Do you teach KS 2? Join an innovative creative reading programme to get your pupils reading more!
Created by Cheltenham Festivals, Reading Teachers=Reading Pupils (RTRP) is a programme that inspires teachers to read for pleasure, because when teachers read, children read.
Hosted in our home at Dragon Hall, National Centre For Writing will facilitate five reading/book groups over the academic year. You can sign up from June 2022 for launch in October – click here to apply.
What is RT=RP?
In each session, up to 15 key stage 2 teachers will discuss a selected children’s book and explore new ways to look at the text, before taking those ideas back into the classroom.
Get inspired! And get your pupils reading!
We will be hosting a primary RTRP programme which is open to all Key Stage 2 teachers at schools in Norfolk. As the selected novels are most appropriate for Year 5/6 pupils, priority is given to teachers of these year groups. To include as many schools as possible, places are limited to two teachers per school.
Each reading group will form a teacher peer community through which you can continue to discuss texts and offer each other support.
How does RT=RP work?
Through the five structured sessions, the aim is to make teachers become ‘reading role models’, inspiring their students to read more. By delving into high-quality children’s literature sessions will build knowledge about and enthusiasm for various texts and authors. Teachers will be supported in the planning of whole-class literacy teaching from narrative forms. With new and actionable ideas, reinvigorated teachers will be able to inspire their students and help them build their confidence to engage with texts and authors in class discussions and beyond.
While it is not the primary aim of the initiative, evaluation shows that the RTRP programme supports improved reading and writing.
All book group sessions will be led by members of our Learning team at NCW and the group is free to attend.
The shared resources are distributed throughout the year along with two copies of each of the five titles. Three of the books have been published within the last two years, one is from any period and one is a picturebook or graphic novel. These books have been selected by an independent panel and titles are revealed at each book group meeting. Teachers are expected to read each title in advance of the book group meetings.
Applications close at 5pm on Wednesday 31 August 2022
When is RT=RP happening?
- 14 June 2022 – applications open
- September – places confirmed
- 18 October 2022 – Launch, 5-6.30pm
- 23 November 2022 – Book group 1, 4.30-6pm
- 25 January 2023 – Book group 2, 4.30-6pm
- 22 March 2023 – Book group 3, 4.30-6pm
- 3 May 2023 – Book group 4, 4.30-6pm
- 28 June 2023 – Book group 5, 4.30-6pm
- 12 July 2023 – Sharing session, 4.30-6pm
Where does RT=RP take place?
Reading Teachers = Reading Pupils book groups will all take place here at our home in Norwich at Dragon Hall (115-123 King St, Norwich NR1 1QE). There will be tea and cake for participants.
Click here to apply
About the programme
Research shows that “children who read for pleasure experience high levels of well-being, engage in learning and are successful in life.” In 2016 Cheltenham Festivals set up RT=RP as a national network of teacher reading groups which aims to inspire reading for pleasure.
The programme is supported by Arts Council England, Thirty Percy Foundation and the Unwin Charitable Trust.
NCW’s sessions are delivered with the support of ACE, Unwin Charitable Trust and Thirty Percy Foundation.
Cheltenham Festivals’ other partners include: Book Council of Wales, Bradford Literature Festival, Centre for Literacy in Primary Education (CLPE), Just Imagine, KEAP (The Writers’ Block), National Literacy Trust, Peters, Seven Stories the National Centre for Children’s Books, The English and Media Centre, The Reader, The Story Museum and Wigtown Festival Company.
