My name is Jo Bowers and I am based in Cardiff, South East Wales area of Wales and work in Cardiff Metropolitan University, where I have worked for the last ten years. Prior to that I was a primary school teacher for twenty years. Throughout my career in the classroom I was a literacy coordinator and since working in Cardiff Met I have taught literacy to PGCE students and education students. I also organise conferences and events with a literacy, reading for pleasure, children’s literature focus for student and teachers and all others invested in literacy rich environments for children. As well as being a Welsh regional representative for the United Kingdom Literacy Association (UKLA), I have also been the editor for the English Association/ UKLA Literacy magazine for primary teachers, English 4-11 and now sit on the editorial board. I have a lifelong interest and passion in children’s literature and developing children’s reading for pleasure and teachers’ subject knowledge of children’s literature.
Current UKLA activity in Wales is the OU/UKLA Reading for Pleasure Teacher Book Groups. There are four running this year (2018-19) across Wales in the Cardiff, Newport and Wrexham areas. Please get in touch if you would like more details.