Kathrine Mortimore - Literacy in Secondary Schools
This is the third in a series of podcasts where I focus on a particular part of English instruction or English related matters in detail. In this episode I’m talking to Kathrine Mortimore. Kathrine is the Associate Assistant Principal at a secondary school in Torquay and author of the book: Disciplinary Literacy and Explicit Vocabulary Teaching: A whole school approach to closing the attainment gap.
We discuss:
The most effective or important approaches to establishing an accurate reading age for students
Whether targeted vocabulary instruction in every subject looks different depending on the subject
How can using PowerPoints vs Booklets make a difference for students who struggle to read
If there is any noticeable correlation between behaviour and literacy levels
How knowledge organisers and retrieval practice aid student literacy
On tutor reading programmes: how to do them well when tutors aren’t necessarily English teachers
And if Kathrine had to recommend 3 cornerstones of an effective literacy programme in a school, what would they be?
I’m extremely grateful to be able to talk to people like Kathrine, who are clearly experts in their field and are ready with a litany of practical examples and strategies to go away with.
If you want to be kept up to date on when educational chat like this happens, then be sure to subscribe to the podcast and/or follow me on Twitter @chrisjordanhk
Links:
Bringing Words to Life by Isabel Beck et al
Closing the Reading Gap by Alex Quigley
Reading Reconsidered: A Practical Guide to Rigorous Literacy Instruction by Doug Lemov et al
The Writing Game by Robin Hardman
The EEF’s advice on disciplinary literacy
Scarborough’s Reading Rope
Alice Visser-Furay - @AVisserFuray
