Do join in, stay safe and stay in touch @OpenUni_RfP.

Lucy Rodriguez-Leon

Teachers’ Reading Challenge

We’re so excited to announce the launch of the Teachers’ Reading Challenge! This initiative is designed to support educators at all stages of their career, to enrich their knowledge of texts for young people (and have some fun along the way).

Inspired by OU research into reading for pleasure and the RA’s children’s Summer Reading Challenge, the partnership has created a bespoke experience for teachers and others interested in promoting the reading habit in the young. Teachers are invited to sign up to the Challenge and choose their goal. You’ll be able to access a downloadable reading diary, keep track of your reading online, find book recommendations, save books onto your own wish list, take part in discussions and more! Do join in!

Professor Teresa Cremin said: I’m delighted that our proposal to the Reading Agency to co-create a Teachers’ Reading Challenge was so enthusiastically welcomed. OU research has revealed that teachers’ repertoires are rather reliant on books from their childhoods or celebrity authors, it has also shown that such professional knowledge is critical to motivate and support young readers. So, the partnership Challenge offers a practical and engaging way forward to widen repertoires, rekindle pleasure and enrich practice.

We know many of you will be looking for new books to enjoy and share with your pupils in the autumn or thinking about supporting a new cohort of student teachers to develop rich reading repertoires. So, join the Challenge - it’ll be fun! Do share what you’re reading #TRC2020

Summer Reading Adventure

Do use this with your families or send on to homes to promote RfP. Designed and illustrated by Sadie Philips, a TRG leader, it illustrates that reading involves far more than books: comics, take away menus, instructions on video games, cards, magazines and much more! By working through the map children and parents will discover there are many things to read and places to read them in. Matt Courtney, another TRG Leader, added to the appeal by giving out the Summer Reading Adventure Maps as scrolls!

Join a webinar for Nicola Davies’ new book Last

Last is the first book that Nicola’s written and illustrated. The tale is inspired by the story of Sudan, the last known male northern white rhino, who died in 2018. On World Rhino Day Nicola is inviting teachers and children to join the online launch which includes a reading of the book and a Q&A session with Nicola and Simon James, CEO from Helping Rhinos. It’s on 22nd September at 2.00pm BST! If you are interested email rhino@helpingrhinos.org.

Creating Readers: Parents’ reading course

This new online course by Coram Beanstalk, is both rich and relevant. Creating Readers is a series of five fun, practical and inter-active online sessions designed to help parents offer even more effective support to children as readers. Do check it out – the OU run several Reading Groups with Coram Beanstalk volunteers and as you probably know they are a committed and talented bunch.