Sarah Gudgeon

Author

About

Sarah Gudgeon has been working in ELT for over 25 years as a teacher, writer, and editorial consultant. As a published author for Pearson and Eli, Sarah has written numerous books, ranging from textbooks to original stories. She is a founding member of the Extensive Reading Association in Italy. Sarah was the winner of the LLL Award 2024 (Adolescent and Adults: Elementary) with The Yellow Sticker Girl and is a finalist this year with The Kid from Kabul. She currently teaches at NABA Milan, a fine arts university in the city.

Sessions

Adult Graded Readers: Challenges, Opportunities and Creative Rewards more

Sat, Sep 6, 15:10-15:55 Asia/Tokyo

This panel discussion brings together experienced graded reader authors to explore the unique challenges of creating engaging and impactful fiction and non fiction while working within strict linguistic constraints. The session will also examine what the key priorities for writers are, what opportunities and challenges the genre offers, and how teachers themselves can delve into the art of crafting stories of their very own for their students.

Michael Lacey Freeman Rob Waring Paul McAleese Catriona Chalmers Sarah Gudgeon

All Levels Wuri & The Waves: A Metaphor for How Learning Happens more

Sun, Sep 7, 17:20-18:05 Asia/Tokyo

This presentation will share insights into Wuri and the Waves, a story that was commissioned by the Extensive Reading Foundation in 2024 to be used for a reading roadshow in Indonesia. Reflecting on the themes of resilience, loss, identity and change, crafting this narrative required balancing accessible language with complex emotions, demonstrating that graded readers are not just language tools but powerful vehicles for meaning and for the co creation of meaning on the part of the reader. Writing this story was an exploration of how storytelling can carry deep emotional impact. As the story unfolded it became, to a certain extent, a metaphor for how learning happens.

Michael Lacey Freeman Sarah Gudgeon