Reading for pleasure

When a child makes the leap from reading because their teacher tells them they must, to reading for pleasure, they have picked up a good habit for a lifetime. True, not everybody is a great reader, and we all have our own unique skills to offer the world, but anybody’s reading can improve with time and patience. This is especially true for children who have the advantage of minds that are keen to learn and absorb information. That’s why helping children to keep gaining confidence in their reading, whatever their natural ability, is so fundamental and it is best achieved when the duty is shared by homes and schools.

Whether by reading all together – or drawing on the amazing breadth of stories, characters, authors, illustrators, and formats out there – so long as their reading experience is a positive one, children can be encouraged on a lifelong reading journey. Debbie Hicks, Creative Director at The Reading Agency takes a look at how teachers and families can work together to get them going, helping young readers head in the right direction.

How teachers can encourage reading for pleasure in the classroom

When reading is fun it encourages real engagement, but the sad fact is not all children find it easy. For some children, reading is a challenge – which is why it is important for schools and families to support them to read for pleasure.

Building on her recent blog on 'What superpowers can reading for pleasure give me?', The Reading Agency’s Creative Director, Debbie Hicks, shares some practical tips to encourage reading for pleasure in your school.