Author Alan Pickard has worked in the industry where developing training courses lead to part-time and full-time lecturing, up to degree level at university.

He changed course about 20 years ago and developed an accountancy business from scratch, ending up with more than 80 clients.

He is now semi-retired, attends a local primary school every week to listen to children reading, and has several books on Amazon, including children’s stories. Alan is passionate about reading and writing and very concerned about how poor reading skills are detrimental to young people’s job and career prospects.

Being involved on a weekly basis in listening to six-year-olds reading aloud, learning, and improving their reading skills he finds both rewarding and fascinating. Having studied how the brain deals with the learning-to-read process, it is an education in itself to see the process in action. Many of the ways in which children and any other learners grapple with what is a very complex process, can be seen when you watch and interact with a child whose literacy level is progressing and their vocabulary expanding.

He finds the experience extremely worthwhile and because of his passion for words and what they can do, the process observed is a pleasure in itself.

Alan writes, “My objective is to go into a classroom to listen to children reading and to help them to progress. This is not a teaching role as such, but an opportunity for me (and hopefully the children) to benefit from the presence of someone who is a keen reader and has had many works published, including a number of children’s books on Amazon. I would describe myself as an enthusiast of reading, not an expert. Although I have gained some additional knowledge from the technical aspects of how reading is taught (and learned) and also in respect of brain function, this is mainly background to aid my understanding of what the individual child needs to become a proficient and fluent reader. Perhaps most importantly of all is my endeavour to empathise with (and try to remember!) what it feels like for a child to begin to learn to read and then continue to grapple with all that it entails. This, from the beginnings of seeing any kind of book for the very first time, as a baby or toddler and hopefully an initial curiosity of what a book actually is.”

Published by Page Publishing, Alan Pickard’s educational work also points out the value of reading for pleasure and the benefits that brings.

Readers who wish to experience this helpful work can purchase “How Reading Is Learned: The Reading Project” at bookstores everywhere, or online at the Apple iTunes Store, Amazon, Google Play, or Barnes and Noble.

For additional information or media inquiries, contact Page Publishing at 866-315-2708.

About Page Publishing:

Page Publishing is a traditional, full-service publishing house that handles all the intricacies involved in publishing its authors’ books, including distribution in the world’s largest retail outlets and royalty generation. Page Publishing knows that authors need to be free to create, not mired in logistics like eBook conversion, establishing wholesale accounts, insurance, shipping, taxes, and so on. Page’s accomplished writers and publishing professionals allow authors to leave behind these complex and time-consuming issues and focus on their passion: writing and creating. Learn more at www.pagepublishing.com.