Children from three city schools have been invited to choose their favourite books at a book awards event with a difference next week, organised by the Department of Curriculum Studies from the Faculty of Education at the University of Glasgow.

Student teachers will give presentations on their favourite childrens' books to a discerning audience of primary school pupils before the children themselves - from St Augustine's, Milton; St. Patrick's, Anderson and St. Paul's in Partick ﾖ decide which books best help them develop their reading and writing skills.

Event organiser, Julie McAdam, Curriculum Studies teacher said: "I'm sure this is the kind of book endorsement childrens' authors would love to have because it means their book has had a positive impact on both pupils and teachers.

"Our aim with these childrens' book endorsements is to encourage good reading and writing practices among children, and engage student teachers through enquiry-led learning as part of their teacher training course. It's also an opportunity to bring the children to the University environment and broaden their outlook and understanding of the role it plays as well as influencing their future educational aspirations."

The book awards will not only be a learning experience for the children ﾖ student teachers involved will be asked to prepare a 'book bag' filled with items and artefacts related to their selected texts to use to illustrate why they think their book is best. The enquiry-led learning project is part of a new model of classroom activity, one that shifts away from short, isolated, teacher-centred lessons and instead emphasizes learning activities that are long-term, interdisciplinary, student centred, and integrated with real world issues and practices.

Endorsements will be given to books in five categories: general fiction; picture books; non-fiction; global texts and Scottish texts. Among the books nominated are: Kensuke's Kingdom by Michael Morpurgo; Chinese Cinderella: The Secret Story of an Unwanted Daughter by Adeline Yen Mah; Katie Morag and the Two Grandmothers by Mairi Hedderwick; The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas by John Boyne; and The Tartan Rainbow by Theresa Breslin.

Invited guests at the event include: Professor James Conroy, Dean of the Faculty of Education, Judy McGuire and Mary Conway from the Young people's Services Team at the Mitchell Library; and Pat McDaid, Local Authority English Language Advisor.

Martin Shannon (m.shannon@admin.gla.ac.uk)

Photocall: Children from three primary schools choose their favourite books

Time: 11.30pm Wednesday 13 December

Location: The Atrium, Wolfson Medical Building, University Avenue, University of Glasgow

Further information: Julie McAdam, Curriculum Studies, University Teacher in English Language Tel: 0141 330 1908

First published: 8 December 2006