Reading – task or pleasure? A post by Alison Tarrant, CEO of the School Library Association, quotes some interesting research: that 50% of 3/4 years olds, 41% of 5/7 year olds and only 22% of 8/10 year olds read every day, or almost, at home. A gradual decrease in reading habit. Tarrant also reports that…

Despite decades of research, some schools still rely on outdated reading strategies—like encouraging children to guess words from pictures. This method, while well-intentioned, can hinder proper reading development. This recent article featured on ITV news highlights the troubling consequences of such practices. What Actually Works? The gold standard remains:Systematic Synthetic Phonics. Systematic -following a logical,…

A recent article in the Times (James Marriott) speculates on this dire situation. Imagine! No books!No magazines! No newspaper articles! The evidence is clear, reports James: ‘those who don’t read, or who outsource their essays to AI, lose the facility for complex thought.’ I agree.  I have always maintained that reading is linked to thinking….

“Parents ‘terrified’ by move to cut special-needs help” – read the recent Times headline. So, is the Government right to remove statutory education plans (EHCPs) from children in mainstream schools? A thorny question! Apparently, this issue is up for consideration. If the current Children and Families Act is amended, what might this mean for the…

When I first blogged about the reading complexity of solving mathematical problems, I did not imagine that I would return to this topic: but my latest tutoring session has lifted this issue to the surface. Why? Because if reading comprehension remains the crucial key to solving mathematical problems, and therefore passing exams; then the reading…