The number of words in the English language is enormous.
Characters
and Keywords
Key Words to Literacy - key words reading scheme - learning to read - reading - writing
First
edition
issue points for collectors
By William Murray and J McNally. Paperback book. 43 pages. Black & White photographs. "First published 1962" stated on copyright page. Original price 3'6 Net.
More information
This book may be of some interest to Ladybird book collectors as it is directly related, and is the foundation for the Ladybird Key Words Reading Scheme, affectionately known as the 'Peter and Jane' books.
The Ladybird Key Words Reading Scheme was the initiative of Douglas Keen, long-serving Editorial Director at Ladybird; He had read an article in ?The Teacher? journal about the research by William Murray into what he called ?Key Words to Literacy?. But it was at first difficult to convince him that the Ladybird format and colour illustrations were the right way to implement his ideas.
Mr Keen decided to ask Harry Wingfield to produce specimen spreads to show Murray what a Ladybird Reading Scheme book would look like. Murray, on seeing the specimen, then realised what an attractive proposition it could be, and agreed to write the books fo Wills & Hepworth.
By that time Ladybird books were well accepted in schools so Mr Keen had great confidence in a Ladybird reading scheme ? the colours, the size, the lettering ? he knew it couldn?t miss. But it was a huge financial commitment for Wills and Hepworth, and Keen's reputation and career hung on it (this was because all thirty six books of the Reading Scheme had to be ready together ? three at each of the twelve reading stages ? and stockpiled till the launch - 4 years of printing!) but the Board also had confidence in it.
The Ladybird Key Words Reading Scheme was an instant success, and Mr Keen was asked to join the Board of Directors.
