Reading for pleasure

Overview

Running a text-based curriculum full of rich and interesting books is a great way to encourage reading for pleasure, and this session unpicks how this can work in your school. The goal being that the books you introduce to children are so interesting that they are eager to continuing reading them of their own free will. The benefits of this are huge and range from improved vocabulary to a wider general knowledge and even better performance in other subjects. Interacting with rich, whole-texts will prompt discussion and encourage different kinds of reading for pleasure. While a challenging story might not be immediately appealing to a child reading by herself, studying it together and unpicking its meaning can release a slower burning pleasure. Similarly, activities such as dress-up days to encourage reading for pleasure must connect with a deeper intent if they are to have a genuine impact on the school’s reading culture. They must be authentic. There needs to be time for everyone to talk about books, opportunities to read aloud every day - from EYFS to Y6 - and to build in regular independent reading time for every child. The session finishes with a selection of questions that any teacher wanting to encourage reading for pleasure across their school should ask.

Course Materials:

Presentation Slides - Download

.pptx file

Training Handout - Download

.pdf file

Course Creator

While working as a senior leader in an outstanding inner city primary school, James was instrumental in developing effective reading provision, and was also consulted on the 2014 National Curriculum. A former local authority lead teacher, he is now an English advisor supporting schools and LAs to improve the teaching of reading, writing and drama - and an author for Oxford Owl.

About the Course

In this set of films, education adviser James Clements explores how teachers can develop a text-based approach to the English curriculum. The films take a detailed look at selecting texts, structuring units of work and practical classroom ideas for using rich texts in the classroom.