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From Science to History to Art: Why Teaching Reading Confidence Matters for Every Teacher
- Anna Leaman
- Jan 16
- 5 min read
No matter what subject we teach, we all rely on our students' ability to read. Whether it’s solving word problems in maths, analysing historical sources, interpreting scientific explanations, or following instructions in technology; reading is the foundation of learning across the curriculum. But how confident do we feel in explicitly teaching reading skills? And why is it so essential that every teacher—primary, secondary and beyond —sees themselves as a teacher of reading?
Why Reading Matters in Every Subject
Reading is not just about decoding words; it’s about comprehension, analysis, and applying knowledge. I had a fascinating conversation with the wonderful Joanna Kolota about this last week and our video conversation explores this in more depth.
When students struggle with reading, they struggle with learning. If we assume that reading is only the responsibility of English teachers, we risk leaving many students behind, particularly those who speak multiple languages, have additional learning needs, and those who simply need additional support and time to develop their confidence, fluency and comprehension when reading. By embedding reading strategies into our subject teaching, we create a more inclusive and supportive learning environment for all.
Something Joanna referenced during our conversation was The Simple View of Reading (Gough & Tunmer, 1986) which explains reading as the interaction between two key components:
Word recognition (decoding) – the ability to read words accurately and fluently.
Language comprehension – the ability to understand and make sense of those words.
Both elements are essential. A student who can decode well but struggles with comprehension will not be a successful reader, nor will a student who understands language well but struggles to decode words. This model helps us recognise that reading difficulties can stem from different sources and require different types of support.
Essential information for every teacher to understand in order to understand their students' and their possible challenges with reading.
Scarborough’s Reading Rope: A More Nuanced Perspective
Joanna also referenced Scarborough’s Reading Rope (2001) which expands on the Simple View by illustrating the complexity of skilled reading. Our conversation made me wonder how many practitioners across the different phases and subject specialisms within a school are equipped with this reading methodology in order to enhance the scaffolding that they are able to put in place for struggling readers.
Scarborough's model weaves together two strands:
Word recognition strands (phonological awareness, decoding, sight recognition)
Language comprehension strands (background knowledge, vocabulary, language structures, verbal reasoning, literacy knowledge)
As these strands become more tightly woven, reading becomes more automatic and strategic. The key takeaway for teachers? Reading isn’t a single skill—it’s a web of interconnected abilities that develop over time. Supporting students in just one strand won’t be enough; we need to help them strengthen multiple aspects of reading through targeted strategies.
Practical Reading Strategies for Every Classroom
But as we know, teachers are stretched: in terms of their timetables, their responsibilities, their headspace, their time. If we want something implemented as part of a whole school approach, we must make this workable within the realities of teacher workload too.
To support teachers to integrate reading strategies in ways that feel natural to their subjects, here are some easy-to-implement techniques:
Before Reading: Prepare all Learners for Success
Activate prior knowledge: Discuss what students already know about the topic before reading.
Teach key vocabulary: Pre-teach challenging words to support comprehension.
Set a purpose: Give students a reason to read—whether it’s answering a question, making a prediction, or solving a problem.
During Reading: Scaffold Understanding
Use guided reading questions: Encourage students to pause and reflect and reward/encourage learners when they recognise that "meaning has broken down" and they need some support.
Model reading strategies: Think aloud to show how skilled readers make sense of text.
Encourage annotation: Teach students to underline key ideas, summarise paragraphs, or highlight unfamiliar words.
After Reading: Deepening Comprehension
Summarisation: Ask students to explain what they’ve read in their own words.
Reciprocal teaching: Use discussion roles (summariser, questioner, clarifier, predictor) to engage students in active reading.
Reading repair strategies: Teach students how to recognise when they don’t understand something and how to go back, re-read, use context clues, or ask for clarification.
Being a Voice for Change within a Whole-School Approach
While a whole-school approach to reading is crucial, it must also be accessible and relevant to all staff, considering the workload and pressures of teaching in 2025 and the diversity of reading skills available to learners across a class. To make this feasible:
Keep it simple and practical – Focus on easy-to-implement strategies (such as Joanna's modelling example) that don’t add extra workload but significantly enhance subject teaching.
Provide bite-sized training – Short, focused CPD sessions or staff meetings can make reading strategies more manageable.
Use existing structures – Incorporate reading skills and strategies into department meetings, collaborative planning, and peer observations rather than adding new initiatives.
Leverage technology – Digital tools can help streamline reading support and access to professional learning resources.
Encourage small changes – A few minor adjustments in classroom practice, consistently applied across subjects, can have a significant impact.
A Whole-School Approach Goes Beyond World Book Day
A whole-school approach to reading isn't about dressing up for World Book Day or other tokens of book appreciation. While these activities are novel, fun, and help spark an interest in books and reading, they are not the foundation of a strong reading practice and culture within a school - they are the cherry on top of the cake! The real impact comes from what happens in the classroom day to day. Effective whole-school reading strategies are embedded in lessons, assessments, and everyday interactions with text, ensuring that students are consistently supported in developing their reading skills across all subjects.
Building a Whole-School Approach to Reading
While individual classroom strategies are important, a coordinated whole-school approach is what truly transforms reading outcomes. Schools can:
Develop a shared reading culture – Celebrate reading through displays, competitions, and shared reading time - a focus on multilingual reading and ensuring that books reflect the diversity of the languages and cultures of students within your school is crucial here. Soofia Amin shares wonderful book recommendations for building a multilingual library or relevant and engaging material.
Train all staff in reading strategies – Ensure that subject teachers feel confident embedding reading in their lessons.
Monitor and support struggling readers – Use formative assessments and interventions to provide timely help.
Promote disciplinary literacy – Encourage teachers to explore how reading is unique in their subject area (e.g., reading a science textbook vs. a historical diary). Joanna's book, Empowering EAL Learners in Secondary Schools: A Practical Resource to Support the Language Development of Multilingual Learners is an invaluable tool to support teachers' understanding of disciplinary literacy, providing practical strategies to empower every teacher to feel confident in this area, with a fantastic section on practical reading strategies to support teachers across the curriculum.
Final Thoughts
Being confident in teaching reading is not just for English teachers; it’s for all of us. By understanding the complexities of reading and integrating simple but effective strategies into our teaching, we empower students to access the curriculum, grow as independent learners, and succeed in every subject. Let’s work together to ensure that reading is embedded across the curriculum—not as an add-on, but as an essential part of great teaching.
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