Reading for pleasure has long since been on the agenda for schools. Last year, however, the National Literacy Trust released stark figures detailing the numbers of children and young people who choose to read in their spare time.
Just 1 in 3 (34.6%) of children and young people aged 8 to 18 said they enjoyed reading in their free time.
This startling statistic represents the lowest figure since 2005.
Research into the benefits of reading for pleasure is extensive. Work undertaken by Sullivan and Brown in 2015 showed that the will to read positively influences the skill and highlighted the direct association between a child choosing to read in their spare time and later academic success. Research also suggests a positive correlation of improved vocabulary and general knowledge when pupils choose to read (Cunningham and Stanovich 2001).
As well as the positive impact on academic progress and attainment, reading allows our children to explore new learning, escape into new worlds and empathise with new people. We cannot underestimate how this will translate beyond English and into the wider curriculum.
World Book Day initiatives can be hugely effective in re-igniting reading for pleasure across the school, but we need to be mindful not to make this simply an annual event and instead use this day to re-focus the school community’s attention on the importance of enjoying reading. We want to nurture our pupils into lifelong lovers of reading: people who choose to read.
This year’s World Book Day takes the theme of “Read your way” to support children to see reading as something they can choose to do rather than have to do. If you are in the midst of planning your 2025 World Book Day activities you might find this blog from our archives a source of inspiration.,
However, embedding a positive reading culture needs to go beyond this annual event
In Ofsted’s English research review series, they cite that forming a ‘coherent strategy’ can be effective in designing a curriculum that supports reading for pleasure. Below we will explore several strategies that can help to inspire children to choose to read.
Developing your book corner
In order to encourage children to read ‘their way’, we need to ensure that the spaces we create for reading in our classrooms are inviting and most importantly are routinely used.
Top tips:
- Include peer recommendations within your book corner.
Pupils can be great positive influences on one another. A 3-word review written on a sticky note stuck on the book’s front cover could be all a reluctant reader needs to pick a book they otherwise may have overlooked. Using book stands to promote what peers are reading will allow teachers to note trends in reading behaviours as well as recommend texts to one another. Consider a book display with recommendations to broaden pupils’ awareness of authors and books:
“If you loved reading… then you may enjoy….”
- Involve the pupils in the development of your reading corner.
If we want pupils to engage with and subsequently take pride and ownership over their class reading areas, let’s gain their input on what they want it to be. Which books do they want to have available? What about non-fiction texts, poetry, comics or newspapers? How should we display the books? When would they like to use the area?
Once the pupils have had some input in their class reading areas, we can then use their help to ensure the space is kept organised, up to date and inviting. This is key to ensure that reading areas are spaces in which children want to spend their time.
Harness your teacher superpower
Not all superheroes wear capes, but they can often be seen wearing lanyards and drinking cups of coffee. When it comes to promoting reading for pleasure, we cannot underestimate the power of the teacher influencer. How often do you have a queue of children at the desk asking to read a story which you have just finished reading to them? This all comes down to the powerful delivery you have provided. Let’s make sure we are protecting time for adults to read to their class. Just reading the first couple of pages with enthusiasm, and a nod to a few children who might be interested in that book, can generate a keen interest and a queue of children keen to borrow the text next.
We can use this superpower to tempt children with great literature that they may not ordinarily choose of their own volition. Remember this could be fiction, non-fiction and poetry. What better way to draw in a reluctant reader than by showing that you understand their hobbies and interests and can direct them to reading materials accordingly?
In order to choose texts that we wish to recommend to our children or those we wish to share with them, teachers need to have a good knowledge of children’s literature. In theory, this is a great suggestion, but many teachers will say they simply don’t have the time to do this effectively.
Here are some suggestions to help make this a manageable approach:
- Take 5 minutes at the start of a staff meeting to share a book with colleagues
- Have a share box in the staff room for colleagues to recommend texts to each other
- Audio books can be a great way of enjoying children’s literature whilst completing other tasks
- For award-winning literature, browse the book awards websites such as UKLA and The Carnegies
- Explore websites which catalogue the latest children’s literature such as: CLPE, Books for Topics, Book Trust and The Times bookshop.
Communities of readers
In order to embed a reading for pleasure culture that can be truly transformative to pupil reading behaviours, we need the support of the community around us. We need to ensure that children see reading as a lifelong pursuit which extends beyond the school gates.
Through their Teachers as Readers project, The Open University Reading for Pleasure Centre found that reading for pleasure is strongly influenced by building relationships between children, teachers, parents and the wider school community.
Consider how we can involve the wider school community during reading time. Whether that be inviting a special guest reader to visit the classroom to share their favourite story or an open classroom where parents and carers can come and read with their children. At our recent conference, Tracy Swinburne OBE, CEO of Accomplish MAT, detailed how she opens up her school libraries to families at the end of Friday afternoons, so that parents/carers can come and see books being read to children and then choose a book with their child to borrow for the weekend.
And let’s not forget to support our local community library. It is always worth contacting your local library to see how they can support reading in your school. Whether that be a trip to see what the library has to offer or inviting them in for a whole school assembly.
Considering current practice
Before considering tweaks or even new priorities to current reading for pleasure initiatives, completing an audit or self-evaluation can be a helpful place to start. Taking a moment to pause and reflect on what is going well and how we can subsequently develop strategies further to narrow our focus and plan strategically.
Section 8 of The Reading Framework: Developing a Reading for Pleasure Culture, provides some handy audits to help evaluate current practice and consider those all-important next steps.
For subject leaders, you may also want to consider gathering pupil voice to determine the children’s attitudes to reading.
Key questions could include:
- Do you enjoy reading?
- Who are your favourite authors? Why?
- What types of books do you like to read? Why?
- Where do you choose to read?
- How do you choose a book to read?
These questions, along with the vision of World Book Day 2025 will help schools to support children to read ‘their way’. The information gathered can support subject leaders to consider whether the current provision for reading enjoyment within school is in line with pupil viewpoints.
Where else can we find inspiration?
We were lucky enough to welcome the eminent Teresa Cremin to our shared INSET training in September who ignited the room full of delegates with her inspirational ideas to promote reading for pleasure. The Open University’s Reading for Pleasure website offers some valuable resources for teachers and leaders to consider when developing a robust culture of reading for pleasure.
Take a look at this case study blog, guest written by English Subject Leader Kate Atkinson, which details how she has been creating a reading for pleasure culture in her school.
The educator’s section of the World Book Day website has some evidence-based resources to support reading for pleasure which can be used all year round.
HFL Education’s free to join Primary English subject leader community is a great place to share best practise with fellow leaders: Primary English Subject Leader Online Community
For more information on how to harness reading fluency to raise attainment and propel children towards reading for pleasure, visit HFL Reading Fluency Project | HFL Education.
Don’t forget to follow the HFL Primary English team on our social media channel for ideas and inspiration to develop your wider English curriculum.
X: @HertsEnglish
TikTok: HFL Primary English
Facebook: HFL Primary English
References
The lifelong benefits of reading for pleasure, Professor Alice Sullivan: http://profalices.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/School_Librarian.pdf
What reading does for the mind, Anne E. Cunningham, Keith E. Stanovich: what-reading-does-for-the-mind.pdf
Research review series: English - GOV.UK
https://ourfp.org/
