Myra Barrs was Honorary Senior Research Associate at the UCL Institute of Education, UK, and former director of the Centre for Literacy in Primary Education.

Tony Burgess has been a secondary-school teacher, before working in research and teacher education at the UCL Institute of Education, UK.

John Richmond has been an English teacher, an adviser of teachers and an educational broadcaster.

Jenifer Smith has been an English and drama teacher in both primary and secondary schools, before becoming a teacher educator at the University of East Anglia, UK.

John Yandell taught in secondary schools for 20 years before moving to the UCL Institute of Education, UK, where he is Professor of English in Education.