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| This article first appeared in the June 2002 issue of Literacy
Today (issue no. 31). |
Eileen Armstrong, LRC manager at Cramlington High School in Northumberland
and enthusiastic supporter of the National Reading Campaign, has developed
a year-round programme of fun reading activities to keep the whole school,
staff and students, fully booked up.
It was the school's first experience of 'shadowing' the Carnegie/Greenaway
book awards that sparked off the massive enthusiasm for creative reading
initiatives within the school. As a judge on the national awards panel,
I had lived, breathed, eaten and even slept with the nominated titles for
six weeks and whipped the whole school into a judging frenzy. This included
beginning each day with a soundbite broadcast to the whole school on the
intercom; running an after school reading group to report the children's
views to the national panel; emailing the opinions of our reading groups
to other shadowing schools; training childcare students to share the books
with young primary pupils; and encouraging CDT students to build their own
pop-up picture book.
The only problem was how to sustain this momentum throughout the rest of
the school year, and on into the next one. The eclectic assortment of ideas
here are just a few of those which worked with my students, creating avid
readers of the occasional and fanatics of the book phobic. They have evolved
into a 'reading year' of social, literary and cross-curricular activities
to get all ages and abilities reading. Pick and choose the ones that will
interest and enthuse your own students and teachers.
Enticing reluctant readers demands cunning and a constantly changing programme
of one-off events and ongoing promotions. Approaching any potential reader
with a book is a big risk to take and the responsibility (and possible reward)
with a special needs reader is even greater. Every passionate promoter of
the reading cause has his own tale of reward. My moment of glory was when
Jonathan wrote on the end-of-year evaluation form, "More books would
make it better!" .
Take advantage of as many ready-made national schemes as resources allow,
or create your own in-school promotions. Time carefully and open to to
different year groups to enable as many students to experience as many
as possible in their school career - and broaden their reading horizons.
September: Swap a Book Day
Set up 'Bring one, borrow one' boxes of series books, popular fiction,
comics, fanzines, hobby magazines, Little books, txt msg guides...
September: Blue Peter Book Award
Get Year 8 back into the reading habit after the holidays. Pair students
to work as book detectives on the trail of the winning book on the shortlist
- noting down evidence in review form, preparing a defence, presenting
the evidence, arguing their case and recording the verdict
October: Poetry Day
Storm classrooms in costume with rehearsed performance poems, create
poetry trails with a topical poem for every department, recite-a-rhyme
for charity, fo a school 'Top of the Poems' poll, write a rap, rewrite
the song lyrics of the current number one record
October-December: North East Book Award
Links secondary schools across the region to discuss the books. Similar
schemes are run by many school or public library services - or set up
your own in-school or between English classes, creating your own categories
for best/scariest/funniest/wackiest book of the year
January-April: Askews Award
Hold 'literary lunches' with feeder schools for Year 8 and Year 9
to much sandwiches and mull over the ingredients of the winning book on
the shortlist
February-March: World Book Day/Bedtime Reading Week
Match teachers with (un)likely books and catch them reading for 'Caught
in the act!' photo shoots, sending students out and about with digital
or disposable cameras. Persuage all teaching colleagues to open lessons
with '60 second starters' of a must read recommendation or guilty reading
secret
April-June: Aventis Book Award
Ideal for enlisting Year 6 and Year 7 boys' help as 'Book scientists'
on a mission to discover the distinctive qualities of a science book award
winner. Suitable for reading-supported secondary students, too
May-June: Carnegie/Greenaway shadowing
All you need is a group of willing (to be convinced) Year 9 readers and
at least one copy of each book on the shortlist
At any time...
Hold your own weeklong 'fiction fest'
Create interest throughout the whole school using posters inside toilet
doors, readings on the intercom, etc. Cut costs by linking with other
schools and time your event to coincide with local literature festivals
or library author events. Remember also that perfect performers are not
necessarily authors: local sportsmen, police, chefs, health visitors,
cinema managers and so on can all prove to be useful contacts
Fantasy football league
Students read books from previously drawn-up genre divisions and complete
score cards, nominating characters for a dream team and creating league
tables. Most imaginative choices and convincing arguments rather than
number of completed scorecards are rewarded with the 'Manager of the Month'
award
Reading Olympics
Capitalise on interest in the Olympics by offering bronze, silver
and gold medals to individuals, using 'trainer and competitor' pairs as
well as class teams
Use a half-term holiday to run a Readathon between English/year/tutor
groups
Use the top quality promotional materials available and display a
record of the number of books read
In the summer holidays, take groups to the public library...
... or invite the librarian to visit and enrol students on the national
summer reading promotion, and after the holidays offer your own awards
and prizes for challenges met
Book Banquets
Pair Year 9 student with adult vounteers, issuing a MasterChef challenge
to create a well-balanced reading menu for Year 8 reading tastes
Livewires
Pair sixth form volunteers with Year 10 students to research a hot
topic of their choice from a hotlinked list of previously evaluated websites
and relevant resources
Book consultancies
Marking up manuscripts for publishers such as Barrington Stoke makes
students realise that their opinions matter. Design applications forms
and hold induction sessions for new volunteers. Reward pupils' efforts
by holding exclusive, invitation only parties to present certificates
and prizes
Be cool
Tap into trends shamelessly: identify reading personalities with teenmag
style quizzes; survey secret reading habits and reading memories; suggest
reads to match zodiac signs; and hold Jerry Springer style debates for
roleplay character showdowns
Dare to read
Dare pupils to read a horror or mystery book packaged in a black bag
and write a skeleton-shaped book reviews of the scariest
Reading groups
Avid readers need brand new books and lots of biscuits. Allow them
free choice - and a small budget - and holda box-opening party when the
books arrive. Expensive events programmes are less important than the
chance to rant and rave about the books they love, loathe and highly recommend.
David, a statemented, self-confessed book hater, was dragged along by
a friend and now confidently quizzes authors, conducts online interviews
and reviews books for a national magazine. This year he set up our first
ever sixth form group!
Daily
Entice pupils
Hook students with witty one-line plot summaries, comment on the cover
or fascinating, little-known fact about the author. Try it on break duty
as well as mid-lesson and encourage passing teachers to do the same
Take books to where they are...
... using a trolley in the dinner queue and books lying on tables,
chairs or computer tops
Integrate fiction and non-fiction
Anne Frank next to Adrian Mole, Nick Arnold in the next project box
sent to the science department, a Horrible History for the teacher wanting
"something on the Victorians"
Peer recommendation
Display student comments and star-ratings on book jackets. Highlight
the best bits with page number clearly marked, Create a book chain including
comment bookmarks with every book - anonymously or under code names/numbers
Keep it visible
Use screen savers and scrolling textbars to promote library events,
bookbites, celebrity quotes, winning websites, new titles. Email students
direct with some suggestions. Pile Bitesize books high - in bright plastic
crates, supermarket baskets or spray painted boxes to encourage browsing
and leave 'dipboxes' in tutor rooms. Take books into the classroom, wave
them and rave about them than share them around: brand new titles or those
linked to a teaching topic
Use incentives
Issue raffle tickets with books or hide lucky Roald Dahl-style golden
tickets to win extra computer time, leisure centre passes, book tokens,
cinema tickets or signed books, or set up a supermarket-style loyality
card scheme
Appeal to their interests
Copy and display high-interest teenmag articles in the classroom,
pop star profiles as well as personality quizzes and in-depth issues articles.
Highlight websites worth surfing, too
Many of the national promotions listed have supporting websites where
you can find further information.
www.askews.co.uk
www.bbc.co.uk/cbbc/bluepeter
www.carnegiegreenaway.org.uk/
www.worldbookday.com
www.bedtimereadingweek.co.uk
www.readathon.org
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