How can your organization participate in READ IN Week this year? You may choose to have events only during READ IN Week or use the week to launch year-long initiatives. Creating a physical or virtual space for reading to take place is a great way to ensure that it happens frequently!
Set Décor
Set aside a special area for your events. Whether this is in a classroom or a library, you can jazz it up by involving students to create and decorate the space. Hang up printouts of your favourite book covers or print out the READ IN Week poster. Designate a chair for your guest reader to use, and prepare comfortable seating for the audience.
Welcome Visitors
Your guest reader may come prepared with their own book, but it’s always a good idea to have a few books for them to choose from just in case! Set aside some time at the start of the storytime for your guest reader to introduce themselves and talk about what they do. You can also have students prepare a couple of questions for the guest reader such as “Do you have a favourite book?” or “How do you use reading in your day-to-day work?”
Wrap Up
Thank your visitors by preparing bookmarks or another small token to give them at the end of their visit. Celebrate the success of your READ IN experiences by talking about the week in an assembly, in newsletters and in conversation with families.
Virtual Space
If you’re using Zoom, Google Classroom, or another piece of software, you can still have a great READ IN Week experience! Keep in mind that for copyright protections, virtual READ IN Week events should not be recorded and shared.
Set Expectations
Remind students of classroom rules such as raising a hand before speaking.
Consent
If you plan to take photos or video of your event, make sure you have permission from the students’ families or are otherwise covered by a photography waiver. It’s also a good idea to check in with your guest reader to make sure they’re comfortable too.