1. Some Ideas for Promoting Reading for Enjoyment in Schools
Literacy Association of Ireland
Cumann Litearthachta na hÉireann

2. Promoting Reading for Enjoyment
Book Clubs
Assemblies
Book of the week
Library/ book corner
Read Aloud
DEAR time
Engage and support parents
ICT

3. Book Clubs
In-Class Book Club: Children get into 3 or 4 groups within the class, decide on a book to read and discuss in the club. Library can facilitate, give multiple copies of books chosen.
Inter-class Book Club: after they have learned to work in clubs, consider working with another class at year level or another class from your house

4. Assemblies
House captains or class representatives discuss/promote their favourite book(s) or author at assembly.
Principal picks a book or two to ‘sell’ at assembly, explaining why she/he liked the particular book etc, then asks who’d like to read it.
Get weekly volunteers to review books at assemblies
Author/Poet visit
Desert Island reads

5. Book of the week / Book Displays
On the school website – one class from each year group prepare a short book of the week review with images e.g 6th class book of the week …
Recommended reads notice board – in-class or outside classroom to create reading atmosphere. Could use post–it note style review
Noticeboard in the hall with pictures & titles of recommended reads.
Twitter type review – 140 characters
The Primary Planet Newspaper – send reviews

6. Library / Book Corner
Spruce up the class libraries, make them more inviting.
Pick a few books per week to discuss – sell these books to the class, ‘Bless the books’.
Library visit – call ahead and ask for assistance of librarian to work with reluctant readers
Library/ book corner

7. Read Aloud Make time for teacher read aloud in your class
Read to children for sheer enjoyment
Encourage dialogic discussion on text, not a question answer session
Read different genres – picture books, information books, ebooks, novels, short stories, poetry e.t.c.
Book box in staff room – with good read aloud books/stories

8. Teacher should read as well
DEAR time
DEAR Time – make the most of DEAR Time, should not be time for tidying round the classroom, correcting copies
Teacher should read as well
May not be every day, but should be for a significant period to allow children get into their books.
Encourage children to bring in book of their choice

9. Engage and Support Parents
Website reviews
Newsletter – share news on what we are doing to promote reading in school
Class celebrations – invite parents in to share some of the classes favourite books/stories, writing, poetry recitals. ‘Literacy Café’ idea
P/T Meetings – story time in the hall, Volunteer readers read a story to waiting children in a corner of the hall.
Book sale during the P/T Meetings.
Engage and support parents

10. ICT
Download ebooks or audio books from the Library and read/play in class during teacher read-aloud.
Website, reading zone,blog
If you have a class/school blog or twitter feed. Tweet updates of book that the class are enjoying or other literacy news