Write a Book Project
What is the Write a book Project?
The Write a book Project enables primary school children to become real authors as they create their own books by actively engaging in the processes of writing, composing, constructing, designing, illustrating and presenting their work to a wide audience.
When did it start?
The Write a book Project has been running from the Blackrock Education Centre since 1985. Sean O'Leary and Alice Quinn were the first presenters of the project.
2012, its 27th year, saw the creation of 6,852 books by 8,016 children from schools all over South Dublin and Wicklow. Of this total, 1,120 books were produced as Gaeilge by 1,484 children.
How does it fit within the Curriculum?
The Write a book Project incorporates the ideals of the revised English Primary School Curriculum. The Curriculum advises that children should "write for real purposes and real audiences" stressing that "drafting, editing and redrafting is at the heart of the writing process" and encouraging the "publishing " of and sharing of a childs writing. The Curriculum claims that "success and accomplishment will inspire and motivate them to further writing". Through illustration, design and book binding elements of the Visual Arts Curriculum are achieved by participation in the Write a book Project.
How important is the book binding?
The curriculum encourages the exploration of a wide variety of art materials. Children can use drawing, paint, print, clay, fabrics, construction, photography, ICT and other media in their illustration work. Designing and making books is in itself a construction activity. As part of the project children can also look at and respond to the work of illustrators and designers as well as to their own and to other children’s work.
What kind of books can be created?
Over the years books of all types have been created by children in the area. Books in all the genres of writing have been included in both English and as Gaeilge
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story books
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poetry books
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picture books
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comic books
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recipe books
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manuals
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information books
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diaries
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travel books
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family histories
and all other types.