Literacy

The latest news, analysis and best practice advice when it comes to literacy, from recent research and how to implement it to new guidance and what it means

Saturday

8th Jul 2023

How reading to pensioners can boost students’ social skills
Reading over the phone to older people in the community as part of a free paired reading scheme is helping children to build confidence and develop a love of books, finds Clare Cook
How reading to pensioners can boost students’ social skills

Thursday

6th Jul 2023

4 ways to support early writing through play
With careful planning and resourcing to build writing opportunities into play, early years teachers can help take the fear out of learning to write, says Angela Cogan
4 ways to support early writing through play

Friday

30th Jun 2023

Why we need to look beyond reading for pleasure
When developing whole-school reading strategies, it might be better to think in terms of reading for ‘empowerment’ rather than just for ‘pleasure’, says Beth Morrish  
Books

Thursday

22nd Jun 2023

Teenage reading: 5 things schools need to know
Secondary students are struggling with reading, and schools are finding it hard to support them, say Jessie Ricketts and Laura Shapiro, who have published new research on how to help
Book

Monday

5th Jun 2023

How ‘faster read’ lessons can boost reading
When assistant headteacher Sonja Nunneley wanted to raise reading standards at her school, she turned to research for inspiration
reading for pleasure main

Wednesday

31st May 2023

Why England’s Pirls results aren’t all that they seem
England’s climb up the international rankings for reading has been seen as a success story for phonics – but the results aren’t as straightforward as they seem, says Christian Bokhove
Why England’s PIRLs results aren’t all that they seem

Wednesday

24th May 2023

How New Zealand has (almost) learned to love phonics
Four years ago, the New Zealand government set out to transform the way reading was taught in its schools. Holly Korbey reports on what happened next
New Zealand phonics

Tuesday

16th May 2023

Why don’t we screen for comprehension?
Our assessment of children’s reading skills is currently missing a crucial component, says Megan Dixon
Football, reading

Thursday

11th May 2023

Why I’m torn about using SSP with my class
Using a systematic synthetic phonics scheme has improved decoding at her school, but are the costs to engagement and reading for pleasure worth it, asks Helen Pinnington
Why I’m torn about using SSP with my class

Friday

10th Feb 2023

How to help children with speech and language difficulties
According to research, around 1.7 million children are struggling to talk and understand words – so how can teachers help in the classroom? Jane Harris, chief executive of Speech and Language UK, shares her advice
How teachers can support children with speech and language challenges

Friday

20th Jan 2023

Could this be the way to boost students’ vocabulary?
One trust in Blackpool has come up with a simple solution to improve pupils’ vocabulary knowledge. Kate Parker finds out more
students vocabulary

Friday

13th Jan 2023

How immersive theatre helped boost reading for pleasure
After working with a theatre school, one primary established its own ‘immersive’ reading space, with great results, as Kate Parker finds
How immersive theatre helped us boost reading for pleasure