Reading can be something to enjoy, not just a school task
For Eleanor, becoming a teacher was always in the back of her mind. When she got to university, she thought if teaching was an option, then why not give it a shot?
Now Eleonor teaches English in Plymouth. She caught up with us ahead of World Book Day 2025 to explain how she encourages reading for pleasure in the classroom and beyond.
A love of learning
My positive experiences in school really motivated me to want to help others have that same experience.
I loved learning, and I still do. Teaching has been a natural step for me because I want others to experience the same joy and rewards from education that I did.
Although teaching has its challenging days… it’s really rewarding.
The message behind Teach First of teaching in areas with high disadvantage really resonated with me. I went to a private school and, seeing the contrast between the private and state schools in my area first-hand – how they shaped my friends and our education experiences, made me want to do something to help close that gap.
Although teaching has its challenging days, and managing workload is tough, it’s really rewarding.
Being in the classroom from day one on the Training Programme was so beneficial. My practice improved, and doing pedagogical research and training alongside was great because I could instantly implement what I was learning.
Reading for pleasure
I loved reading at school but stopped when exams took over. Recently, I’ve picked it up again and remembered how enjoyable it is.
As an English teacher, a big part of what we do is teaching reading, helping students analyse texts, learn new skills, discuss ideas and build vocabulary. But reading doesn’t just have academic benefits, it can improve your mental health, cultural awareness and ability to empathise with others.
One of the most important lessons I teach is that reading can be something to enjoy, not just a school task.
We’ve recently moved our library to a bigger space and have funding for new books, which is really exciting.
Books let us experience different perspectives and understand issues we might not face ourselves. That’s why I encourage my students to read – for all the benefits it brings.
Strategies to encourage reading
During tutor time, we read a book we have chosen as a class from a long list of new and familiar texts. We focus on making sure the books available are ones that students actually want to read. It’s easy to push ‘classics’ that students should read, but often that can put them off.
…to see a small shift in someone who wasn’t interested at all – that alone makes teaching so rewarding for me.
At my previous school, I ran a reading intervention with a mixed-ability Year 8 class that didn’t enjoy reading. We started going to the library, where I would read short sections from a few books then, as a class, we’d choose one to read and discuss. Then they’d go off and pick any book they wanted, with the option to read alone or with a friend and talk about it. Encouraging them to discuss what they were reading made a big difference. Removing the idea that reading had to be done alone, in silence or only in a classroom helped them relax and engage more.
There’s a stigma that reading has to mean a long novel written in a certain way, but reading magazines, graphic novels, articles and football reports count too.
For those who may struggle more with reading or have Special Education Needs, audiobooks can also be a great gateway into engaging with stories. We need to shift perceptions and help students see that reading comes in many forms.
It’s one thing to encourage students who already enjoy reading to try something new, but it’s completely different to see a small shift in someone who wasn’t interested at all – that alone makes teaching so rewarding for me.
World Book Day
For World Book Day 2025, we’ve put together a murder mystery story involving the school staff. Each day at the end of our English lessons, we’ll read a segment, gradually building up the suspense as the students try to figure out who committed the murder of one of our teachers. Hopefully, it will get them talking and engaged with the story.
There will be quizzes and other activities throughout the day, including The Masked Reader. In this challenge, teachers will appear in a video with a filter hiding their identity. They’ll read a passage from their favourite book and explain why they love it. Students will then have to guess which teacher is behind each voice. It’s such a fun way to show students that teachers are readers too.
A position of influence
I think when you're a child, especially in secondary school, you're in a stage where you're figuring out who you're going to be as an adult. You're picking up signals from everywhere about what's acceptable and what's right or wrong.
Teachers play such an important role in that process because they have a huge influence on how students behave and act, both in school and after they have left.
We're in a really fortunate position to be able to have that kind of influence, but it’s also a big responsibility to make sure we’re promoting the right things to young people. I can remember specific things that my own teachers said to me when I was at school, which really impacted on my actions both then and now. As teachers, we’re lucky to have the chance to share things with students that will stay with them, or in this case, inspire them to develop a hobby that has so many benefits for their school life and beyond.
That’s why I think reading is so important.
Inspire the next generation of readers
World Book Day celebrates the joy of reading. Explore free resources for schools to encourage students to read for pleasure.
Want to share your love of reading and learning with young people?
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