Beginning in the 1960s, the Isle of Wight studies were among the first to investigate developmental reading problems in representative, population-based samples, using the tools of epidemiology. In this paper, we provide an overview of the contribution of the Isle of Wight studies to research on reading disabilities. We begin with an account of…

Children learning English as an additional language (EAL) are a growing population of learners in English primary schools. These children begin school with differing levels of English language proficiency and tend to underperform in relation to their non-EAL peers on measures of English oral language and reading. However, little work has examined…

In her article, Graham (2017) concludes 'that very little of the research regarding the teaching of listening has made it into the classroom in England, not least in a positive way' (p. 117). She suggests that teachers rarely delve into the process of second language (L2) listening in class; instead, listening comprehension is treated more as a…

International assessments show that 20% of adolescents cannot read simple texts with understanding. Despite this, research has focused on early reading in childhood and skilled reading in adulthood, neglecting reading development during adolescence. We report a longitudinal study assessing reading and vocabulary development at 12, 13 and 14 years…

This study describes a comparison of how worked examples in selected textbooks from England and Shanghai presented possible learning trajectories towards understanding linear function. Six selected English textbooks and one Shanghai compulsory textbook were analysed with regards to the understanding required for pure mathematics knowledge in…

There is strong evidence that peer tutoring, as a form of cooperative learning, has a positive impact on tutor and tutee outcomes. However, little previous research has been reported as to the differential effects of engaging in cooperative learning in dyads for peer tutors and peer tutees, respectively. A randomised controlled experimental study…

There is consensus on the need for new interventions which enhance reading attainment in English schools. In this study, we examine the effects of a Dance-Based Physical Education (DBPE) intervention on reading comprehension (RC). The study employed a mixed-methodology: combining a pre-post test quasi-experimental research design (intervention, n…

This action research study, drawing on participatory frameworks, investigated whether a Year 10 English class (15-16-year-olds), including struggling readers, could develop their reading self-concept and 'voice'. The research aimed to extend findings from a larger, mixed-method study, developing reading comprehension and motivation with younger…

Despite its centrality to most, if not all educational endeavours, what is meant by understanding is highly contested. Using Religious Education (RE) in England as a case subject this paper examines pre-service secondary school teachers' construals of understanding. It does so by employing conceptual metaphor theory to analyse their linguistic…

Justifications for the change of model supporting national reading instruction in England reveal the influence of international 'Reading Wars' divisions. Replacement of the 'Searchlights' diagram by an illustration of the 'Simple View of Reading' (SVR) generated an opportunity for the implementation of stable policy and balanced reading…

This paper examined whether a younger starting age of formal instruction on a foreign language is beneficial in expanding circle countries. An experimental study was designed to examine to what extent the five varieties of English language teachers are intelligible to Japanese- (JSLs) and Korean-speaking language learners (KSLs), who have…

Genuine engagement by academic staff and students in reflective practice in a time of great institutional pressure and a neo-liberal agenda for more metrics driven practice has become increasingly difficult to set time aside for. While more and more feedback is being requested on teaching practice, the quality, validity or reliability of this…

An increasing number of high-stakes mathematics standardised tests around the world place an emphasis on using mathematical word problems to assess students' mathematical understanding. Not only do these assessments require children to think mathematically, but making sense of these tests' mathematical word problems also brings children's language…

Based on the growing support that relates reading comprehension with morphological awareness, a short intervention was designed and piloted to see if instruction in morphological analysis could improve reading comprehension or vocabulary with primary school students. The intervention was piloted with a small group focusing on pre- and post-test…

Semantic diversity -- a metric that captures variations in previous contextual experience with a word -- influences children's lexical decision and reading aloud. We investigated the effects of semantic diversity and frequency on children's reading of words embedded in sentences, while eye movements were recorded. If semantic diversity and…