Defined by the International Literary Association (ILA, 2018) as the opportunity to read freely, voluntarily, and with delight, reading for pleasure does not include response sheets or tests – it is choice-led reading primarily for enjoyment.

This free course provides an introduction to school librarianship. The course is designed to develop learners’ confidence and skills in delivering a library service in schools. It could be of use to librarians with little or no knowledge as well as those with experience who are looking to upskill.

It is widely recognised that supporting children to become capable and engaged readers plays an important role in their future success. Reading empowers; it facilitates education and employment, and it enriches one’s personal life and growth. Learning to read is therefore a key goal of primary or elementary education, and high-quality literacy instruction is fundamental to any literacy curriculum. An effective literacy curriculum not only teaches children how to read, it also inspires them to want to read.

Developing the skill to read and the will to read are interrelated, however, this course focuses on the latter; it is an exploration of Reading for Pleasure and its significance for children’s lives and development. You will consider current research, debates and challenges that impact on children’s reading and gain knowledge and strategies to help you promote reader engagement across schools, homes and communities.

As adults we sometimes struggle to justify our feelings about particular books, but children are quite clear about what they like and don't like. It is possible to get children to discuss why they liked or did not like particular books and to encourage them to think more deeply about the books they've read. This free course, Encouraging book talk in the school library, offers ideas and activities to engage pupils in discussing books. It is aimed at librarians, teaching assistants and other adults working with pupils in school libraries.

E-books and interactive apps can ensure that all children expand their reading range but they must be high quality. Professor Natalia Kucirkova explains more...

In this article, Professor Teresa Cremin explores how talking about texts, their possible meanings and interpretations should be placed at the very heart of the reading curriculum

In this article, Professor Teresa Cremin considers the long term aim of developing readers for life and challenges us to consider effective strategies and practices to genuinely achieve this.

In this short film researcher Professor Teresa Cremin and teacher Claire Williams explore whether an up-to-date knowledge of children's books is crucial in teaching practice.

Does the Duchess of Malfi have any resonance with modern-day audiences? Are it’s themes of politics and revenge still relevant today? Since it was originally published in the seventeenth century the play has been interpreted in a variety of ways, each different director examining the story and realising a unique translation of the work. In 2010 the Greenwich Theatre performed The Duchess of Malfi and in this collection we follow the cast and crew as they analyse the language used by John Webster, as well as exploring different ways of understanding the text and converting his words into a performance.

This material forms part of The Open University course A230 Reading and studying literature.