Reading is Power
I snapped this sweet photo of Lily (my daughter) during one of our “rest days” on our trip. She’s perched on the windowsill of our Airbnb in Belgium, completely absorbed in her third book of the holiday—Matt Haig’s The Life Impossible. I love everything about it: the stillness, the light, and the fact that even in the middle of travelling, she finds comfort in reading.
I’ve always known how important reading is, and I’ve tried—like most parents—to nurture that love in my own kids. (We’re sitting at about a 50% success rate so far 😂.) But moments like this give me a lot of joy.
Fostering a Love of Reading in the Languages Classroom
On Saturday, I joined Dr. Liam Printer’s workshop, "Fostering a Love of Reading in the Languages Classroom"—and it was brilliant. Part 2 is coming up next week, but even just the first session was packed with powerful reminders and fresh insights.
The current research around reading and language acquisition is incredibly robust—honestly, that deserves an entire post of its own! But for today, I want to share one of the simple yet transformative ideas Liam uses with his students:
The mantra: Reading is Power.
So good, right? Simple, memorable, and absolutely true. And he doesn’t just say it—he explicitly teaches students why reading is so powerful. That “why” matters.
For Japanese, a possible version could be:
読書の力（どくしょのちから）
…but I’d love to hear other suggestions from teachers!
And for those teaching other languages—what’s your version? How would Reading is Power sound in your classroom?
My Big Takeaways from Part 1
Here are the ideas that really stayed with me:
1. Our words matter.
Liam’s language choices were intentional and powerful—using “linguist” instead of “student” and saying “contact with the language” rather than “homework.” Tiny shifts that reshape how learners see themselves and the work they do.
2. The mantra in the target language.
Using Reading is Power in the target language—and then explaining the rationale behind it—helps students understand why we prioritise reading. It’s not just another activity; it’s the engine of language growth.
3. Processing time is critical.
The built-in pauses throughout the workshop were such a valuable reminder. Learners (and teachers!) need time to sit with ideas, absorb them, and make sense of them.
Next Week: Class Novels
I’m really looking forward to Part 2 of the workshop, where we’ll be diving deeper into using class novels. This aligns so closely with what we do in acquisition-driven, literacy-focused classrooms—and I’m excited to bring more of these insights back to the JapanEasyReads community.
In the meantime, I’d love to know:
📚 How might Reading is Power show up in your classroom—visually, verbally, or in routines?
🌏 And what’s the phrase in your language?