to engage children with reading and sharing practice with colleagues.
Inspirational – I am all fired up and ready to go.
