This post is the result of a conversation with the great Alistair Gittner on Bluesky. We go back a way…
How Does Comprehension Happen?
https://science.nasa.gov/missions/hubble/nasas-hubble-shows-milky-way-is-destined-for-head-on-collision/ It’s Sunday afternoon. I’m cutting down some ivy in my garden which is growing up a neighbour’s wall. I’m…
Teaching Science Content Knowledge Leads to Better Fiction and Nonfiction Reading Comprehension
An English lead’s best ally is a science lead. Several pieces of research over the past couple of years shows…
They Do Knowledge-Rich Differently in the US
I’ve dug deep into students’ knowledge and reading comprehension over the summer. There is a lot of great research taking…
Why is Science and Humanities Subject Knowledge Important for Fiction Reading Comprehension?
There is growing recognition of the importance of disciplinary literacy – reading the kinds of texts written in science, human…
The Scarborough Reading Rope: what we need to be good readers
Yesterday I wrote about the importance of knowledge for reading comprehension. Today I wanted to share with you a hugely…
How Reading Comprehension Happens
Clue: it all depends on your background knowledge. I think we all agree don’t we? Reading is the most important…
Teacher Science Knowledge and Reading
Increasingly, reading specialists are realising that to be strong readers, pupils need strong background knowledge. When teachers teach subject knowledge,…
How Much Science Knowledge is Too Little?
Some people don’t know much science, but it doesn’t seem to hold them back. Is there a limit to how…
Reducing the Cognitive Load of Reading in Science Lessons
I suspect we all tried to get pupils to read a science explanation when we were training. I did. It…
Reading for Learning 