Seminar programme 2023-24

Seminar 1: School Libraries and Librarians Matter for Children's Reading Lives

15:00-16:00 (GMT) Thursday 8 February 2024

Studies have shown that frequent and wide reading in the early and primary years is correlated to later reading proficiency, academic achievement, adolescent digital literacy skills and lifelong learning. Being able to find solace in books is a form of wellbeing for many children. However, there is great disparity in terms of book access for students from differently resourced homes. School libraries, particularly those that are well-stocked and supported by qualified librarians, can do much to narrow the reading gap. In this presentation, I will share about the various factors that contribute to a successful primary school library, drawing from a case study of one exemplary school library in Singapore. I will explain how the commitment to building a reading culture in the primary years is formative for adolescent reading enjoyment and development.

Loh Chin Ee is Associate Professor and Deputy Head (Research) at the English Language and Literature Academic Group at the National Institute of Education, Nanyang Technological University. Her research focuses on young people’s reading at the intersection of globalisation and technological changes as well as the role of school libraries in fostering reading for pleasure and lifelong learning. More recently, she produced the How We Read podcast and spoke about reading for pleasure in early childhood in an NIE Education Launchpad series.

Seminar 1: School Libraries and Librarians Matter for Children's Reading Lives

Seminar 2: Children’s Scented Stories

14:00-15:00 (GMT) Wednesday 22 May 24

A Professor at the OU and the University of Stavanger, Norway, Natalia Kucirkova’s work is concerned with social justice in children’s literacy and innovative uses of technologies.

In this seminar, we delve into the often-neglected senses of taste and smell, particularly in digital stories for children. While visual and tactile experiences dominate, smell remains neglected in education and literacy, despite humans' remarkable ability to detect a trillion distinct scents. The presentation centres on harnessing the potential of smell in a digitised world, exploring effective integration into children's analogue and digital stories. Drawing on research in Norway and Malawi, Natalia will share insights gained from odour-enhanced stories, engaging children in smell walks, conducting olfactory audits, and designing an exhibition with a smell-enhanced adventure trail. Join us for a captivating exploration of enhancing children's learning through multisensory engagement

Seminar 2: Children's Scented Stories