Closing the Reading Gap PDF
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“In this engaging book, Alex Quigley explores the know- ledge and skills expert reading teachers need to teach reading and to nurture pupils’ desire to read. If you are developing the school reading curriculum, this accessible and timely text, which is packed with practical strategies, will be a valuable asset. In opening up the complexities of reading in an appealing and conversational manner, and paying particular attention to metacognition, Alex offers the profession evidence- informed tools to reconsider reading and six steps to close the reading gap. A book worth buying.” Teresa Cremin, Professor of Education, Open University, UK “The science of reading was never a part of my teacher training and I’d have loved a book like this. Alex Quigley’s Closing the Reading Gap is everything I hoped it would be; a wonderfully enlightening follow-u p to his brilliant vocabulary book. For those seeking to understand how reading works, alongside some of the associated debates, Alex gives us the in- depth research- informed analysis we’re after. He also delivers the accessibility and range of practical strategies busy teachers need to support children to read more fluently and to learn more through reading. Chapters 3 and 4 capture the key concepts we need to under- stand the complex processes of decoding and comprehen- sion; it’s packed with wisdom and insights. Chapter 7, outlining an array of practical strategies for schools and teachers, is a magnificent reference for everyone working in education. I can see this book having a very significant impact.” Tom Sherrington, author and education consultant “When over a quarter of 11-y ear-o ld pupils do not reach the expected standard in reading, Closing the Reading Gap is a welcome and much needed addition to our understanding of the process and difficulty of reading. This wide-c ompassing book takes us through the history of reading and identifies some of the barriers for many of our pupils and offers many suggestions that professionals can use to support them in this vital aspect of provision. It is laden with important insights such as ‘we are better off with concentrating on the relatively slow, deliberate process of reading for meaning and to understand the subtle difference between reading speedily and reading with fluency’. And when we ask ourselves the questions posed by Alex, we are likely to get better at this important aspect of our practice: what are the ‘Goldilocks books’ for year 2 … year 5 and year 9; how will we mediate their com- plexity, while keeping an eye on the detail of our pupils’ reading development; how often do we assume a text that has been read has been understood? And what resonated powerfully for me is the idea that it is important that pupils read extended texts if they are to grow more sensitive to text structures. If they are pre- dominantly reading PowerPoint slides with condensed phrases, sentences and images, they will not gain experience in tracking more extended text structures. Paradoxically, by making the curriculum more access- ible in the short term, we can make it harder to access curriculum reading in the long term. An important read for all teachers, across all phases and subjects.” Mary Myatt, education adviser and writer, author of The Curriculum: Gallimaufry to Coherence “This book should be a core text for all teachers, whether trainees or experienced professionals, whatever their subject or key- stage specialism. Reading success is essential for young people to access any academic cur- riculum and this book draws together research and effective practice across all subjects and age groups. But not only does it identify and evaluate the symptoms of reading challenges, it provides practical advice and support to ‘close the reading gap’. Exam success is underpinned by effective reading tuition, and this book will help every teacher gain a greater understanding of how to teach reading constructively so that academic achievement is attainable for every pupil.” Alison Wilcox, author of the Descriptosaurus series Closing the Reading Gap Our pupils’ success will be defined by their ability to read flu- ently and skilfully. But despite universal acceptance of reading’s vital importance, the reading gap in our classroom remains and it is linked to an array of factors, such as parental wealth, educa- tion and book ownership, as well as classroom practice. To close this gap, we need to ensure that every teacher has the knowledge and skill to teach reading with confidence. In Closing the Reading Gap, Alex Quigley explores the intri- guing history and science of reading, synthesising the debates and presenting a wealth of usable evidence about how children develop most efficiently as successful readers. Offering practical strategies for teachers at every phase of their teaching career, as well as tack- ling issues such as dyslexia and the role of technology, the book helps teachers to be an expert in how pupils ‘learn to read’ as well as how they ‘read to learn’ and explores how reading is vital for unlocking a challenging academic curriculum for every student. With a focus on nurturing pupils’ will and skill to read for pleasure and purpose, this essential volume provides practical solutions to help all teachers create a rich reading culture that will enable every student to thrive in school and far beyond the school gates. Alex Quigley is a former English teacher and school leader, of over 15 years’ standing, who now works for the Education Endowment Foundation, supporting teachers to access research evidence. He can be found on Twitter @HuntingEnglish and blogs at www.theconfidentteacher.com. His previous books include Closing the Vocabulary Gap and The Confident Teacher. Closing the Reading Gap Alex Quigley First published 2020 by Routledge 2 Park Square, Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxon OX14 4RN and by Routledge 52 Vanderbilt Avenue, New York, NY 10017 Routledge is an imprint of the Taylor & Francis Group, an informa business © 2020 Alex Quigley The right of Alex Quigley to be identified as author of this work has been asserted by him in accordance with sections 77 and 78 of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reprinted or reproduced or utilised in any form or by any electronic, mechanical, or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including photocopying and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publishers. Trademark notice: Product or corporate names may be trademarks or registered trademarks, and are used only for identification and explanation without intent to infringe. British Library Cataloguing- in- Publication Data A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library Library of Congress Cataloging- in- Publication Data A catalog record has been requested for this book ISBN: 9780367276874 (hbk) ISBN: 9780367276881 (pbk) ISBN: 9780429297328 (ebk) Typeset in Celeste and Optima by Newgen Publishing UK To my beautiful children Freya and Noah, Reading with you each day – and seeing reading through your fresh eyes – was the inspiration and fuel for writing this book.
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