Learn all about the link between motivation and reading for pleasure in this insightful conversation between Oxford Education’s Mary Hamley and reading experts James Clements, Lindsay Pickton and Dr Sarah McGeown.

We discuss how you can grow a reading culture in your classroom, how to encourage students to read for pleasure, and practical tips to support motivating students to read more.

James Clements is an education writer and reading for pleasure advocate.

Further reading and support:

Helen Prince and Gaurav Dubay discuss the crucial role vocabulary and oracy strategies play in the Key Stage 3 classroom. They highlight the importance of focusing on talk and vocabulary to help students rehearse written outcomes before taking the next step and moving onto writing. They discuss drama, fluency, modelling and reducing cognitive load with oral rehearsal.

Helen Prince is an English Advisor, author of Oxford University Press’s Get It Right: Boost Your Vocabulary workbooks, and CEO of ChatterStars. Helen tweets at @prince_helen

Gaurav Dubay is Head of English at an inner-city grammar school in Birmingham, one of our Pioneer Schools for Oxford Smart Quest. Gaurav tweets at @GauravDubay3

Further reading and support:

View transcript

Andrea Quincey and Rob Randal discuss how we can support the teaching of reading in Wales.

We look at the current context of reading instruction in Wales and explore the science of reading before going on to discuss Rob’s experiences of using a phonics programme in his school.

We talk about the many aspects involved in teaching children to read including the importance of routine and repetition, and why matched decodable books matter. We also cover the challenges of transition and supporting children at secondary school.

Andrea Quincey is Director of Primary Literacy at Oxford University Press. She has worked in educational publishing – with a focus on primary literacy – for over 20 years and has contributed to some of the UK’s most popular literacy programmes, most notably the award-winning Project X series. In her current role she manages a market-leading product portfolio that, as well as Project X, includes the globally renowned Oxford Reading Tree and the highly effective Read Write Inc. programmes.

Rob Randel has been a primary teacher in south Wales for 16 years. Having promoted high quality and evidence-informed early reading instruction for several years, he has a wealth of experience in advising school leaders and teachers about the science of reading, and how they can best evaluate their current provision. Since 2021, he has been a committee member of the Reading Reform Foundation and an advisory group member to the International Foundation of Early Reading Instruction. Rob tweets at @robrandel

Further support available from OUP:

Helen Prince talks to Kathrine Mortimore about ways to employ disciplinary literacy techniques in your classroom. The EEF have placed disciplinary literacy as their number one strategy for improving literacy in secondary schools. Kathrine and Helen discuss the importance of: showing students what excellence looks like in your subject; the explicit teaching of challenging key ideas and vocabulary; and scaffolding using carefully prepared materials. 

Kathrine Mortimore is currently an Associate Assistant Principal, leading literacy at Torquay Academy. Her most recent book ‘Disciplinary Literacy and Explicit Vocabulary Teaching’ is centred on moving forward those who are furthest behind by improving their literacy skills. This publication follows research she has undertaken into narrowing the attainment gap at the University of Cambridge, and whilst working in the context of Torquay Academy. Kathrine has also co-authored four of Neil Bowen’s ‘Art of..’ literature study guides. She tweets at @Kathrine_28

Further reading and support:

Caroline Derby talks to Tara Dodson and Katie Press to chat about Essential Letters and Sounds, a new DfE validated phonics programme developed by Knowledge Schools Trust English Hub and published by Oxford University Press. 

Caroline Derby is Head of Phonics and Early Literacy publishing at Oxford University Press. She has been a children’s and educational publisher for many years, specialising in primary literacy. She is also vice-chair of governors at a nursery school in Oxford. 

Tara Dodson has many years of experience in supporting schools across London as Reading Lead and developing CPD programmes for phonics and early reading. She is the English Hub Lead for the Knowledge Schools Trust English Hub. 

Katie Press is a specialist English teacher, supporting schools in developing their phonics practice and modelling high quality phonics and early reading teaching. She is the English Lead for the Knowledge Schools Trust Primaries and a Literacy Specialist for the KST English Hub. 

Further reading and support:

Helen Prince talks to Sophie Bartlett about her experiences of being a primary Year 5/6 teacher. Sophie shares some great tips on how to use vocabulary in mixed year groups and explains how she successfully teaches whole class reading using techniques including echo reading. Sophie also talks about how she uses Twitter as a positive way to engage and support other teachers and NQTs.

Sophie Bartlett is a Year 5/6 primary teacher, English & curriculum lead, and the brains behind #TeachLikeAChumpion. She tweets at @_MissieBee

Further reading and support:

Helen Prince talks to Matt Pinkett about strategies to raise expectations and improve outcomes for boys, the importance of challenging gender stereotypes and what good vocabulary teaching looks like in the classroom.

Matt Pinkett has had a number of teaching roles: Literacy Coordinator; Head of English; and Assistant Head Teacher of Teaching, Learning and Assessment. He is also a best-selling author, passionate about books, gender studies, and reducing social inequality. In his spare time he likes to wear ugly trainers. Matt tweets at @Positivteacha

Further reading and support:

Helen Prince talks to Michael Morpurgo about his childhood, teaching career and success as a storyteller and writer. We learn how Michael’s love of stories was inspired by his actor mother and how a courageous decision to tell his first story to a Year 6 class, along with encouragement from Headteacher Mrs Skiffington, opened the door to him becoming an author of magical children’s books. 

If you missed part 1 we would recommend listening to that episode before tuning in to part 2. 

Michael Morpurgo is an award-winning storyteller, author, poet and playwright who has written over 120 books; a former teacher who went on to become Children’s Laureate. Michael is also series editor of TreeTops Greatest Stories published by Oxford University Press. 

Further reading and support:

Helen Prince talks to Michael Morpurgo about his childhood, teaching career and success as a storyteller and writer. We learn how Michael’s love of stories was inspired by his actor mother and how a courageous decision to tell his first story to a Year 6 class, along with encouragement from Headteacher Mrs Skiffington, opened the door to him becoming an author of magical children’s books.

Michael Morpurgo is an award-winning storyteller, author, poet and playwright who has written over 120 books; a former teacher who went on to become Children’s Laureate. Michael is also series editor of TreeTops Greatest Stories published by Oxford University Press.

Further reading and support:

Helen Prince talks to Louise Pennington about communication in children with special educational needs.  Louise outlines the challenges some children with SEND face from early years through to secondary education and how the Word Gap can affect this, before offering strategies to help support teachers and pupils. 

Louise Pennington is the Professional Development Lead for maths and Numicon at Oxford University Press. She is a founding Fellow of the Chartered College of Teaching and previous Primary Teacher, SENCO and Local Authority SEND Team Leader.  Louise tweets at @pdLouiseP

Further reading and support: