The Art and Science of Teaching Primary Reading

The essential guide to the science behind reading and its practical implications for classroom teaching in primary schools.

Teaching children to read is one of the most important tasks in primary education and classroom practice needs to be underpinned by a secure foundation of knowledge. Teachers need to know what reading entails, how children learn to read and how it can be taught effectively.

This book is an essential guide for primary teachers that explores the key technical and practical aspects of how children read with strong links to theory and how to translate this into the classroom. Bite-size chapters offer accessible research-informed ideas across all major key topics including phonics, comprehension, teaching children with reading difficulties and strategies for the classroom. Key features include:

·        Discussions of implications for the classroom
·        Questions for further professional discussions
·        Retrieval quizzes
·        Further reading suggestions
·        Glossary of key terms

Christopher Such is a primary school teacher and the author of the education blog Primary Colour. He can be found on Twitter via @Suchmo83.

Christopher Such is a primary school teacher, school leader, teacher educator and consultant who has worked in schools since 2006. As part of Ambition Institute’s learning design team, he co-designed their National Professional Qualification in Leading Literacy (NPQLL). He has contributed to the initial teacher training programmes for Teach East, Torch SCITT and Ambition Institute, focusing on reading instruction and mathematics pedagogy. In his work as an education consultant, he has worked with schools, multi-academy trusts, English hubs and wider organisations to develop teachers’ understanding of reading and implement approaches to evidence-informed classroom teaching that prioritise meaningful experiences with texts. His first book, The Art and Science of Teaching Primary Reading, is required reading on many initial teacher training programmes and higher education courses. He is the author of the education blog Primary Colour, and he can be found on social media platforms via the username @Suchmo83.