Author, poet, songwriter
Why book John for a school visit?
First and foremost, because a visit from John is fun. Linking books with fun in the children's minds gives a huge boost to the concept of reading for pleasure (see below)
Because John is a natural communicator who engages effortlessly with the children on their own level and communicates his enthusiasm for reading and writing
Because of the range of original writing - stories, poetry and songs - the children will be introduced to
Because even the most difficult children often respond well to John
Because the effects of a visit from John can last well beyond the day itself
Because of the benefits to many children, and especially to some boys, of meeting a man who provides such a positive role-model with regards to reading and writing
Reading for Pleasure Reading for pleasure is of
enormous, perhaps immeasurable, educational value (see box, below), and yet in
recent years there has been a
decline in reading
for pleasure among
children. A visit from John can be an entertaining and guilt-free way
of reconnecting your pupils with the sheer joy there is to be had from a good
book.
"The PISA report from the
OECD stated that "Being more enthusiastic about
reading, and a frequent reader, was more of an advantage on its own than
having well educated parents in good jobs."
In other words, having
access to books and becoming a keen reader could do more for young people in
terms of educational progress than coming from a comfortable, supportive
background. They concluded that "… finding ways
to engage students in reading may be one of the most effective ways to
leverage social change." David Bell, HMCI, in a speech
made to mark World Book Day 2005 - full text
here
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*PISA
- Programme for International Student Assessment;
OECD - Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development