A successful launch event for the Forum
We were delighted to welcome a large number of practitioners, leaders, researchers and academics to the Joyce Morris Early Years Literacies Forum Launch Event before the Christmas Break. We were also joined by Greg Brooks, Emeritus Professor of the University of Sheffield, who was able to start the event off with some insight into Joyce Morris’s life and work. The event was organised to share details of the three Joyce Morris Early Years Literacies Research Projects and the funded public engagement events.
Kate Russell and Kim Bartholomew explained how the Little Minds Project is exploring the links between mindfulness and speech and language in young children. Harry Dyer and Simon Hammond talked through plans for the Tykes project, which will be investigating digital literacy, specifically around video sharing platforms. And finally Spyros Themelis described plans for the ROMLIT project, which intends to explore the multiple literacies of Gypsy, Roma and Traveller children at home, in their communities and at school. The rationale, outline, research teams and outputs of the three research projects were discussed openly and questions were posed by the audience. For those joining the event via the livestream, a padlet provided an effective interactive space to pose questions, make suggestions and register interest in the projects.
Eleanor Milligan who is leading the JMEYL Forum went on to share the range of public events that have been planned for the upcoming year and a half, including details of the first public lecture. We have secured a partnership with CREC – Centre for research in Early Childhood, based in Birmingham for this first public lecture. It will be the first in a series of three lectures aimed at both researchers and practitioners. For this lecture, Early Years researcher, consultant and author, Helen Moylett will be talking about a subject she is passionate about, language and literacy in the early years. It will take place on Wednesday 28th February, 6pm at UEA and live streamed for those who cannot make it to Norwich.
A proposal was made to set up a Reception Class Teacher’s Network, to support practitioners and provide CPD, with a number of Universities showing interest in collaborating on this.
After the presentations, discussions and Q&A, the audience and presenters continued their conversations and networking over light refreshments in the foyer, where there was a real buzz.
Here is a copy of the presentation slides from the launch event
Audience members comments:
‘The projects will produce valuable findings on literacy practices to inform and improve current practice...’
‘The Q and A and the padlet for those that were attending online made the event inclusive and accessible.’
'The panel were great speakers who gave lots of information in a lovely relaxed and informal way. I loved the humour! Great venue.’
‘outstanding use of hybrid technology to widen participation’