Reluctant readers don’t always need more books pushed at them – sometimes they need a different way in. That’s the thinking behind Go All In Together!, a free on-demand workshop from Premier League Primary Stars and the National Literacy Trust, created to mark the National Year of Reading 2026 and hosted by TV and radio presenter Shanequa Paris alongside author, broadcaster and word expert Susie Dent.
The workshop is paired with a free downloadable resource pack, Super Subs: Building Your Vocabulary Dream Team, which takes the football theme into the classroom. Pupils step into the changing room to build their own “vocabulary dream team,” using the Super Subs’ Bench activity sheet to swap out tired, overused words for punchier substitutions. The pack comes with a Leader’s Guide and two ready-to-use activity sheets, designed for pupils aged 7–11, helping them build their vocabulary, pick up memory strategies for new words, and learn to choose more effective word substitutions.
It’s playful, fast-paced, and rooted in something most pupils already care about: the game. For teachers looking for a different angle on literacy this term – one that doesn’t feel like “more reading” – this on-demand workshop and its accompanying activity pack offer an easy, ready-made way to get pupils talking, guessing and discovering new words through football.
