A message to Workshop Leaders regarding Reading Together®

Since the early 1980s, interested teachers throughout New Zealand have voluntarily implemented Reading Together®. Almost without exception, they have been experienced senior teachers with considerable expertise in literacy education. Between them, these teachers have supported thousands of families.

An important consideration when setting up Reading Together is which parents to invite to the first series of workshops. Experience has shown that the best strategy is to start with a small group of parents (for example 10 or 12) who are likely to respond readily, feel comfortable in school settings, and who will become 'advocates' for Reading Together within the community. This strategy is explained in detail in Section 4.2 of the Reading Together®: Workshop Leader's Handbook.

Teachers and school leaders sometimes ask whether it is possible to implement Reading Together just by following the Handbook, or whether they need an 'outside' person to come and help them. The answer is that Reading Together is deliberately designed so that one or more keen competent teachers can implement it themselves within each school; it is not a programme which 'outsiders' could or should implement for the school.

The Reading Together®: Workshop Leader's Handbook contains all the information which principals, teachers and librarians need to implement the programme. Experience shows that those who read and understand each section of the Handbook, and follow the step-by-step processes carefully, are likely to maintain the integrity of Reading Together and implement it effectively and successfully.