The role of a Reading Ambassador is to engage, encourage and support the creation of a positive reading ethos across the whole school. What better way to hear recommendations than from your peers in school, from your fellow students and your classmates?

There are lots of ways to develop and structure these roles for develop reading champions and involve your students in the development of a reading culture, and this is just one way to structure this, as a starting point for your discussions.

The children will be selected for this role because of their joy for reading and their ideas for how you can continue to improve reading across the school. As part of the recruitment process, we suggest that you ask them to write a book review of their most recent read or create a poster to encourage increased use of your school library or reading areas.

One of the key reasons that these roles of Junior Librarians / Reading Champions / Reading Ambassadors are so critical in our schools is that peer-to-peer recommendations are such an important influencer.

Reading recommendations are so powerful and intrinsic to building a community of engaged readers. Teachers, students, librarians and all members of the community sharing their recent reads ensures books are at the heart of your school.

The children should work with the English Lead and / or the School Librarian to ensure that high quality texts and a positive reading atmosphere are a high priority in your school.

Roles and Responsibilities of Your Reading Ambassadors

Their role could include - 

- maintaining the school library and the development of reading classrooms.

- writing mini reviews and sharing them in the reading areas across the school.

- creation and maintenance of a Suggestions Box to support the purchasing of new books and other ideas to improve reading in your school.

- soliciting feedback from their peers and collating suggestions of new books that are relevant and exciting for all age groups across the school.

- being involved in the organisation of book events such as Book Week, National Poetry Day, and World Book Day.

- offering advice, support and recommendations to their peers about which books to read.

- helping to run Book Clubs.

- helping to run Reading Mornings for parents and carers who are invited into school to read stories in the library area.

- helping to develop and run a reading assembly once per half term.

- helping as Reading Buddies for KS1 children who need extra reading support.

- organising Outdoor Reading Areas.

In a primary setting our suggestion is that you aim to have two Reading Ambassadors in every KS2 classroom, more if you'd like.

Schedule open library times that work for your setting. Each Wednesday, Thursday and Friday lunchtime the Reading Ambassadors could open the library for browsing and borrowing. They would be responsible for supporting their peers in checking out books on the Library Management System, emptying the Lost Books Box and shelving the books.

Help them be visible by giving them badges so that they are easily recognisable across the school, and feature them on a reading display with them talking about a recent favourite read. Help them celebrate reading successes across the school and shout about their peers who are flourishing.

There is a huge opportunity for these children to be ambassadors for reading. Cherish them, nurture them, support them and you'll see reading for pleasure thrive in your school.

#readingforpleasure

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