Dr. David Booth, Ontario Institute for Studies in Education (OISE) at the University of Toronto was the guest speaker at the Sudbury Catholic District School Board’s Professional Development Day held at St. Francis Catholic School on Friday. Professor Booth is a well-known educator in the field of literacy, how to promote literacy in young students, and issues of gender and literacy.

Teachers, staff and senior administration of the Board were enlightened and entertained by Booth’s highly motivational presentation which focused for the most part on boys’ literacy. “Even Hockey Players Read,” which is the title of one his books and also the basis for a humourous anecdote that dealt with his observation of the reading material of the New York Islanders Hockey team while waiting to catch a plane in New York.

Professor Booth concluded the morning presentation by suggesting that his research and writing is influenced by the differences he sees between what young people read outside school contrasted with inside the classroom. “My presentations and workshops with teachers and educators deal with bridging these two literacy communities and how to support readers who will have the strategies to make the most meaning possible from the different texts they will want and need to read.”