Inspiring a love of reading: Professional learning to develop a culture of reading for pleasure

This chapter demonstrates the value of schools embarking on such research-informed reading for pleasure (RfP) journeys, and the salience of staff exploring research and practice in collaboration with one another and evidence-based resources. It explores the benefits of RfP, and the challenges and tensions involved. The chapter describes relevant research and ways to mediate this through professional development. The research identified that teachers need a wide knowledge of children’s literature and other texts, and a working knowledge of the reading practices and identities of those young people in their classrooms to effectively nurture RfP. Professional development that builds sustained partnerships between academics and teachers focused on children’s learning has the potential for mutual benefit, enriching pedagogic practice, identifying new areas for research enquiries and, most significantly, positively influencing children’s learning. In the context of RfP, there is a need for such partnership work to attend to evidence and to engage in both reflection and action