Amy opens the book on helping children to read
A DEDICATED Nottingham teacher is working with a national charity to help children overcome their reading diffulties.
Amy Greatrex was “excited” to be contacted by the Open University to work with World Book Day on its research into how barriers to reading for pleasure can be addressed in schools.
The 38-year-old, from Arnold, has worked at South Wilford Endowed Cofe Primary School for five years and is now an early years phase lead and reading for pleasure lead.
She said: “It’s a big deal that they are thinking about barriers to reading and looking at children who don’t want to read because they’ve previously looked at children who enjoy reading.
“It’s huge and it can change children’s lives.”
Amy struggled with reading herself and had intervention at 14 from Reading Recovery. She says she can understand how reading can be difficult for some children.
“I was really excited when they contacted me because I’m so passionate about it. It’s a social justice issue and I know the impact reading can make because it meant that I could do well in my GCSES and choose my career.”
The project included a webinar filmed at Chesterton Primary School in London on January 31 which focused on developing children’s “reading identities”.
A second webinar on June 12 will reflect on the ideas shared.
This World Book Day, Amy will talk to children at the school about books that she has given up on and help them.
She said: “Part of the rights of a reader is to quit a book.
“The main thing teachers can do is think about how they read and their reading identity.”
Cassie Chadderton, CEO of the charity World Book Day, said: “Our work with the Open University is exploring what would encourage more children to see themselves as readers.
“With the Open University’s Reading for Pleasure team, and inspirational teachers, librarians, and other industry peers, we’re looking at what currently prevents children from reading for pleasure, so that we can understand what could encourage more to experience the joy of reading as a hobby, benefiting from the improved life chances this brings.”
Amy said: “The more teachers invest in reading means the children want to read more and will have more options later, like with their career.”
The webinar can be viewed on the dedicated World Book Day Youtube channel.