The Bermuda Reading Association will hold its annual conference at the Fairmont Hamilton Princess on February 2 from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.

The workshop topic will be Motivating readers at all ages — assessment and strategies for classroom teachers, and two overseas speakers will address the conference.

Keynote speaker Dr. D. Ray Reutzel will discuss 'Trends and issues in literacy teaching', while Ms Andrea Pinkney has chosen 'Pictures and Words — Making Beautiful Music Together' for her workshop topic. Bermudian school psychologist Dr. Jackie Outerbridge's workshop topic is 'What You Need Before You Read'.

The event is open to anyone with an interest in literacy, and special arrangements will be in place for children to be supervised while their parent(s) attend the conference.

Dr. Reutzel is on the board of the International Reading Association (IRA), and a professor of early childhood education at Utah State University in Logan.

He also serves on the IRA's early literacy commission, and is the 2007 recipient of the IRA's John Chorlton Manning Public Schools Service Award.

He is the author and co-author of several books — 'The Teacher Makes the Difference', 'Strategies for Reading Assessment and Instruction: Helping Every Child to Succeed', and 'Your Classroom Library: New Ways for Giving it More Teaching Power' — and believes that the IRA should help to provide every child in every nation with the opportunity to learn to read and have access to quality books.

International presenter Andrea Davis Pinkney is well versed in many aspects of publishing, having been vice-president and editor-at large of 'Scholastic Trade'.

Tickets for the conference ($35, including a buffet breakfast) are obtainable from Ms Marla Smith, telephone 295-0487 or e-mail mlsmith@gov.bm.