Let’s get young people to love reading and writing again!
“Great to see so many of our less engaged students really enjoying the presentation. Very positive feedback from the students. I have noticed a change in motivation in two of my students already. Loved it and would definitely do it again!” Andrea Trotter. Hilmorton High School
As well as writing, I have over 20 years experience as an educator – teaching young people and leading Drama/English departments in a South Auckland high school.
Here are some of the things I can do in a visit to your organisation:
Read 2 Succeed A presentation on the importance of reading, of how reading can change your life! Read More
Reading Warriors Reading Comprehension Skills workshops.
I teach young people practical strategies they can use to help them become better readers. Read More
Writing workshops.
One of the main purposes of the workshop is to show young people that writing can be fun and that they can be successful at it.
As a former Head of Department and Specialist Classroom Teacher, I enjoy working with adults as well. I can do presentations/workshops with teachers to help reinvigorate and refresh their thinking.
Read MoreTo arrange a visit and discuss fees:
- e mail me directly david@readingwarrior.com
- make an inquiry through the New Zealand Book Council
- organise a visit through Getting Kids Into Books, a speakers agency for authors and illustrators run by Rosemary Tisdall
- complete the contact form below:
Reviews:
“Thank you for your willingness to be the opening keynote for the Auckland English teachers’ Big Day Out. I have spoken to a number of teachers who have really taken on board what you had to say. In fact several of them said it was the highlight of the day for them. One new teacher was telling me that she now sees the importance of reading and taking an interest in what her students are reading – that’s awesome and directly because of you!”
Cynthia Orr. National Co-ordinator [English]. Team Solutions
“Thank you for your inspiring presentation and workshop that I and our Year 10 students attended in Invercargill. One of the students said “it was the best school thing they had been on”.
Jay Shaw. Central Southland College
“David showed the students how people can change their own lives by deciding to do so. Really inspirational. David has such a positive empathetic manner: our boys really responded to him.”
Geraldine Jamieson. Howick College
“Very inspiring presentation from David. Get him in to speak to your boys!”
Michelle Simms. Te Totara School (goodkeenlibrarian.blogspot.co.nz)
“We had David in to speak to 3 sets of classes. By the third one any spare English teachers were also part of the audience as word quickly spread about how great he was with the students. Inspiring, engaging, and awesome! Student feedback has been overwhelmingly positive. We chose to target our lower ability classes – lots of students who don’t read! But he was just as interesting to our higher ability students who love reading. I would highly recommend him.”
Trish Webster. Rangitoto College
“It honestly was the coolest thing ever! Seeing all these boys so genuinely excited about choosing books and the books they chose, it really makes it all worthwhile. One of my colleagues was coming back from lunch and came across 3 boys downstairs all standing in the foyer, all with reading books they had just chosen. How cool is that! The Howick College librarian emailed me this morning to say that she popped in to see the class of boys who came on Friday and they proudly showed off the books they had chosen. ”
Fuatino Leaupepe-Tuala. Programme Advisor, Priority Learners, Maori & Pasifika. Services to Schools
“I really enjoyed David’s presentation. My Master’s research identified effective teaching practices to promote Pasifika achievement in English. I found David’s ideas really chimed with my own thinking. In particular, I was interested to see how he made use of students’ cultural and individual strengths as a resource for learning. And, of course, the rugby league stuff is great.”
Richard Watkinson. Assistant Head of English. Mount Albert Grammar School
“It was a fantastic day for all our year 8s. I have been inspired! Quite a number of our students mentioned that they enjoyed your session very much, that you were their favourite author for that day and they would recommend that you come again next year for the new batch of year 8s.”
Serena Griffiths. Bucklands Beach Intermediate
“As part of Auckland Art Gallery’s family programming, author David Riley delivered a special reading and art-making activity in the Story Corner. Visitors of all ages enjoyed a reading from his book We are the Rock and participated in a creative hands-on activity inspired by the story. At the Gallery, we aim to provide high quality, free programming where families can be creative together. Event’s like David’s provide an opportunity for local and global stories, histories and artworks to be connected in new ways and shared with families in a friendly and creative environment.”
Auckland Art Gallery
“Two of my girls want to buy a copy of your Benji book for their older brothers! The class were stoked with your visit and are still talking about it! Thanks again David! A huge success!”
Sally Pendergrast. Onewhero Area School
“Thank you for your inspiring presentation and workshop that I and our Year 10 students attended in Invercargill. One of the students said “it was the best school thing they had been on”.
Jay Shaw. Central Southland College
“David showed the students how people can change their own lives by deciding to do so. Really inspirational. David has such a positive empathetic manner: our boys really responded to him.”
Geraldine Jamieson. Howick College
“Very inspiring presentation from David. Get him in to speak to your boys!”
Michelle Simms. Te Totara School (goodkeenlibrarian.blogspot.co.nz)
“We had David in to speak to 3 sets of classes. By the third one any spare English teachers were also part of the audience as word quickly spread about how great he was with the students. Inspiring, engaging, and awesome! Student feedback has been overwhelmingly positive. We chose to target our lower ability classes – lots of students who don’t read! But he was just as interesting to our higher ability students who love reading. I would highly recommend him.”
Trish Webster. Rangitoto College
“It honestly was the coolest thing ever! Seeing all these boys so genuinely excited about choosing books and the books they chose, it really makes it all worthwhile. One of my colleagues was coming back from lunch and came across 3 boys downstairs all standing in the foyer, all with reading books they had just chosen. How cool is that! The Howick College librarian emailed me this morning to say that she popped in to see the class of boys who came on Friday and they proudly showed off the books they had chosen. ”
Fuatino Leaupepe-Tuala. Programme Advisor, Priority Learners, Maori & Pasifika. Services to Schools
“I really enjoyed David’s presentation. My Master’s research identified effective teaching practices to promote Pasifika achievement in English. I found David’s ideas really chimed with my own thinking. In particular, I was interested to see how he made use of students’ cultural and individual strengths as a resource for learning. And, of course, the rugby league stuff is great.”
Richard Watkinson. Assistant Head of English. Mount Albert Grammar School
“It was a fantastic day for all our year 8s. I have been inspired! Quite a number of our students mentioned that they enjoyed your session very much, that you were their favourite author for that day and they would recommend that you come again next year for the new batch of year 8s.”
Serena Griffiths. Bucklands Beach Intermediate
“As part of Auckland Art Gallery’s family programming, author David Riley delivered a special reading and art-making activity in the Story Corner. Visitors of all ages enjoyed a reading from his book We are the Rock and participated in a creative hands-on activity inspired by the story. At the Gallery, we aim to provide high quality, free programming where families can be creative together. Event’s like David’s provide an opportunity for local and global stories, histories and artworks to be connected in new ways and shared with families in a friendly and creative environment.”
Auckland Art Gallery
“Two of my girls want to buy a copy of your Benji book for their older brothers! The class were stoked with your visit and are still talking about it! Thanks again David! A huge success!”
Sally Pendergrast. Onewhero Area School