Reading While The World is On Fire

 Last evening I was very fortunate to have been asked to speak on a panel for the Young Adult Studies Association (YASA) and their conference entitled YA Studies Around the World.

I was part of a panel called "Reading While the World is On Fire" with librarians and educators from the UK, United States and Australia.

I was able to speak on the importance of reading as a form of escapism in what has proven to be a very worrying and anxious time.

Activities with our 11 year old students like reading "Choose Your Own Adventure" stories out loud and getting them to vote on the path they take has been very effective.

Our Manga Club has been very busy, students watch anime, do Japanese-themed crafts and of course discuss lots of manga. 

Our makerspace, with students using LEGO, Keva Planks, K'Nex and other material to build and explore for no reason other than to have fun and realise that mistakes can be made in order to learn has also been very popular.

We're also running a film club, basing our films on popular books, running a book award, trying to get staff involved and much more. 

I also referenced many sources on reading for pleasure and its importance during times like these when societal and worldwide pressures are wrecking often unknown havoc on the mental well-being of our youth. 

One source was BookTrust who provides a very informative handout on reading for pleasure and the impact it can have within a school setting. 

I also referenced the National Library of New Zealand who discusses clearly the link between mental well-being and reading for pleasure, how it builds empathy in both children and adults and how it can improve vocabulary. 

I also discussed how the library at Glenthorne is steering students towards reading for pleasure and positive digital legacies at the same time. I discussed our fake news lessons and the importance of our clubs, specifically manga club.

I really enjoyed listening to the other panellists and engaging in this discussion, it was a very informative fun and engaging time!