The Reading Agency is delighted to announce the launch of its new Welsh Clonclyfrau/Chatterbooks network of children’s reading groups on 7 March 2012.
Chatterbooks is a reading group programme for children aged four to twelve; its patron is top children’s author Dame Jacqueline Wilson. Chatterbooks groups run in libraries and schools, supporting children’s literacy development by encouraging them to have a really good time reading and talking about books.
The new programme in Wales, Clonclyfrau/Chatterbooks, has been created through a partnership between The Reading Agency, the Welsh Books Council, CyMAL and the Welsh Government. The programme gives libraries and schools a best practice framework for creating inspiring reading groups for primary school aged children, helping them work together to encourage reading for pleasure, an important factor in educational attainment, and in meeting statutory targets and standards.
The launch of Clonclyfrau/Chatterbooks in Wales is being marked on 7 March by a special afternoon event at Ysgol Esgob Morgan in St Asaph, where pupils are involved in the new programme via their local library. Top children’s authors Steve Barlow and Steve Skidmore, aka ‘The 2 Steves’ will be running a game show activity based on their I Hero series of books. Children from the school’s Chatterbooks group will be preparing something to show the 2 Steves, who are official Chatterbooks champions. Photographs from the event will be available upon request.
The 2 Steves say: “We are proud to be official Chatterbooks champions. Reading is so important and we want to help to make it fun for everyone and get kids chattering about books!”
The links between reading for pleasure and attainment are well documented. Clonclyfrau/Chatterbooks sessions are designed to give children confidence in speaking, writing and reading in a group, choosing books for themselves, and talking about what they like to read. Group leaders will be provided with lots of session ideas, and through The Reading Agency’s partnership with leading children’s publishers, including Welsh language publishers, Clonclyfrau/ Chatterbooks groups will get a stream of information, tips, promotions and goodies featuring the best in children’s books.
- For more information about setting up a Clonclyfrau/Chatterbooks group in your library or school, contact: [email protected]
- Existing children’s reading groups in Wales can join Clonclyfrau/Chatterbooks for free, via the Reading Groups for Everyone website: www.readinggroups.org/chatterbooks
There are a range of child-centred bilingual materials for children, and for the library and school professionals running the groups. Special packs to help reading group leaders get started include a handbook, A3 posters, scrapbook, book review sheets, a wall poster, and stickers for highlighting children’s favourite reads. The Clonclyfrau/Chatterbooks 2012 welcome packs for children feature new bright red book bags with reading diary, pen, stickers, and a Supermouse bookmark. Purchasing Clonclyfrau/Chatterbooks materials or training gives access to more exclusive offers.
Bethan Hughes of Denbighshire Library Service, who has been involved in developing the new programme for Wales, says: “We are delighted to be supporting the launch of this exciting new offer for children in Wales. It will be another important strand in our strategic partnership with schools to support and develop children’s reading and we look forward to establishing more Clonclyfrau/Chatterbooks groups in our libraries.”
Tim Redgrave, head teacher at Ysgol Esgob Morgan, says: ‘Reading is the cornerstone to a child’s education. If we are able to develop a child’s desire to read for pleasure then this can only have a positive impact in all other areas of their learning. We have been working very closely with our local library, developing this appetite for books and as a result we have had a fantastic response ‘ especially with the wonderful results achieved in the summer reading challenge. We are thrilled to have been asked to be the host for the launch of Clonclyfrau/Chatterbooks and very proud of the young readers in our care!”
‘The Welsh Books Council is very pleased to have had the opportunity of working with The Reading Agency on the development of Clonclyfrau/Chatterbooks,’ says Elwyn Jones, chief executive for the Welsh Books Council. ‘This is an important development and, with funding from CyMAL, it has been possible to produce bilingual materials and training to support the groups in Wales. Ensuring that children enjoy books and reading is extremely important and the Clonclyfrau/Chatterbooks groups do so very successfully.’
Lynne Taylor of The Reading Agency says: ‘We are excited and pleased to launch Clonclyfrau/Chatterbooks reading groups in Wales. It’s a natural progression from our work with the Welsh Books Council which supports us each year in the production of bilingual materials for the Summer Reading Challenge, with funding from the Welsh Government. We love to involve children in fun activities to support their reading; now our programmes are fully accessible to children in Wales.’
“Chatterbooks is a lot of fun; we get to read a lot of books by authors we may not have read otherwise!” says Brannon, a pupil at Ysgol Esgob Morgan, St Asaph.
