Should Teachers Of Literacy Be Readers?

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Should teachers of Literacy be readers? How important is this for the pupils they teach? Perspectives on the Importance of Reading in Teachers' Classrooms and Lives. “Reading furnishes the mind only with materials of knowledge; it is thinking that makes what we read ours.” John Locke (1632 - 1704) During my research for this assignment, regarding whether teachers of Literacy should be readers, I stumbled upon an article within a copy of Adolescent and Adult Literacy. Ann Powell- Brown solicited a straightforward but provocative question: “(2004, p284–288) The answer that was instantly retorted was ‘certainly not’, but after a moment, the magnitude of this question echoed within my mind and led me to stop and examine my own views and feelings regarding this, and furthermore, led to the professional questioning of how could teachers enable literacy if there wasn’t a love of reading? As a teacher of Early Years, with more than a particular interest in literacy, I psychologically recognise that some people, perhaps even some teachers, might not enjoy the activity of reading. However, it is hard to imagine that there are any teachers who dismiss the enticement of fingering a freshly printed page within a new book, or do not become excited by the most recent publication of a favourite author. Likewise, it is questionable that there are some teachers whom may not enjoy finding refuge in well resourced school libraries or high street bookstores to peruse the numerous texts available at their fingertips. As a teacher, and life-long reader, I believe both professionally and personally, that positive literary backgrounds, gained from a love and interest of books from childhood, enables a teacher to have an enthusiastic confidence in supporting the children in their care within the classroom, and to embrace, support and nurture a growing enjoyment of reading. But what

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