The vocabulary gap has widened for many pupils as a result of the pandemic and particularly those from disadvantaged backgrounds. This online event will present an opportunity to explore and celebrate written and spoken language in the primary classroom.

Primary English subject leaders, teachers and leaders are invited to refresh their thinking around children’s language development with internationally renowned primary English education experts.

Acclaimed writers, linguists and educators will ensure that delegates leave with an understanding of how they can work to increase children’s vocabulary in practical, effective and sustainable ways and create a progressive and systematic whole-school approach to language learning.

Keynote addresses will be provided by Joseph Coelho, Children’s Laureate and David Crystal OBE, FBA, FLSW, FCIL the eminent British linguist, academic, author and presenter.

Our other guest speakers will include:
• Kelly Ashley, author of Word Power - 'How to build Word Power'
• Nizrana Farook, children’s author and author of The Girl who Stole an Elephant - 'Bringing an unfamiliar setting to the page'
• Rebecca Cosgrave, literacy consultant with Devon Education Services and primary teacher - 'We did vocabulary last year: building a sustainable, whole school approach to vocabulary development'
• Jon Biddle, English Lead and Reading for Pleasure advocate - 'Reading for pleasure and its role in developing language'
• Polly Ho-Yen, author of “The Boy in the Tower” and other children’s books - 'Bluchers and monoctohogs: embracing creativity and accessibility in the language of science fiction'
• Theresa Clements, HFL Education primary teaching and learning English adviser - 'Language and inclusivity'
• Practising teachers from Broom Barns School, Stevenage.

Exploring connections between talk, reading, spelling and composition, this conference will have no tokenistic gimmicks or ‘pick and mix’ approaches to increasing children’s vocabulary. Instead, contributors will discuss what deep-rooted language acquisition looks like. Authors will delve into the craft of language and how the right choice of words in literature can engage readers and ignite their understanding.