The initial meeting of the "Just Read" Campaign took place in early June. Stimulated by the BBC4 documentary, Just Read, which featured Michael Rosen working with a school in Cardiff, a group of authors, illustrators, retailers, teachers, literary agents, librarians, publishers and national literacy organisations gathered to discuss how a campaign could help all schools become book-loving schools.
Michael Rosen led the first session by asking "How can we defend reading for pleasure". Amongst the positives were that it creates empathy and understanding; provides fun; improves communication skills; stimulates the imagination. The meeting was against the overuse of extracts/worksheetsp; a negative or unenthusiastic attitude to books in class; judging children's reading; lack of communication between teachers/librarians and the industry.
It was agreed that a plan with clear steps that can be taken by groups and individuals should be created.
Further information about the campaign will be given on this blog as and when we hear of it!
And no this is not a late post...I've simply been waiting for a contact address for the campaign which has now arrived. So if interested contact justread@scholastic.co.uk
