Get Reading Into It
In many classrooms, reading has quietly slipped from its central position. Screens have filled the gap. A short YouTube clip to “engage”, a recap video to save time, an animated explainer instead of a paragraph. These tools are not inherently bad, but their routine replacement of reading should concern us. If we are serious about equity, attainment and long-term learning, we need to get reading into far more lessons, across the whole curriculum.
Reading is not just the responsibility of the English department. It is the primary vehicle through which pupils encounter subject knowledge in every discipline. Historians read sources and interpretations. Scientists read explanations, methods and evaluations. Geographers read case studies and arguments. When we reduce reading opportunities, we reduce pupils’ access to the very thinking of the subject.
Educational research consistently shows that reading builds knowledge, vocabulary and background understanding, all of which are crucial for comprehension. Videos can give an illusion of understanding, but they often do the cognitive work for the pupil. Reading, by contrast, requires active processing. Pupils must decode, infer, connect ideas and hold information in mind.
“That effort involved in reading is not a flaw; it is the point.”
This matters particularly for disadvantaged pupils. Those with limited exposure to academic language outside school rely on lessons to encounter complex syntax and subject-specific vocabulary. When lessons default to audiovisual explanations, we inadvertently widen gaps. Strong readers can supplement missing detail; weaker readers fall further behind. Reading in lessons is therefore not a barrier to inclusion but a route to it.
Of course, the objection is familiar: pupils “won’t read”, they “can’t access it”, or it “takes too long”. Yet these are arguments for better reading instruction, not for abandoning reading altogether. We would never remove writing from lessons because pupils struggle with it. Instead, we scaffold, model and practise. Reading deserves the same professional attention.
Getting reading back into lessons does not mean silent, unsupported pages of dense text. It means thoughtful choices and explicit teaching. Short, high-quality extracts can be read together. Teachers can model how to approach a paragraph, unpacking meaning sentence by sentence. Key vocabulary can be pre-taught, not as a tick-box exercise, but to unlock meaning. Strategic pauses for questioning, summarising or annotating help pupils process what they read.
Importantly, reading should be purposeful. Pupils need to know why they are reading and what they are looking for. Are they identifying an argument? Tracking a process? Comparing perspectives? When reading is clearly linked to the lesson’s outcome, engagement improves and time feels well spent.
This is not an argument to ban YouTube outright. Visuals can support understanding, especially when introducing unfamiliar concepts. The problem arises when videos replace reading rather than complement it. A clip might be useful after pupils have grappled with a text, to consolidate or clarify. Too often, however, the clip comes first—and the text never arrives.
As English teachers, we are well placed to lead this conversation. We understand that reading is a skill developed through frequency and challenge, not avoidance. We know that fluency grows through exposure to complex texts, not perpetual simplification. By advocating for reading across the curriculum, we advocate for pupils’ intellectual development in every subject.
If we want pupils who can think critically, argue precisely and learn independently, they must read—regularly, widely and deliberately. So let’s be bold. Let’s plan lessons where reading is central, not optional. Let’s support colleagues in making texts accessible without diluting them. Above all, let’s Get Reading Into It, and put reading back where it belongs: at the heart of learning.
1. Guided Reading with Teacher Modelling
What it looks like:
The teacher reads a short, subject-specific extract with the class and explicitly models how to make sense of it. This might include unpacking a complex sentence, clarifying reference chains, or explaining how a paragraph is structured.
Why it works:
Research on reading comprehension shows that modelling expert reading behaviours improves pupils’ ability to approach unfamiliar texts independently. Pupils learn how to read in a discipline, not just what to read.
Across subjects:
- Science: modelling how to read an explanation of a process
- History: modelling how to read an interpretation or source
- Geography: modelling how to read a case study paragraph
2. Pre-Teaching Vocabulary That Unlocks Meaning
What it looks like:
Teachers identify a small number of high-utility subject words or phrases that are essential for understanding the text. These are taught briefly before reading, using definitions in context rather than copying from a glossary.
Why it works:
Vocabulary knowledge is one of the strongest predictors of reading comprehension. Pre-teaching reduces cognitive load, allowing pupils to focus on meaning rather than decoding unfamiliar language.
Across subjects:
- Maths: terms such as evaluate, justify, proportional
- Science: words like variable, significant, react
- English: abstract nouns linked to themes or ideas
3. Short, Frequent Reading Bursts
What it looks like:
Instead of long, infrequent reading tasks, teachers build in short reading episodes (one to three paragraphs) as a normal part of lessons, followed by a brief task that checks understanding.
Why it works:
Evidence on practice and retention suggests that frequent exposure is more effective than occasional extended tasks. Regular reading also builds stamina and normalises challenge.
Across subjects:
- Reading a paragraph to introduce a new concept
- Reading an explanation before attempting questions
- Reading an evaluative conclusion to model academic tone
4. Purpose-Driven Reading Questions
What it looks like:
Before pupils read, the teacher sets a clear, specific purpose, such as identifying a cause, tracing an argument, or finding evidence. Questions focus attention without reducing the complexity of the text.
Why it works:
Research into comprehension shows that purposeful reading improves focus and recall. Pupils read more carefully when they know what they are reading for.
Across subjects:
- History: “Which sentence explains why this event mattered?”
- Science: “Which variable is being controlled here?”
- English: “Where does the writer shift perspective?”
5. Rereading for Different Purposes
What it looks like:
Pupils read the same short text more than once, each time with a different focus—first for gist, then for detail, then for structure or language.
Why it works:
Rereading supports deeper comprehension and helps pupils notice features they miss on a first pass. It is particularly effective with challenging academic texts.
Across subjects:
- First read: understanding the main idea
- Second read: extracting key information
- Third read: analysing how the explanation or argument is constructed