Drop Everything and Read: Getting children into the rhythm of reading

Teacher Irene Halpin Long uses poetry, picture books, and graphic novels to teach reading skills in junior classes

Primary school teacher and article writer Irene Long with her 1st class pupils at Scoil Cholmcille, Blarney Street NS, Cork. Pic: Larry Cummins

I was the child in primary school who hid a book under the desk on her lap or concealed a comic inside a textbook while the teacher stood at the blackboard and explained how to rote learn times tables or simplify fractions.

A memory from third class is tattooed on my brain: My teacher roaring at me to stand by the wall because I was reading The Witches, by Roald Dahl. I was supposed to be reading from a textbook.