Let’s Talk Books...
Building our knowledge
of quality children’s
literature....
Why?
How?
• Let’s talk books...
• How did you choose your 3 favourites?
• Why is each special to you?
• Who do you remember talking about and
sharing books with as a child?
2
Where are we now?
• A few questions to ponder:
• Who was the last person to share a children’s
•
•
•
book recommendation with you?
When did you last share a children’s title which
was new to you?
How would you rate your knowledge of
Children’s literature?
Fiction? Non fiction? Poetry ?
3
Why create a community of
readers among staff?
4
Teachers as Readers
•
“..being a reader frames us as reading
teachers and supports us as we seek to
apprentice younger readers, model our own
love of reading and create communities of
readers within and beyond school.”
•
Reading Teachers/Teaching Readers.
Why teachers who read make good teachers of reading. Cremin. T, UKLA 2011
Surely it is this passionate adventure with
language we want for all our children before all
else. We therefore help them explore literature as
its own story, and the story of literature is
discovered in the story of our own and others’
reading of it.
Tell Me. Children , Reading & Talk. Chambers. A
6
Teachers as Readers - what the
research says...
• Here’s the bad news…
• UKLA’s Phase 1 (2008) survey of 1200 teachers showed that only 6.5 % had
recently read any children’s fiction
• Their knowledge of children’s literature reflected a considerable cause for concern
• The indications are that teachers relied heavily on well known, ‘celebrity’ authors
and lacked the knowledge of a significantly diverse range of texts to encourage
reading development and make informed recommendations. (UKLA, 2008)
• Evidence shows that few young people perceive that their teachers help them
choose books. (Maynard et al 2007)
•
How do we compare as a staff?
7
The good news...
•
“An enhanced awareness and deep pleasure in
reading can, this UKLA study suggests, nurture
young readers who, like their teachers, are
engaged, self motivated and socially interactive
readers. Whatever phase we teach - the choice is
ours.” Cremin,T. (2011)
8
So, what are the barriers?
9
What are inspectors looking for?
•
“One of the key aspects of effective reading
in primary schools is the determination of staff
to promote a culture which encourages pupils
to enjoy reading, share their views on what
they have read and develop the ability to
compare texts and express opinions about
them.”
Reading, writing and communication. Ofsted Guidance, Oct
2011
So, if time is an issue...
10
•
“Although schools especially primary schools,
devoted a considerable amount of time to reading,
few had a coherent and consistently articulated
policy.”
•
Reading ,writing and communication. Ofsted Guidance, Oct 2011
11
What can we do to help us develop our
knowledge and passion for children’s
literature?
12
Key issues to consider:
• Book selection - what is the current quality of our
book stock in school (narrative, picture books,
non-fiction, poetry)?
• Do we have a secret bookworm amongst us? Our
own Richard & Judy in our school family (teacher, TA,
governor, parent, grandparent, administrator)? If yes,
how do we use that person effectively to help us
develop as a community of readers?
• Time - often the biggest barrier. This needs to be
written into our approach to reading across the whole
school to enable staff development.
• Resources - where do we go for up to date knowledge
and recommendations?
13
We are the linchpin...enabling great Booktalk
SELECTION
(Bookstock, availability,
accessibility, presentation)
READING
(Time to read
ENABLING
ADULT
RESPONSE
“I want to enjoy it again”
Hearing it done
Formal Talk
Doing it for yourself)
Book Gossip
Taken from: Tell Me. Children, Reading & Talk Chambers, A
14
Where to start...
• Share your personal preferences
• ‘Core’ texts?
• Quality of language
• Books to make you laugh, make you cry...
• Books for specific themes and purposes
15
Teachers as readers...
quality is key
•
•
•
•
•
www.booktrustchildrensbooks.org.uk
www.clpe.co.uk – The Core Book List
www.lovereading4kids.co.uk
www.booksforkeeps.co.uk
Choosing and Using Fiction & Non Fiction in the
classroom 3-11. Margaret Mallett (Fulton)
• Teach Primary / Teach Secondary magazines
• National Literacy Trust book lists
16
Teachers as readers...
quality is key
• Keep your eyes on the latest book awards:
• Blue Peter Book Awards
• CILIP Carnegie Medal
• CILIP Kate Greenaway Medal
• English 4-11 Book awards
• Guardian Children's Fiction Prize
• Nottingham Children's Book Award
• Red House Children's Book Award
• Waterstone's Children's Book Prize
17
Teachers as readers...
quality is key
• Bookmark the best children’s book blogs.
• Here’s a great list for starters…visit the Federation
of Children’s Book Groups who have an excellent
selection at www.fcbg.org.uk/book-blogs
• Don’t forget to share any you find...or start your own
school blog!
18
What about your own staff book
group?
• Explore your own literacy.
• Share quality literature with colleagues.
• Model lifelong reading for pleasure.
• Gain experience and confidence with book discussion.
• Reflect upon and learn from personal experience with books.
• Enhance teaching and learning.
•
Why not choose a mixture of adult and young people’s
literature?
19
Here are a few enticing titles to start
you off....
• The Child that Books Built. Francis Spufford beware, you may cry...
• STOP What You Are Doing And Read This - a
collection of 10 essays from leading authors,
from Zadie Smith to Mark Haddon, on why to
bother with reading.
20
Don’t forget...
• A problem shared…take a collaborative approach, use
each other’s strengths
• Have a central storage space (blog, web page, server
area) to help build collections, recommendations and
lists
• If we are convinced this is a priority we must create time,
backed up by permission/policy/release time for our
bookworms to help us develop knowledge and quality...
• Our environment should reflect our passion on doors,
email signatures, displays: “Mrs Clark is reading......”
21
So...
•…action
stations!
22
National Literacy Trust
• One in six people in the UK struggle to read, write
and communicate
• We believe that society will only be fair when
everyone can communicate as well as they need
• We deliver projects, campaign, investigate and
innovate, share knowledge and work in partnership
to transform lives through literacy
• We are an independent charity
www.literacytrust.org.uk
23