A real honour to write the introduction to The Poetry World of John Agard from @otterbarrybooks.bsky.social I shared John’s poetry with many of the classes I taught over the years. The book is a beautiful collection of greatest hits, edited by @charliehacking.bsky.social

Thank you!

Thanks Bob!

There was no time for speeches but for me, this work and the awards and recognition for it would not have been possible without the work of two incredible women in particular. Margaret Meek Spencer and Myra Barrs, who led the way on the power of texts and the connections between reading and writing.

UKLA Wiley Research in Literacy Education 2025 Award Trophy

About last night…
Hugely grateful to The UKLA panels for this recognition of The Balancing Act & the Double Helix of Reading and Writing by Dominic Wyse and I. Being a member of the UKLA is hugely professionally nourishing and to be recognised by them in particular means so much.

Absolutely - which is why I prefer communication. It has to be reciprocal.

Yes! Exactly this!

Myfanwy - I’m with you on Oracy. I actually prefer communication. What about the non-verbal children?

Don’t forget the tutoring… Exams, tests and tutoring. That’ll fix it…🤦🏻‍♀️

I was having discussions with KS2 teachers in 2018 about handwriting, and with action/based research, they tracked it back to the narrowing of opportunities for physical development and gross and fine motor development lower down the school. What fixed it? Introducing these things in KS2…

Undoubtedly. But it’s bigger than just that. Everything you’re saying was a problem before lockdown.

Sue… you are always on the money.

Gross and fine motor activity before and during introduction and development of physical writing is key. COVID is only part of the issue. The formality of the curriculum and some ill advised practices post 2014 to the detriment of movement and play in Reception and Key Stage 1 adds hugely to this.

I really am. And Sue is extremely knowledgeable on this. Never understood pen licences. It’s actually more fluid to write in pen than pencil. Let kids write with what they want and what feels most comfortable for them. It’s the writing that matters.

An spread by Junli Song from Zaro Weil's new poetry collection for children I HEAR THE TREES. It contains the text of the poem and the image shows a young girl lying in grass as leaves fall down around her.

"That’s what I want. For a child to hold their breath for a second. To feel something stir."

The day after the winner of #CLiPPA2025 is announced, @charliehacking.bsky.social interviews 2020 winner, Zaro Weil about her new book, I HEAR THE TREES #Poetry #KidLitUK
booksforkeeps.co.uk/article/the-...

Thanks so much Mark. This means a lot coming from you. Am a big fan of your work!

Following the recent headlines from HarperCollins UK and now from the National Literacy Trust, here’s an article I wrote for Books for Keeps about the decline in Reading for Pleasure, the issues involved and what might be done about it: booksforkeeps.co.uk/article/read...

Target-rich environment, this speech.

1/n

If your business model doesn’t work without breaking the law, then you’re not in business.

You’re in organized crime.

Thank god.

Looking forward to hearing the inimitable Dominic Wyse on Saturday June 28th 2.30pm at @uklitassociation.bsky.social International Conference in Liverpool! Not too late to buy a ticket! #thisismyukla

“The blame doesn’t sit at the door of parents…  It’s at the heart of the society that has been created with its ever-widening inequality gap.”

The brilliant @charliehacking.bsky.social responds to the reading for pleasure decline in @booksforkeeps.bsky.social

booksforkeeps.co.uk/article/read...

Thanks Simon.

Very briefly! You were in high demand!

Teachers, because they are diligent, try their best to make it work regardless. But it’s time to reflect on what’s not working and why and what might be better for our children. Keeping on keeping on isn’t ensuring change happens.

Yes! There’s too much in the curriculum. It’s unworkable. It shouldn’t be leading to teacher and parental guilt. Policy needs to take account of this and the Curriculum and Assessment review ought to offer the perfect opportunity for this…

Yes! This is so important to recognise! Don’t blame yourself though. The culture is not as supportive as it should be for parents and carers. Adding a layer of parental guilt to this is unbearable.

Ah! I missed this Megan. Thanks for sharing. Spot on as always…

Thank you. The financial equality gap needs to be addressed, rather than spotlighting individual issues that are caused by it and blaming those most affected by it.

Thanks. I’m livid about the positioning of certain parents and children and the continuous deficit narrative, when the gap that has NEVER closed is the financial equality gap. This is the root of the problem.