Latest News

Understanding Reading for Pleasure for emerging adult readers

Thursday, 21 March 2013

NRDC has carried out new research into reading for pleasure in the context of adult reading groups of emerging readers. It explores what reading for pleasure means, what people gain from reading and why they might benefit from reading in groups.
http://www.nrdc.org.uk/rfp

Quick Reads Evaluation Survey

Friday, 22 February 2013

317 people completed the Quick Reads online survey and we would like to thank everyone for their responses. Three lucky winners have been randomly selected and will soon receive the following prizes:

1st Prize: 48-book pack with 50 bookmarks, two posters and a display stand

2nd Prize: 24-book pack with 50 bookmarks and two posters

3rd Prize: One set of the new 2013 titles

The data collected will be used to inform the future development of Quick Reads and to evaluate our successes to date.

We are very grateful for your continued support. Happy reading!

Celebrate World Book Night 2013 with Quick Reads

Monday, 3 December 2012

World Book Night - 23 April 2013

World Book Night is a celebration of books and reading that sees 20,000 volunteers gift 20 copies each of 20 specially chosen and printed books in their communities to spread a passion for books and reading to those who may not regularly read.

This year, for the first time ever, World Book Night and Quick Reads have teamed up with Andy McNab’s Last Night Another Soldier... as one of the featured books.

You, your colleagues, your adult learners (and anyone else) can apply as one of the volunteers and receive 20 copies of the book to give to new readers. You can also apply as an institution and receive more than 20 copies.

Sign up now! Click here to find out more and apply to be a giver at worldbooknight.org

Last Night Another Soldier...

McNab’s book is specially written to be quick and easy to read for all levels.  His incredibly gripping story of life on the front line in Afghanistan and what happens to four young soldiers is fast paced and thrilling. This is the perfect book to engage new readers and open them up to the exciting world of books and reading.

So help us to reach more new readers than ever before by signing yourself up to be a giver on World Book Night 2013 and get your learners to sign up too: http://bit.ly/WBNapply

For more information on World Book Night visit: http://www.worldbooknight.org/  

Manchester literacy learner-turned author praises Quick Reads!

Thursday, 8 November 2012

From cleaner to celebrated author, Karen Woods talks about her inspirational learning journey and why she loves Quick Reads  

My name is Karen Woods and I am an author from Manchester. I am 43 years of age and have four children. If you Google me, you can see that without the adult literacy course I took when I was 40 years of age, my dream of becoming an author would have never happened. Like most people who attend these courses, I was frightened of what lay behind the classroom door. I left school with no qualifications and always struggled with basic reading and writing. Once inside the classroom, I realised that I wasn't on my own in the way I felt.

The tutor made me feel confident and welcomed me with open arms. I felt like we were all a family searching for the tools to better our lives. Once the learning started, I was hungry for more; things that I remembered from school were all coming back to me and I felt like I could do anything. Don't get me wrong, there were areas that I struggled with, and on my first test, I failed. I was upset but I went back and studied harder to achieve my goals.

My story is one that will leave a smile on most learners’ faces, because I feel like I now represent a nation of adult learners when I speak. After I passed my English exam, I went on to write my first novel Broken Youth. The courses provided helped me fulfil my dreams and I am now the author of six novels: Broken Youth; Black Tears; Northern Girls Love Gravy; Bagheads; Teabags and Tears; The Visitors; and my seventh novel, Sleepless in Manchester, will be launched in 2013.

I have been signed by a leading literary agent and my future is looking bright. Don't get me wrong, I will always need help with my work, but so does everyone else. When I sit with other authors, they ask me about my background. At first I was shy and never really wanted to tell them that I was a school drop-out and had no real qualifications, but I am who I am. I now tell them that without my adult literacy course, I would have still been a dreamer. They look at me with smiles on their faces, and I'm sure some of them don't believe me! I am living proof for adult learning that with the fire in your stomach you can achieve anything. Knowledge is certainly power, and as I speak, I'm still learning. I have been hailed as "Manchester's answer to Martina Cole”, and the “Voice of the North” in the literary world already. I smile when I hear people calling me that and I feel proud, but I should really be called “The Voice of Adult Learning”, because without it, I would never have progressed.

I always write my books from the view of my reader. I want people to be able to understand my books and that’s why I write in a way that people like me can understand. I’ve found that since I started writing people email me to say that they love my books because I write in a way that they can understand. I don't use big words or things that are too hard to get their heads around - I keep it plain and simple.

Quick Reads are something that should be made more available. I never knew about them until lately and I now choose to read them because they are right up my street. I would love to have a go at writing one, if possible.

Anyway, this was just to say thank you for thinking about people like me and our needs. Whenever I can promote the books now, I will. I'm on a TV documentary that will be aired at the end of January 2013 called 'The Estate', so watch out for it, because it will be all about my own struggle with reading and writing.

I hope fellow learners read my comments and start believing in themselves too. Never feel like you’re alone, because once you make the choice to step back into the classroom, the world is your oyster! Good luck to all the learners, and let’s hear about your successes too!

Love,

Karen Woods (The Voice of Adult Learning!)