Date of Lecture: 30 May 2024

About the Lecture:

How to teach children to read is an emotive topic because being literate has such an important influence on children’s life chances. The subject has become so emotive that the debates have been called ‘The Reading Wars’. This lecture builds on the landmark study about education policies in England that ignited debate internationally. A new theory of teaching reading and writing based on the metaphor of DNA is unveiled. This theory is linked with a robust analysis of the ‘gold standard’ of research, then illuminated with examples of ground-breaking new practices for teachers. Such research should be reflected in education policies, it is argued, so that more children will succeed in their education and hence lives.

About the speakers:

Dominic Wyse FAcSS FRSA is Professor of Early Childhood and Primary Education at the Institute of Education (IOE), University College London (UCL). He is Founding Director of the Helen Hamlyn Centre for Pedagogy (0-11 Years) (HHCP), a research centre devoted to improving young children’s education. Dominic was President of the British Educational Research Association (BERA) from 2019 to 2022.

Charlotte Hacking is Director, Learning and Programmes at the Centre for Literacy in Primary Education (CLPE).