How a visit can help your school
“All schools should develop policies to promote reading for enjoyment” – Moving English Forward, Ofsted 2012
“Evidence suggests that reading for pleasure leads to increased attainment.” – Reading for Pleasure, DfE 2012
Every author provides something different. We all do visits in our own way: the following is mine.
I use the imaginative power of stories
Visits usually start with a long session for large groups built around stories from my Wicked Tales series. These are very funny stories, and the children don’t want them to stop. The stories are not read out: they are performed, with a range of voices and actions.
I encourage their creativity.
I include imagination exercises in the main session. In later sessions, we can build upon this by inventing full stories together.
I tell them how I write my own stories.
I stress that I am not there as a teacher: all I can do is share the things that help me when I write, such as:
- making simple plans
- scribbling down lots of ideas
- using action
- enjoying my characters.
I increase their confidence
I encourage them to believe that there are many books out there that they really want to read, but haven’t yet come across.
I tell them how much I disliked writing as a child, but am glad that I kept at it!
I persuade them that they all – even the most reluctant writers – to believe that they have something interesting to say.