LitPlus Conference 2024
On Saturday 23 November 2024, LitPlus held a day conference for teachers and librarians who have been working with the research group and others from literacy-related organisations. The conference encouraged delegates to discuss how they’d mobilise research-based knowledge of reading in schools and early learning services.
Assoc Prof Ruth Boyask spoke on mobilising knowledge of reading from recent research, including a new study she led on children’s wellbeing and reading that found:
- Early reading experiences have long-term consequences for development
- Reading for pleasure outside of school is connected to resilience
- Reading texts and talking about them provides focus for developing prosocial behaviours
- Reading together (the same or different reading texts) and talking about reading may have positive effects on adolescents’ mental wellbeing
Dr John Milne introduced ongoing cross-sector case study research on reading engagement from early childhood through to secondary school. The LitPlus researchers co-constructed with delegates case study research findings from readers in ten schools and early learning services in five thematic working groups:
- Theme 1: How adolescents’ interests, dispositions, perceptions, feelings and identifications affect reading, Lisa Maurice-Takerei
- Theme 2: Reading engagement in school reading cultures, John Milne
- Theme 3: Affective relationships between people (children, ākonga, teachers, whānau, librarians and so on), Ruth Boyask
- Theme 4: Noticing differences between ideal and real reading engagement, Ross Bernay
- Theme 5: Resources, reading materials, furniture and environments for reading, Parisa Tadi, Jayne Jackson, Rebecca Hopkins
And a wonderful array of presenters from literacy-focused organisations, schools and the LitPlus team provided topical and research-informed professional development seminars on literacy and reading. Topics included:
Developing School Reading Communities | Jo Buchan and Tracey Greenwood, National Library |
SSR: Sustained Silent Reading or Socially Supported Reading | Jayne Jackson, MIT Ross Bernay, AUT |
Emergent Literacy: Social Literacy Forms and Functions | Parisa Tadi, AUT Rebecca Hopkins, AUT |
Bringing Books to Life with Storylines | Anne Dickson, Storylines |
Honouring te Tiriti o Waitangi through Literacy | Christina Thornley, NZLA |
Unlocking Potential: Structured Literacy Approaches and the Science of Learning for Joyful Reading | Renu Sikka, Ministry of Education |
Practices that Enhance Whole-School Literacy Professional Learning | Matt Haines, Mount Albert Grammar School |
Intergenerational Reading for Pleasure | Parisa Tadi, AUT Necia Billinghurst, AUT |
The LitPlus team were grateful to all our friends and collaborators for making this a rich and sustaining day.
More about LitPlus
Based at AUT, LitPlus is a research and professional learning community focused on literacy education for children and young people. We support literacy education that puts the pleasures of reading together and equalising differences in children’s literacy at its centre.