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

Monday

7th Oct 2024

Reading: concern over rise in Year 5 ‘low attainers’
Major study into impact of lockdowns also finds the disadvantage gap has not narrowed among Year 5 pupils in reading or maths
Low attainment

Tuesday

24th Sep 2024

Days left to complete ‘crucial’ languages survey for Scottish schools
Responses will give overview of modern languages teaching in Scotland amid deep concerns over their place in school timetables
languages survey for Scottish schools

Thursday

19th Sep 2024

School literacy experts are disappearing, yet we need them more than ever
Unpicking the pandemic’s effects on literacy in primary will be a long slog, not a walk in the park, writes Megan Dixon, but do we have the right people for the mission?
Sculpture of letters

Wednesday

28th Aug 2024

4 ways our secondary reading strategy boosts literacy
The increased focus on improving reading in secondary schools can feel daunting, but our approach has had remarkable results, writes assistant headteacher Emily Walker-Nolan
Girl reading on pile of books

Sunday

4th Aug 2024

What makes GCSE English lit so hard for students?
New research has analysed GCSE literature texts against popular fiction – and found three key reasons why so many young people struggle with the qualification
blocks of letters, help

Thursday

1st Aug 2024

Inside the primary writing wars
With general agreement now about how to teach reading, attention is shifting to improving writing instruction – but can the research provide a clear solution?
Is there a formula for teaching writing?

Wednesday

31st Jul 2024

3 strategies to support deep reading
Engaging in ‘deep’ reading helps pupils to commit information to memory more effectively, says teacher Erin Miller, who shares advice on supporting this practice
3 strategies to support deep reading

Tuesday

30th Jul 2024

How to get secondary boys reading for pleasure
One teacher’s exploration of reading research led her to two key principles that have helped to transform reading lessons at her school
How to get secondary boys reading for pleasure

Monday

29th Jul 2024

Can you trust a reading age?
Reading ages are a staple of reading assessment in many schools, says Megan Dixon. But how much faith should we put in the results of these tests?
Girl reading physics

Sunday

14th Jul 2024

A new plan to end the reading wars
‘It’s not about phonics vs whole language,’ say two researchers who offer their new theory on teaching reading and writing effectively
‘It’s not about phonics vs whole language’ - our plan to end the reading wars

Monday

8th Jul 2024

Thirst for knowledge left reading comprehension in the shadows
The previous government’s obsession with building knowledge was counterproductive for teaching reading comprehension – now I’m hoping for a new era with less focus on knowing more, says Megan Dixon
reading book

Wednesday

3rd Jul 2024

Teachers get ‘minimal’ training in helping pupils to write
A quarter of secondary teachers surveyed by the EEF report having no training on writing in the past two years

A child writing