Reading in adolescence: What do we know and what can we do? Professor Jessie Ricketts

Despite a widespread assumption that children can read when they leave primary education, nearly 20% of adolescents are not able to read simple texts accurately and with understanding. Most research on reading has focused on children and adults, neglecting the intervening adolescent period. In this presentation, I will present research on reading development in adolescence, exploring its link to spoken vocabulary knowledge, socio-economic status and the period when students transition from primary to secondary school. I will also introduce research evaluating our novel approach for promoting the amount that adolescents read in secondary school. Finally, I will summarise work that I have conducted with secondary schools on the identification