In this episode, I’m speaking to Christopher Such. Chris is a primary school teacher by trade but has also served as a school leader, teacher educator and consultant. He has worked with many schools, multi-academy trusts and English organisations to develop teachers’ understanding of reading and implement evidence-informed classroom practice. He is also an author, having written The Art and Science of Teaching Primary Reading and Primary Reading Simplified: A Practical Guide to Classroom Teaching and Whole-School Implementation.

As a secondary English teacher, I was keen to chat to someone with Primary expertise to better understand the experiences younger children go through before entering a secondary classroom. Given the quality and applicability of his writing, Chris was arguably the best person for the job.

We discuss:

• Chris’ broad explanation of what outstanding reading instruction entails in KS1 and 2.
• The specific instructional routines Primary teachers use to develop fluency, vocabulary and other essential skills.
• What struggles when reading aloud reveal about a child's needs.
• What 'effective intervention' looks like.
• And finally, the reciprocal relationship between reading and writing.

Thanks again to Chris for sharing vital ideas in terms of how to support students’ continual growth of literacy. His books, whilst including ‘Primary’ in the title, are equally effective when working with pupils who still require effective and efficient instruction in the secondary school.

If you’d like to be kept up to date on when chat like this happens, feel free to subscribe to the podcast and follow me on LinkedIn @chrisjordanhk or X @chrisjordanhk

Additionally, if you would like a head start on learning how to prioritise your middle years English curriculum, head to the bottom of this podcast’s show notes or top of my stream on X to find a beta copy of my forthcoming book: Make Middle Years English Matter. You can read as much as you want and even highlight elements that you like, dislike or find confusing to help make it better.

Links:

Chris’ books: Primary Reading Simplified: A Practical Guide to Classroom Teaching and Whole-School Implementation and The Art and Science of Teaching Primary Reading

Beta version of Make Middle Years English Matter