Why aren’t we reading more across the curriculum?

Well hello there and welcome to update #073!

Photo by Alison Pang on Unsplash

There’s plenty of evidence that reading aloud to our pupils, raises outcomes for all, particularly those from a low starting point. I’ve done a short recording summarising the research so why aren’t we making the most of these insights, if we are serious about closing gaps?

I think there are three main reasons why we aren’t reading more across the subjects, beyond literacy in primary and English in secondary.

Reason one:

It’s enjoyable – so it can’t be work! We are inclined to think that learning has to be full of struggle. If we are doing something that is intrinsically interesting and pleasurable, we can question whether it is proper learning.

I’m sure we have all experienced either reading aloud to a class, or being read to, when the atmosphere has shifted; when there’s a magical, invisible connection between everyone in the room.

It’s what Clare Sealy calls the ‘collective cuddle’! It doesn’t happen every time of course, but we do all recognise it. And because it’s deeply satisfying, there’s a sense it’s not proper work.

But it is proper work!

Reason two:

There isn’t time to read in the foundation subjects. If we want our pupils knowing more and remembering more, what is likely to produce greater impact: reading from a decent text, or filling in the gaps on a worksheet?

Reason three:

Evidence. As a sector, we’re obsessed with evidence.

There’s a tendency to think that if there isn’t something written in pupils’ books, then the lesson has happened.

Yet, if we consider four the elements of the national curriculum for English, (and this also applies to literacy across the curriculum), writing is number four, after speaking, listening, and reading. So if we want to have great written outcomes, we need to pay attending to the first three!

Until next time

Mary

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PS The Huh Academy has self-paced courses to support your work on the curriculum:

Huh Curriculum Leaders with live check-ins with John Tomsett and me

Leading the Diverse Curriculum also with live check-ins with Hannah Wilson and Bennie Kara