Kieran Egan's book nominated "2006 Best Book"

March 8, 2007

"Teaching Literacy: Engaging the Imagination of New Readers and Writers", written by SFU professor Kieran Egan is a finalist in the USA Book News "2006 Best Book" award for education.

Kieran Egan is trying to change the way we teach our children. His newest book builds on the theories espoused in his previous book "The Educated Mind" and offers readers a practical and imaginative approach to teaching, complete with sections entitled "Teachers, Try it Out" and classroom activities that support the book's concepts. This is no academic tome, it is a hands-on guide that was written partially in response to teachers who told him that they liked his concepts but they wanted to know how to teach these ideas on a daily basis. Egan's work in the Imaginative Education Research Group (IERG) focuses on developing theories and practices of teaching that recognize the imagination and emotions of teachers and students in making curriculum more meaningful. To accomplish this, the educator needs to build upon the way a child makes sense of his or her experiences. IERG's approach uses stories, metaphors, images, humour, and other tools to create a more natural and engaging way of teaching. Based on this approach, any topic can be made meaningful for children at any age and stage of development.

The nomination is a testament to the quality of work and the recognition attributed to the researchers, teachers and students of IERG. For more information, please visit http://www.ierg.net