Mind the gap between childhood and adulthood: why teenage reading is important

Professor Jessie Ricketts
School of Life Sciences and the Environment

Reading gives us access to information, to learning, to people and worlds that are outside of our lived experience. This is important for all of us and yet, research has focused almost exclusively on childhood and adulthood, ignoring the intervening teenage period. Discussions with secondary teachers motivated more than a decade of research that tracks how reading proficiency and engagement as young people move through adolescence. We have worked closely with teachers, charities and other partners to develop this research and understand what it means for teenagers, schools and educational policy. Professor Ricketts' talk will outline this research, and explore the importance of collaboration to understanding why teenage reading is important and what we can do to promote it.

Inaugural Lecture

Admission is free, but booking is essential.