Reading and Literacy

Connecting schools with authors can help to bring literacy to life for many students and forge a new interest and love of reading and writing.

Many schools and authors have realized that it can be mutually beneficial, and a great method of motivation for children, when connecting schools with authors. Authors of children’s books have, by design, a vivid imagination and love telling stories directly to the children, so they are often extremely willing to share their fictitious world with a group of school children, going on to inspire and promote a healthy new love of reading, writing, and story telling.

Connecting Authors with Young Children

There are a growing number of authors who are very keen to connect with schools and offer this inspiration and motivation to the children. Offering workshops, readings and a general insight into the world of an author can really open up the eyes and minds of children who are maybe struggling with reading and writing, and wondering why it is worth the effort to even try. It is a great opportunity for an author to really bring their story to life, along with the characters in it, and many schools then incorporate the book into their teaching program for the next few weeks using it as a part of their whole education, and invite the author back to view the fruits of their work, using pictures, plays, pros and other educational methods.

Connecting Authors with Older Students

More mature students can also find it beneficial if their school connects with an author as part of their education and teaching program. If the school is lucky enough to have access to the author who has written one of their study pieces, then this can be extra beneficial and give the students the opportunity to have a real insight into the world created by the author. Often it is difficult to really analyze the work and students find it helpful to have a source of information straight from the horse’s mouth, so to speak.

There are a number of literacy and reading websites now available which specialize in connecting schools with authors, with the different authors who are ready, willing and able to bring literacy to life in school.