Teenage reading

The infographic above summarises our key research findings on teenage reading and current policy and practice initiatives aimed at promoting reading in secondary pupils. It illustrates how research, practice and policy can come together to address societal challenges. Indeed, ensuring that all young people can read is an important social justice issue.

The findings from our Vocabulary and Reading In Secondary Schools (VaRiSS) and Reading And Vocabulary (RAV) transition projects highlight extremely wide variability in reading proficiency and high levels of need, especially amongst young people from more disadvantaged backgrounds. Findings also clarify the close relationship between reading proficiency and engagement, showing that for independent reading, proficiency must come first if young people are to enter a virtuous circle of reading more and building proficiency. Reading is not (just) a primary school issue. Rather, reading must be monitored and supported throughout the school system.

Current policy initiatives include two Department for Education funded CPD programmes that Professor Jessie Ricketts has been involved in developing (find out more here).

Looking to the future, we have the following initiatives targeting teenage reading:

  • The new National Curriculum
  • The Year 8 Reading Test as mentioned in the White Paper “Every Child Achieving and Thriving”
  • The new framework for secondary schools that will integrate non-statutory guidance on reading, writing and oracy

Teenage reading has been a key focus of Professor Jessie Ricketts’ work since 2012. This research was motivated by discussions with teachers and school leaders that indicated that schools were concerned about teenage reading and did not feel that they had the capacity and resources to develop reading to ensure that students access the curriculum and opportunities beyond school. This work has been funded by the Economic and Social Research Council and Nuffield Foundation and throughout Jessie has worked closely with non-academic partners to ensure that findings are translated for educational practice and policy. She has also worked with these partners to create actionable tools and resources.

Click here to find out more about these projects:

Jessie has made a contribution to a number of non-academic outputs, projects and resources, including: