On a train, heading Londonwards. Time for #TenTweets. Given the current grammar debate, let's make it about LITERACY. Follow #TenThingsAboutLiteracy to collect them all!
1. The National Literacy Trust's figures show that 15% of adults in the U.K. are functionally illiterate. That's about 5.1 million people. #TenThingsAboutLiteracy
2. Literacy impacts all aspects of a person's life: their job; their mental and physical health; their likelihood of being involved in crime; their wealth; their happiness; their children's future. #TenThingsAboutLiteracy
3. An illiterate parent can't read to their pre-school children, which means that their children are already at a significant disadvantage when they start school. #TenThingsAboutLiteracy
4. Reading, like all other skills, improves with practice. Not discussion, dissection or debate. PRACTICE. #TenThingsAboutLiteracy
5. A lack of practice leads to children falling behind in reading, and eventually losing the habit altogether. These children rarely catch up. #TenThingsAboutLiteracy
6. Some children need more encouragement than others to practice their reading. The solution is making them WANT to read. #TenThingsAboutLiteracy
7. Children, like anyone else, WANT to do what they ENJOY doing. That goes for reading too. #TenThingsAboutLiteracy
8. Trying to explain to them that reading is good for them, will help them in later life, or is necessary to pass tests doesn't work at all. In fact, it puts them off - sometimes permanently. #TenThingsAboutLiteracy
9. What *does* work is letting them enjoy reading without interference, criticism, judgement, or misguided attempts to push them towards the classics. Let them read. #TenThingsAboutLiteracy
10. Correct spelling and grammar can wait until they're hooked on reading. They'll pick those things up naturally from their reading, anyway. #TenThingsAboutLiteracy
And kids - never, NEVER take advice on reading, grammar, or any related topic from an adult who doesn't read for pleasure. Ask them what book they last read, and when. If it was more than six months ago, chances are you already know more than they do. #TenThingsAboutLiteracy
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1. This one is for the many men who have asked my advice on this. First, kudos for asking. Second, the fact that you needed to ask at all may be the root of your problem. #TenWaysForMenToWriteAboutWomen
2. Look at the way you interact with women in real life. If you're problematic, sexist or prejudiced in life, then you don't have much of a chance of avoiding it in your fiction. #TenWaysForMenToWriteAboutWomen
1. To write convincingly about emotions - whether that's love, grief, anger, joy - you have to be acutely aware of your *own* emotions, and how they come across to other people. #TenThingsAboutEmotions
2. It's probably the only instance where the "write what you know" rule really applies. #TenThingsAboutEmotions
Margareta von Ascheberg (1671 – 1753) was a Swedish land owner, noble and acting regiment colonel during the Great Northern War. #CelebratingWomen
She was the youngest child of Field Marshal Rutger von Ascheberg and Magdalena Eleonora Busseck. In 1691, she married colonel count Kjell Christopher Barnekow in Malmö.
As was the custom of the Swedish nobility as that time, she kept her name after marriage and style herself »Grevinnan Ascheberg» (Countess Ascheberg). The couple had four children.
Queen Nanny or Nanny (c. 1686 – c. 1755), was an 18th-century leader of the Jamaican Maroons. Much of what is known about her comes from oral history, as little textual evidence exists. #CelebratingWomen
She was born into the Asante people in what is today Ghana, and escaped from slavery after being transported to Jamaica.
Historical documents refer to her as the "rebels' old 'obeah' woman." Following some armed confrontations, colonial officials reached a settlement for peace.
1. Writer's block is a psychological disorder, and is far, far less common than most people think. It's linked to depression, so if you really think you're suffering from this, get professional help. #TenThingsAboutWritersBlock
2. Many people use the term loosely, to mean "lacking the will or the inspiration to write." If this is you, try to identify the reason. #TenThingsAboutWritersBlock
Na Hangbe was the ruler of the Kingdom of Dahomey, in present-day Benin, for a brief period before Agaja came to power in 1718. #CelebratingWomen
Little is known about her because her rule was largely erased from the official Dahomey history and much that is known is brought together by various different oral histories.
However, it is believed that she became the ruler of Dahomey upon the sudden death of King Akaba because his oldest son, Agbo Sassa, was not yet of age.