Literacy news

Teenagers struggle with reading GCSE exams

16 Nov 2012

1,100 schools in England provided data on 29,000 teenagers suggesting an average reading age of 10 or 11, despite GCSE materials considered as pitched at the correct levels.

The research was based on results of students using Renaissance Learning software, and involved asking the students 25 literacy-based questions, teacher assessments, and a review of 6 randomly selected GCSE exam papers.

Although the researchers state that the data does not represent the nation, the results are alarming. They are especially unexpected due to the annually rising primary and secondary school reading age results.

James Bell, director of professional services at Renaissance Learning, said formal reading practise is critical, stating that students reading 19 to 24 minutes daily showed “substantial growth” in other research, and that students who “read and understood less than three minutes a day” regress.

Jonathan Douglas, director of the National Literacy Trust, commented on the importance of strong reading skills in order to understand textbooks and exam questions, and “to succeed both academically and in life.”

Brian Lightman, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, disagreed with the implication that secondary school students do not practise reading, noting the “vast range of strategies in place” in secondary schools for reading. He argues that these strategies exist because “literacy is a key priority for secondary schools.”

Read the full article here.

Our network is currently running a theme focused on the teaching of reading in schools, both primary and secondary. Learn more here.

Tags: Network, Schools & teaching

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