Group asks if reading is history

Will television, the computer age and high tech wizardry sound the death-knell for reading? Teachers will meet shortly for the 22nd annual conference of the Reading Association of Ireland to discuss how they can "improve the teaching of language and literacy at school".This year the association will gather at St Patrick's College in Drumcondra, Dublin, on Thursday, September 11th, for three days to hear speakers address the issue of language and literacy. The keynote address on family literacy intervention programmes will be given by Dr Greg Brooks, of the National Foundation for Educational Research in England and Wales. Another speaker, David Wray of the University of Exeter, will speak about how teachers can improve teaching with factual texts.More than 20 concurrent sessions have been arranged, covering topics such as non-fiction books, Leaving Certificate English and teaching reading through the arts. In another keynote address, Kathy Hall of Leeds Metropolitan Univeristy will look at issues of English assessment as practised in England, under the provocative title: Our nets define what we shall catch.For further information, contact Gerry Shiel, conference secretary, c/o Educational Research Centre, St Patrick's College, Drumcondra, Dublin 9 (tel: (01) 837 3789).