The Bookseller.com

2nd December 2008

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Rosen fights against SATs

28.08.08

Children's Laureate Michael Rosen has criticised SATs in an interview with the Independent. "There is a bit of schadenfreude, if you like," he told the newspaper, "a bit of celebration at [the Government's] misfortune".

Apparently, his biggest concern is what testing has done to books. Literacy standards at 14 fell this year, according to Key Stage 3 tests. Rosen is currently campaigning on behalf of the National Year of Reading and has written a poem for the cause, printed in the Independent. 

"What he wants above all is to re-inject a sense of enthusiasm into the study of literature in schools. Love books, he says, and school will be a cinch; over-test children, sterilise the English language, and you only make it harder."

Independent

children's Michael Rosen National Year of Reading