Salford Literacy Symposium
The Northern School of Writing at The University of Salford is welcoming school teachers, educators, librarians, publishers, community organisers, academics and artists in Salford to a free, one day symposium to explore challenges related to literacy and literary engagement in the City of Salford. We invite anyone interested or working in areas related to reading, story, narrative and writing to join us in celebrating your work and to get inspired by examples of best practice from around the country. This symposium seeks to strengthen existing networks around literacy and literary work and inspire new connections that can enhance the impact of this work. For the first time, we’ll be inviting academics from across The University of Salford to focus on the issues around literacy and literary work that our teachers and community want to discuss.
Salford City Council’s ‘Literacy for Life’ ambition to improve rates of literacy in our city, the establishment of The Northern School of Writing and the arrival of the National Literacy Trust hub in Salford make this the perfect time to renew and refresh our networks. This symposium will be especially useful for school teachers, librarians, community organisers and artists looking for motivation and new ideas to support their existing mission in literacy and literary work across all ages, as well as those concerned about the condition of literature teaching in schools. It will also be useful for anyone thinking about incorporating creative reading and writing into their community group setting.
With a welcoming address from The Vice Chancellor and former Scot’s Makar Jackie Kay, Salford academics working in the fields of Literature, Language, Performance, Health, Psychology, Sociology, Politics, Business, Technology, Media, and digital practices are invited to attend, make new connections, and learn more about the possible synergies between their practice, research, and the power of literacy and literary work. What can we do together to widen participation and invite more people in our community into the pleasures and power of reading and writing? What barriers stand in the way?
What will happen?
We will hear from keynote speakers about some of the most successful school and community projects in literacy and have an opportunity to dig into the organisational details of projects. We will hear from experts in literacy about some of the latest cognitive and psychological research effecting literacy issues like AI and attention spans. Panels will explore literacy and literary work happening in Salford and discuss challenges particular to our community. Most importantly, you will have the opportunity to network and start new relationships. The day will be fully catered and free. 10.00 Coffee and Refreshments for a 10.45 start.
Can I suggest a topic or get involved in a panel?
Yes. Our approach is participatory, and whilst we will be organising an inspiring and surprising day, we welcome suggestions for panel topics and panelists ahead of time so that our community can steer the agenda. You may want to suggest your own work as part of a panel discussion, have an idea for higher profile speakers you would like to hear, or for particular discussion topics. You may want to talk about challenges that you face in delivering your teaching, or trends in reading pedagogy and research. For example – what are good approaches to working with declining attention spans for reading? How can we get the most out of reading for wellbeing? To make a suggestion about a subject you would like to explore or ask a question about the event – contact d.savill@salford.ac.uk before April 14th, 2025.
To be there at the start of a new literacy network for Salford, we encourage interested participants to claim a ticket through this event page now, (places limited). This will put you on our mailing list to receive updates on speakers and panels.