2023 – 2024

In the earliest stages of learning to read, it is essential that children are not only taught the necessary skills to become independent readers, but that they also develop a love and interest in books and reading, and choose to read (both independently and with others) outside of school.

This project aims to create a reading for pleasure programme for reception year children in England.   It will focus on fostering reading enjoyment (positive attitudes towards books and reading), skills (to self-select books they will enjoy) and behaviour (volitional independent and shared reading).

It aims to develop teachers’ depth of research knowledge in this area, embedding this within the context of pedagogical practices to support children’s reading attitudes, skills and behaviours.  Furthermore, resources to support and facilitate home-school connections will also be created.

This project is funded by Education Endowment Foundation.  To learn more, you can contact PI Jamie Lingwood lingwoj@hope.ac.uk or Co-I Sarah McGeown: s.mcgeown@ed.ac.uk

Principal Investigator: Dr Jamie Lingwood, Liverpool Hope University

Co-Investigator: Dr Sarah McGeown, University of Edinburgh

Project Partners: Dr Christina Clark (Director of Research) and Tracy Jackson, OBE (Head of Early Years), National Literacy Trust