In my previous article, Levelling the Playing Field: Whole-School Strategies for Reading Success, I explored how literacy is not just an English issue. Reading affects every classroom, from science to history to maths. It looked at the big picture: whole-school approaches, equity, and strategies to support students. This new piece picks up that thread but this time the focus is on teachers themselves.
The EEF guidance on Improving Literacy in Secondary Schools, Recommendation 3, is clear: training focused on teaching reading is likely to help secondary school teachers teach their subject more effectively. In other words, when we equip teachers with the knowledge and strategies to support students’ reading in their own subject, it doesn’t just improve literacy, it improves subject teaching.
This is where professional development can be transformative. Literacy is not an “add-on” or someone else’s job. Every teacher can make reading more accessible, and targeted training gives them the confidence and practical tools to do it.
Why teacher training matters Secondary teachers are experts in their subjects but many report that teaching reading feels outside their comfort zone. Students struggle with complex texts not because they cannot decode words, but because they lack strategies for comprehension, handling subject-specific vocabulary, and navigating dense structures.
The EEF highlights that focused training can bridge this gap. When teachers understand the demands of the texts in their subject and learn how to model reading strategies, scaffold comprehension, and teach vocabulary intentionally, their students benefit, but teachers do too. They become more confident, purposeful, and effective in their planning and teaching.
This approach also aligns with the themes from Levelling the Playing Field. That article emphasised that literacy is a shared responsibility across the curriculum however it only works if teachers themselves feel equipped to lead it. Training is the bridge between recognising the problem and being able to act on it.
EEF Improving Literacy in Secondary Schools Rec. 3. RAG Self-Assessment
What training can look like in practice For heads of faculty and PD leads, the question is often practical: what does training focused on reading look like in a real secondary school context?
Here are some examples drawn from schools that have tried this approach successfully:
1. Understanding the reading demands of your subject Every subject has its own literacy fingerprint. Science texts might combine diagrams, technical terms, and explanations. History sources present multiple perspectives in dense prose. Maths problems require navigating symbolic and textual language. Even modern foreign language lessons involve authentic cultural texts.
Training can start with teachers reflecting on the texts their students find most challenging. In workshops, departments can map the literacy demands of their curriculum and discuss what strategies might help. This kind of reflection builds awareness and confidence.
2. Modelling and practising strategies Teachers benefit most when training is active. For example, in one history department, teachers practised reading a historical letter aloud using the SOR framework (Source, Origin, Reliability) thinking through questions such as who wrote this, why, and what might be missing. By modelling the reading process themselves, teachers can later make these strategies visible to their students.
PD sessions that include demonstration, practice, and feedback allow teachers to leave with concrete techniques rather than abstract ideas.
3. Embedding scaffolds Even small scaffolds can make a big difference. Teachers trained to use text annotation frames, guided questions, or reading ladders can help students access challenging texts without lowering expectations. Science teachers, for example, might preview vocabulary, highlight cause-effect relationships and show students how to track key ideas in a complex article.
These scaffolds work best when teachers have seen them modelled and had time to practise during training sessions.
4. Teaching vocabulary intentionally Subject-specific vocabulary is often the biggest barrier to comprehension. Training that teaches teachers how to introduce terms provide repeated exposure and embed them in meaningful activities ensures that students encounter and retain these words.
In a maths department, teachers learned to introduce terms such as function, variable and domain through worked examples, student discussion, and mini quizzes. The result is that teachers feel confident to address vocabulary proactively rather than leaving it to chance.
5. Linking to professional practice Finally, training works best when it connects directly to teachers’ daily practice. Heads of faculty and PD leads can encourage departments to reflect on their own schemes of work and plan where literacy strategies fit naturally. This approach positions reading not as an extra task, but as something that enhances subject teaching.
Key takeaways for PD leads and heads of faculty
• Training is transformative for teachers: Equipping teachers with reading strategies improves their confidence and effectiveness in their subject. • Instructional coherence matters. Consistent approaches to vocabulary, text engagement and strategy use across subjects help students transfer skills. • Research can guide practice. EEF’s evidence on Improving Secondary Literacy, alongside broader evidence on reading comprehension and vocabulary, provides a solid foundation for training design. • Practical, subject-specific approaches work best: Reflection, modelling, practice, and feedback in workshops make training tangible. • Collaborative learning strengthens consistency: Departments that plan and discuss reading strategies together build a shared approach. • Scaffolds and vocabulary instruction are essential: Teachers trained to scaffold texts and teach key terms help students access complex material. • Training should connect directly to teaching: Literacy strategies are most effective when embedded in subject schemes of work and assessments.
Investing in teacher training in reading is not just about literacy. It is about enabling teachers to teach their subject more effectively and giving students access to the curriculum on equal terms. For those who want to explore this further, revisiting Levelling the Playing Field Whole-School Strategies for Reading Success can provide context and inspiration for a school-wide approach that complements focused training.
When teachers feel confident in their ability to teach reading the impact ripples across classrooms, subjects, and ultimately, student outcomes. Training is the key to turning recognition of the challenge into practical, sustainable action.
