WRITE AWAY ANNUAL CONFERENCE

READ, PLAY, THINK, CREATE: generating delight in learning

This conference takes its cue from moves towards an increasingly creative curriculum. The most recent policy documents recognise the role of English and communication as the vehicle for developing the capacity for creativity, imagination and thought. The richness and variety of literature is valued for its role in helping children see the world through the eyes of others and to develop lifelong pleasure in reading and writing. Through stimulating panel discussions, inspirational keynotes and a choice of practical workshops we will explore:

Themes

• Creating philosophical play
• Dance into words
• 'Books of Delight' Improving literacy through book making
• Approaching literacy through drama and theatre
• Reading and responding with music, song and dance
• Playful approaches to writing
• Generating delight with picturebooks
• Love football; love reading
• 'Poetry is Fun' writing poetry
• The role of humour and delight in learning
• Promoting independent reading for pleasure and fulfilment
• Writing: balancing the teaching of writing skills and creative writing

Speakers:

• Philip Ardagh, Author, recipient of the Roald Dahl Funny Prize
• Diane Baker Senior teacher, Ghyllgrove Community Primary School, Basildon
• Patrice Baldwin, Norfolk LA, D4LC
• Katie Cleminson, winner of Booktrust Early Years Award 'Best Emerging Illustrator'
• Leonie Flynn, Librarian Arnold House School, Author Ultimate Book Guide
• Nikki Gamble, Write Away; London Institute of Education
• Prue Goodwin, University of Reading, Literacy Unlimited
• Mini Grey, Award winning author, illustrator
• Daniel Hahn, Author Ultimate Book Guide
• Jim Helmore, author
• Pete Higgin, Enrichment Director, Punchdrunk Theatre
• Bruce Ingman, illustrator
• Chantal Joseph, Dancer
• Allison Judge, Project Manager Everybody Writes, Booktrust
• Pam Lewis, University of Brighton
• Miranda McKearney, Reading Agency
• Tom Palmer, Author
• David Reedy, Senior Adviser Barking and Dagenham, President UKLA
• Viviane Schwarz, illustrator
• Marcus Sedgwick, Author
• Sara Stanley, Head of Foundation and Early Years and Philosophy with Children educator
• Roger Stevens, Performance poet
• Karen Wall, illustrator
• Lynda Waterhouse, Author, teacher
• Simon Wrigley, NATE

Time: 9.00am – 4.30pm (Registration from 8.30)

Venue: Wellcome Conference Centre, Euston Road, London

Save £30 with the Earlybird registration extended until 14th March:  

£120 plus vat @17.5% Total £141

After 14th March £150 plus vat @17.5% Total £ 176.25

Download the booking form  return form with remittance or official order to Conference adminstrator, Write Away, 9 Notley Green, Great Notley, Braintree, ESSEX, CM77 7US

Directions to venue

Enquiries:        This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it  

KEYNOTES

Keynote 1: A Box of Delights' Prue Goodwin

Miranda McKearney will outline her vision for ways in which schools and library services can complement each other in providing rich and creative learning experiences for children.

Keynote 3: 'Having a Laugh' Philip Ardagh

Roald Dahl Funny Prize winner, Philip Ardagh will delight you with readings from his books and his reflections on the importance of humour in children's books.

 WORKSHOPS

Workshop 1: Creating Philosophical Play, Sara Stanley

This workshop will focus on how we can empower our children to make sense of the philosophical world through exploration of imaginary worlds created in the classroom. It will look at ways to use picturebooks as a stimulus for role play and philosophical thinking and explore ways a classroom environment can evolve when children are immersed in the problem solving, reasoning and enquiry that stories generate.The workshop will invite participation in activities that can be taken back into the learning space. Delegates will have the opportunity to look at resources, examples of work and shared home school thinking. (suggested for EY - KS2)

Workshop 2: Dance into Words, Lynda Waterhouse and Chantal Joseph

A workshop looking at ways to inspire and develop writing skills in the primary setting using dance moves. Author Lynda Waterhouse and dancer Chantal Joseph will lead this practical and fun session. No dance skills necessary!  (suggested for KS1 and KS2)

Workshop 3 "The Island",  Patrice Baldwin

Drama can help us access and understand existing texts and images in active, multi-sensory and memorable ways. Through entering an existing story in role, we deepen our understanding of it and can be inspired to generate further text and images. The drama itself provide a range of reasons to write both in and out of role. This drama workshop will be based on Armin Greder's disturbing picture book, "The Island". Using drama strategies and conventions participants will create and become the remote community. They will explore and express their attitudes and behaviours towards an "outsider" and take ownership of any decisions and consequences.   (suggested for KS2 and KS3)

Worksshop 4  Love Football: Love Reading, Tom Palmer and Diane Baker

The best way to get children into reading is using something they love. Not to say 'read because it is good' but 'read because this about what you are interested in'. Diane and Tom have worked together for two years with groups of reluctant reader/writers in Diane's Basildon school. They are called The Football Writers. This session will focus on what they did and what happened. Tom will also talk about a toolkit of ideas to promote reading through football
he has created for the National Literacy Trust. (suggested for KS2 but may also interest those working with KS3)

Workshop 5 Everybody Writes: exploring writing beyond the classroom, Allison Judge

This workshop will introduce primary and secondary teachers to the Everybody Writes approach to writing in schools.  It will explore a range of writing activities, projects and celebrations which involve taking writing into the playground and the community, giving children direct and exciting experiences to write about and finding real audiences for children’s writing.  Everybody Writes is all about getting children to want to write: the immediacy of the experiences, the authenticity of the audience and the playful and dynamic nature of these approaches to writing are particularly effective in engaging the interest of boys and reluctant writers.  Visit www.everybodywrites.org.uk for further information and for writing ideas and free resources.  (suggested for KS1, KS2 and KS3)

Workshop 6 Stripy Horses and Monster Tomatoes, Jim Helmore and Karen Wall

Husband and wife author and illustrator team, Jim Helmore and Karen Wall read from two of their recent picture books, discuss the background to their stories and reveal what it’s like to work with a member of your family. They talk about visits to schools and suggest some interactive ideas to accompany their books, which can easily be translated into any classroom situation. There’ll also be some music - so polish up your vocal chords and prepare to join in with a song! (suggested for EYs  and KS1)

Workshop 7: Inspiring reading, Leonie Flynn and Daniel Hahn

Just how do you inspire young people to read? How do you convince them that reading really is a pleasure, and not just homework? As adults we all love finding a book that inspires us, and yet sometimes we all need inspiration when choosing a book - kids are no different. So, how do you help find the right book and how do you help kids find their own path through the undergrowth of literature? Confidence, inspiration and a few strategies will be on offer from the editors of The Ultimate Book Guides. ( suggested for KS2 and KS3)

Workshop 8 'Poetry is Fun!', Roger Stevens

Many teachers are uncertain about poetry, even nervous about teaching it. The 'Poetry is Fun' workshop can be and should be fun for both teachers and children. Roger explains in simple terms what poetry is and how it can make a big difference to the classroom, the school and the children. He will be reading and performing some of his poems, sharing some tried and tested ways to get children writing poetry and ending with a short discussion encouraging teachers to ask questions the may have always wanted to ask such as... when a poem doesn't rhyme, how do you know that it's poetry? ( suggested for EYs -KS2)

Workshop 9 ‘Books of Delight’, Pam Lewis