Inspiring Children to Read and Write for Pleasure : Using Literature to Inspire Literacy Learning for Ages 8-12

"A marvellous book of great practical value" – James Carter

The lack of interest in reading for pleasure amongst large numbers of primary age pupils, put off by ‘mechanical’ worksheet-driven approaches, is a cause for major concern amongst education professionals and parents. However, Inspiring Children to Read and Write for Pleasure from writer, journalist and education commentator Fred Sedgwick uses the context of literature to illuminate and inform the teaching of literacy in the primary classroom and inspire children to a love of books.

Aimed at Year 4, 5 and 6 primary pupils, but also significant as a transitions text to teaching secondary school pupils, this book shows how children’s fluency in language - their thinking, their talking, their reading, their listening and their writing – can be greatly improved and enriched through contact with literature placed in an understandable context. With both focus on prose and poetry, primary pupils will be introduced to using grammar, syntax and sentence construction skills in meaningful contexts. Through the use of inspiring case studies, schedules of work and practical classroom applications as well as literary figures like Dickens, Coleridge, Carroll, Rossetti and Shakespeare, primary school children can enjoy reading and writing again.

With a number of sample passages to use, teaching guidelines and examples of children’s work, this book will be of great interest to literacy coordinators, practicing Primary PGCE and Key Stage 2 teachers and those on BA Primary/B’Ed courses.

Fred Sedgwick is a writer, journalist and commentator in education. He has written for various national newspapers, education associations and reviews.