S & L Publishing (trading as The Literacy Place) provides professional learning workshops, resources, and school-based support for primary and middle school teachers. Authors and publishers Sheena Cameron and Louise Dempsey are experienced primary teachers with a passion for literacy. They saw a need for practical resources that support teachers when facilitating the beginning teacher programme at the University of Auckland, and S & L Publishing was born. Their consultancy business, The Literacy Place, has worked with universities, literacy associations, education departments, schools, and school partnerships in New Zealand, Australia, Asia, Hong Kong, the Pacific Islands, UK, and the Middle East.
Featured books
The Writing Book is a 245-page teacher-friendly guide to teaching writing at emergent, early, and fluent levels. It includes practical information that will support primary and middle school teachers to plan and deliver an effective writing programme, and is packed with useable writing activities, exercises, games, and strategies for teachers. Support material is also supplied electronically. The Writing Book has been hugely successful since its release in 2013, with sales of over 54,000 copies.
The Oral Language Book outlines strategies and ideas that support teachers to include more quality ‘learning talk’ in their programmes, and embed purposeful oral language opportunities across the curriculum. With over 200 pages, The Oral Language Book contains research-based ideas and activities with a wide range of photocopiable and downloadable material that can be used to support busy classroom teachers. The Oral Language Book was awarded The Teachers’ Choice Award at the CLNZ Education Awards in 2018.
The Reading Book is a comprehensive guide to teaching reading. It contains research-based information that will support primary and middle school teachers to plan realistic and effective programmes that engage learners. The Reading Book outlines the approaches used in an effective reading programme in a clear, teacher-friendly way. It contains practical ideas and photocopiable and downloadable resources that make reading more manageable for teachers and appealing for students.
The Poetry Book is a practical guide that supports the teaching of poetry for all students including ‘at risk’ or reluctant writers. Teaching poetry has many benefits including exploring language and vocabulary, encouraging creative thinking and building reading, writing, speaking and listening skills. The Poetry Book contains detailed information and fun activities that will encourage even the most poetry averse teacher to have a go!
Author details
Sheena Cameron
Sheena Cameron ONZM is an experienced teacher who has taught in New Zealand, the UK, and the United States. She has taught at primary, intermediate, and tertiary levels. Sheena currently facilitates literacy workshops both in New Zealand and internationally and is the author of The Reading Activity Handbook (2004), The Display and Publishing Handbook (2006) and Teaching Reading Comprehension Strategies (2009), all published by Pearson Education. In 2021, Sheena was appointed as a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to education.
Louise Dempsey
Louise Dempsey is an experienced teacher, consultant and trainer who has worked in New Zealand and the UK. She facilitates literacy training and school-based professional learning in New Zealand and Australia. She has completed a range of writing projects for New Zealand and English publishers, including the Department of Education in the UK.
Existing international relationships
S & L Publishing has been exporting books internationally since 2013 and has logistics companies in Auckland and Sydney. Their books are sold through educational distributors throughout New Zealand, Australia, and Hong Kong. Sales of all three books total over 96,000 copies. Sheena and Louise are currently working on a new book to support teachers with teaching poetry.
