Reading Leaders Event – Donalyn Miller
Summary
Content Delivery – Reading engagement
Type – Presentation
Length – 2 hours
Level – Teachers, Teachers Librarians, Librarians, Library staff
Organisers – Scholastic
Presenters – Donalyn Miller
Format – Two hour presentation + 30 Minute Q&A
Reflection
At the inaugural Reading Leaders event, hosted by Scholastic I had to pleasure to listen to Donalyn Miller speak about the importance of fostering a positive reading environment. Allowing children to read widely, have a choice in what they read and showing them that any book is a good choice! As I work within a school library environment events like these are great to listen to people who are passionate about instilling a love of reading within children from an early age. Working with children who are 5/6 all the way through to 12 years old, understanding their reading needs and guiding them towards books they want to read while allowing room of choice and exploration is important.
A skill that I gained from the session was the more children practice reading the better they will become at it and the more skills they will develop. Donalyn highlighted 4 main components that lead to reading achievement
- Time
- Access
- Choice
- Community.
When children have the time, the access to books, their own choices of what to read a community that fosters reading they will thrive.
From listening to Donalyn speak I learnt that it is so vital not only within a school environment but any library that providing a space for children to come in and explore a range of books is vital in their development. Connecting with them and exposing them to different ranges of literature is more important in a child’s development than people realise. I hope that whatever library environment I work within I can make those connections and foster a love of reading.
About Donalyn
You can learn about Donalyn and the work she has done throughout her career on her blog
The Book Whisperer. She also is active on her Facebook page.
