This document provides information for a university course. It discusses that in an upcoming English session, students will explore the book "The Graveyard Book" by Neil Gaiman and consider how high quality texts support reading and writing development. Students are asked to obtain and read this book beforehand. It also discusses research that found teachers' subject knowledge of children's literature is important, and the best teachers are knowledgeable about authors and foster a passion for reading. Finally, it recommends students look at various book award websites over the summer and choose new titles to read.

1. BA (Hons) Education with QTS 3-7
and 5-11 groups
EP402
During your first English curriculum
studies session we will be exploring
“The Graveyard Book” by Neil
Gaiman. We will use this story to
consider your reading experience
and how the use of high quality
texts supports children’s
development as readers and
writers in the classroom.
Please obtain and bring a copy of
this text to your first English
session.
You will find it very helpful to have
read the story beforehand.

2. TEACHERS AS READERS
Research by the United
Kingdom Association for
Literacy [UKLA] has highlighted
the importance of teachers’
subject knowledge about
children’s books.
The best teachers of literacy
are those who are confident as
readers themselves, are
knowledgeable about
children’s authors and
engender a passion and
enthusiasm for reading.

3. It would be really helpful for you to start looking at some of these sites and to choose
some new titles to read over the summer
Costa Children’s Book of the Year
Red House Children’s Book Award
The Blue Peter Book Award
Waterstones Children’s Book Prize
English 4-11 Book Awards
CILIP Kate Greenaway Medal (illustrator award)
CILIP Carnegie Medal (fiction award)
Booktrust Best Book Awards
CLPE Poetry Award
UKLA Book Awards