John Murray (Reading Expert and Educational Author): Reading for Comprehension and Emotional Dexterity

In this episode, Claire meets with John Murray, a British author for educational material and former teacher. John is a reading enthusiast and novelist. He discusses the work he has done to support schools with developing the love of reading within children. John explains the importance of reading and the pedagogy of reading for children. He describes the different techniques of how the love of reading can be promoted within children. He also explains the different opportunities children need in order to develop this. John and Claire discuss the importance of reading and why the love of reading should be developed within children. He talks about the significance of sharing the passion of reading with children. John and Claire also discuss the different strategies that can be employed to deliver this. Murray emphasises the importance of enriching children’s interest and immersing them in a variety of different texts. KEY TAKEAWAYS John qualified as a teacher in 1997. He worked in a mainstream school with SEND children who had linguistic needs and difficulties. Shortly after, he became the head of English and split the subject in three categories; writing, reading and speech and language. John explains that he focused on reading and looked at the various areas this covers i.e. guided reading, the library, reading for pleasure, story time. John now works independently with schools across the country. He works with and supports schools with reading and developing a reading into writing approach. John suggests that the love for reading comes when the texts connects with our heart. He suggests that teachers should not be restricted with what book they should choose for story time. If they are passionate about reading, they should pass this on to children. He emphasises the importance of story time by stating it is fundamentally important. Story time is where we get a chance to feel safe and teachers can share their passion for that story. We shouldn’t just assume children have access to books outside the classroom. Schools may be the only time children have access to this opportunity. He believes story time should be timetabled; it can’t be faded out if there isn’t time in the school day. It should be a whole school approach. John suggests when reading on 1:1 basis, the teacher should read to the child. With the teacher’s knowledge of reading, fluency, enunciation and approach they can bring the text to life. They can then talk about what has been read which will stimulate a conversation which ultimately develops the child’s comprehension. Once the teacher has modelled what a passionate reader looks like, the child should then be given the opportunity to read the text back to the teacher. If the reading is modelled on 1:1 or a small group basis this should be done with a reading book at the child or children’s reading level. However, it is a whole class reading the teacher should model this. Once the teacher has read the text, children should appreciate and apply the knowledge of the text with their peers. Echo – some children can just repeat what is said and in the manner it is said in. However, when children get to Key Stage 2, they may read and interpret the text in their own manner. They may emphasise some words differently and Murray suggests that this is a great discussion point. Murray explains that children who find reading difficult or are not confident readers they can still contribute verbally. Emotional dexterity – the connection with a text on an emotional level. When we can connect with the author, character and situation that’s when we can emphasise and understand. Murray suggests that it is vital to develop this and children should be emotionally developed in order to connect with the text. The texts should be appropriate to the children’s academic ability and emotional development. Murray suggests that in order to improve inference we shouldn’t just focus on the text; we should focus on the whole child. We need to improve the emotional well-being of the child. We need to view reading as a holistic approach. Reading isn’t just about teaching children to pass a test or construct an answer, it’s about giving children the experience of reading for pleasure. Reading for purpose – doesn’t necessary develop an emotional connection i.e. when reading a recipe but it can be to enhance understand and knowledge of facts i.e. history. John emphasises the importance of children having access to a variety of different texts in a variety of different opportunities for a variety of different reasons and purposes. He suggests that children have a right to explore texts at their level as well as age related expected reading level. They should be provided with this opportunity in schools in order to promote integration and inclusion. Murray suggests that teachers shouldn’t rush and when needed the pace of the lesson should be slowed down for children to enjoy the learning that is taking place. This will allow for all children to be included. He states that EAL children have lots to offer, they are not a hindrance. The pace of the lesson should be slowed down. Retrieving information from the text isn’t a basic skill, it’s a fundamental skill. Murray suggests that if this foundation is not there, anything developed from this will always be unsteady. The foundation must be solid. Love of language and reading for children who lack confidence – book talk and being creative with a text. Murray's explains that text can be a barrier for some children. A strategy he has adapted for Reading Rocketeers is where text is layered. The text is read to the children to enable them to visualise the story, they then talk about text, the images are shown and then the text is introduced one sentence at a time. Fluency – going beyond the echo why are they emphasising there? Why are they taking a pause? Interventions – we should be careful when defining interventions. Is it the mechanics? Is it the comprehension? Dialogical pedagogy – getting children to think and verbalise their thought process and why they think that. Murray suggests that this approach can be used in Early Years Foundation Stage or Year 1 and it can also reduce the learning gaps within children. Children who talk a lot have better speech and language and are emotionally mature. Girls tend to over-perform boys in comprehension at every single step. Murray suggests that this can be because girls talk more and they mature quicker than boys. This helps the language development. This does not disregard or devalue boys who are good at reading. Must have reading books – The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore by W.E.Joyce, The Tear Thief by Carol Ann Duffy. Reading Rocketeers – a programme that can be used as shared reading in Reception and Year 1 or as an intervention for Year 2 and 3. It tries to develop reading skills. The main questions focus on inference, but it based on dialogical pedagogy. BEST MOMENTS “We went from rock bottom to soaring high.” “Those who communicate quicker, have a richer language and are surrounded and immersed in a rich language linguistical environment will make better progress.” “You might be able to read the but the joy you get through reading is very different.” “Everyone wants to share stories, even if they think they can’t read they will tell you stories.” “Stories are what bind us together as a community and unify us as a humanity.” “When a piece of text touches the heart as well as the head that’s when you get true understanding.” “Pass on your passion and you will never go wrong.” “It’s the memories they will take with them. You want them to remember you as a teacher that fostered love of learning and fostered those beautiful books.” “Stories that touch you and emote you, that make you passionate and show your passion - those are the conversations and engagement you want with children.” “It’s not what the text brings to you it’s also what you bring to the text. It’s that two-way connection that allows you to explore the text deeper.” “There’s no one way that’s the only way.” “Who dictates the pace? The children should.” “Vocabulary is not a skill; it is the glue that binds all your skills together.” “If a child can sing 8 nursery rhymes by the end of the age of 4, they will more or less guaranteed to be in the upper two reading capabilities by the time they are eight.” “The child is more important than curriculum.” “Curriculums come and go, governments come and go, the needs of a child don’t change.” VALUABLE RESOURCES The Teachers’ Podcast: https://www.facebook.com/groups/TheTeachersPodcast/ Classroom Secrets Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ClassroomSecretsLimited/ Classroom Secrets website: https://classroomsecrets.co.uk/ LIFE/work balance campaign: https://classroomsecrets.co.uk/lifeworkbalance-and-wellbeing-in-education-campaign-2019/ Teresa Cremin:  http://www.open.ac.uk/people/tmc242Read Write Perform:  http://www.readwriteperform.com/the-approach.htmlReading rocketeers:  https://www.johnmurraycpd.co.uk/reading-interventionJohn Murray’s website:  https://www.johnmurraycpd.co.uk/ ABOUT THE HOSTClaire Riley Claire, alongside her husband Ed, is one of the directors of Classroom Secrets, a company she founded in 2013 and which provides outstanding differentiated resources for teachers, schools, parents and tutors worldwide. Having worked for a number of years as a teacher in both Primary and Secondary education, and experiencing first-hand the difficulties teachers were facing finding appropriate high-quality resources for their lessons, Claire created Classroom Secrets with the aim of helping reduce the workload for all school staff. Claire is a passionate believer in a LIFE/work balance for those who work in education citing the high percentage of teachers who leave or plan to leave their jobs each year. Since February 2019, Classroom Secrets has been running their LIFE/work balance campaign to highlight this concerning trend. The Teachers’ Podcast is a series of interviews where Claire meets with a wide range of guests involved in the field of education. These podcasts provide exciting discussions and different perspectives and thoughts on a variety of themes which are both engaging and informative for anyone involved in education.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.