Researching and Teaching Reading

Book excerpt: Many agree that engaging in research is what makes a teacher's professional development sustainable, and Researching and Teaching Reading studies the ways in which research and teaching are entwined both within and beyond the classroom. Gabrielle Cliff Hodges encourages readers to deepen their understanding of reading through high-quality teaching and research activities designed to engage young learners and generate rich research data, in the expectation that teachers will wish to adapt or develop them further within their own contexts. The author explores how teachers' research and critical reading can further develop their understanding of their students' reading practices and argues that innovative approaches to teaching integrated with research enable English teachers to re-construct ideas and change how reading is taught. Key issues considered in this book include: Studying reading in terms of extending young people's ability to interpret and enjoy texts; The idea of reading as a social practice; The concept of culture in relation to reading; Why historical and spatial theoretical perspectives matter when researching and teaching reading. This book is a valuable resource for any student teachers or practising English teachers wishing to learn more about the connection between researching and teaching reading, how to combine them in the classroom and the positive effect bringing the two together can have on their own professional development.