My top 20 book recommendations for literacy interventionists #NationalYearOfReading Day 3: My top recommendation for an overview of the science of reading! @suchmo83.bsky.social explains the research clearly, with a view to how teachers can apply it in the classroom. tinyurl.com/z7nf7t9h

I personally hope that people continue to buy The Art and Science of Primary Reading not only because it raises money for a great cause but also because the two Christopher Such books on reading are complementary and both are great. open.substack.com/pub/markgood...

This year's royalties for The Art and Science of Teaching Primary Reading have arrived (£5477.65). As promised, this money has been donated to Malaria Consortium. This brings the running total donated (with Gift Aid) to about £57,000 in four years. >>

Following a few requests from teachers and school leaders, I've made a short video on the key ideas that I think teachers (and parents/carers) need to know about reading development, based on my reading concept map. youtu.be/JvtUxB5WM1k?...

Everyone working in primary schools wants to raise standards in reading. For me, the best starting point is Primary Reading Simplified by @suchmo83.bsky.social. It's superb and covers everything, with phonics, fluency, comprehension and RfP all being explored.

A huge thanks to author and reading expert @suchmo83.bsky.social who led an inspiring virtual session on Wednesday afternoon 💻 📖 Chris explored what should follow phonics in the reading curriculum, sharing evidence-informed strategies to support effective and engaging reading lessons 🎓 More👇

As with almost every article written about reading in the past few years, this one has inspired a few suggestions that the focus on phonics has caused problems. I'd like to explain why I disagree. >>

Visited a great special school today, and it was a valuable use of my time. One thing that struck me, however, was that there are about 20 children in our school who would not be out of place in that setting. Many of our children are, in fact, in greater need.

One of the things that continually irked me about the old Ofsted inspection framework, and is true in the new one too is an implied prioritisation of breadth of curriculum over literacy. In this one breadth of curriculum is the bullet point 1 and children being able to read is partway through 3.

@suchmo83.bsky.social Look what I spotted in the library at University of Central Florida!

The idea that reading comprehension is a set of generic “find the main idea” skills has been so damaging. Excellent stuff from @suchmo83.bsky.social

Thank you @suchmo83.bsky.social let the reading commence!

Revisiting this, so helpful from @suchmo83.bsky.social Primary Reading Simplified: A Practical Guide to Classroom Teaching and Whole-School Implementation amzn.eu/d/c5lY8yG #Amazon

And the winner is... [email protected] 🎉 Drop me a direct message, and I will organise delivery of your book. Thank you to everyone who reposted.

Last chance to repost for a chance to win Primary Reading Simplified. I'll choose a winner at random later this afternoon. ⬇️

While my daughter rides up and down on her bike, I’m really enjoying this chapter all about lesson structures from Primary Reading Simplified @suchmo83.bsky.social

We've already won a copy of this from @suchmo83.bsky.social and it's a great read. So much so we're using it as part of our CPD for one of our SDP priorities from September. Give his post a repost so that you're in for a chance of winning a copy!

It's the summer holidays, which means I have a copy of Primary Reading Simplified to give away. Simply **repost** this post for your chance to win. I will pick a winner on Sunday 17th August. Good luck!

🧠 A great blog from @suchmo83.bsky.social — a timely read for us as we reflect on how to build reading fluency across school. One of our SDP priorities this year is called ‘Words, Words, Words’, and we’re using Christopher’s book to guide our CPD and approach to reading.

This is a really good explanation of a major reason why not all pupils achieve reading fluency, and gives some tools for improving that situation. Parents could take note as well as schools

Plot spoiler: it’s not reading enough. Read the blog for what to do about it and also there is a code for a discount on Primary Reading Simplified which you definitely need if you are a primary school teacher.

Christopher Such nails the fluency problem - but living it is harder than knowing it. Fluency needs time, texts, training, and trust. In schools stretched thin, that’s a big ask. The challenge isn’t belief. It’s building habits that survive the noise. 👇👇👇

Yes! This 👇👀👇Children need to read a lot, every day, in school, if they are to become fluent readers. Hurrah!

Always love a post from Chris, but this one in particular is very important for all teachers (because we are ALL teachers of reading). Thanks for sharing, Chris! 📖

Excellent post, written with great clarity, on one of the most fundamental issues to solve in education.

Essential reading

**New blog** - It's been a while so reposts hugely appreciated. primarycolour.home.blog/2025/08/01/t...

These four books are absolutely essential. I can't stress enough how important these have been to fundamentally shifting who I am as a teacher and a leader... Thank you to @marymyatt.bsky.social @suchmo83.bsky.social #MichaelChiles & @pepsmccrea.bsky.social for investing such time into these.

I've had a few messages recently asking me what common issues I see with the teaching of reading and what professional development I offer. I'm always happy to answer questions, but the blog below - including testimonials from schools - is the easiest way to find out more. ⬇️

I've had a few messages recently asking me what common issues I see with the teaching of reading and what professional development I offer. I'm always happy to answer questions, but the blog below - including testimonials from schools - is the easiest way to find out more. ⬇️

Can anyone direct me towards some reading I can do around the scaffolding of tasks, when to remove the scaffold (if ever)? I thought we wanted to scaffold with a view to working towards independence? Thoughts? @suchmo83.bsky.social @mrzachg.bsky.social

I appreciate that there are lots of reasons to dislike Amazon, but - sadly - the vast majority of book sales go through that website. So, if you read Primary Reading Simplified and thought it might be valuable to teachers, please consider taking 30 seconds to add a rating there.

If you've read Primary Reading Simplified and found it useful, it would mean a lot to me if you would consider taking 60 seconds to add a rating or review at the place where you bought it. It's a little thing that makes a huge difference. Reposts are also much appreciated.

Really grateful for RPs etc @mralmonded.bsky.social, @misssdoherty.bsky.social, @emmaturner75.bsky.social, @emmacate.bsky.social, @kieran-m-ed.bsky.social, @suchmo83.bsky.social

If you've read Primary Reading Simplified and found it useful, it would mean a lot to me if you would consider taking 60 seconds to add a rating or review at the place where you bought it. It's a little thing that makes a huge difference. Reposts are also much appreciated.

A rainy day is the perfect kind of day for getting into a new book @suchmo83.bsky.social Thanks for recommending @andrewpercivaled.bsky.social

If you want to follow Jon's advice and buy Primary Reading Simplified, you can currently get it direct from the publisher for £13.99 with free delivery using the discount code UK30BOOKS: uk.sagepub.com/en-gb/eur/pr...

Have just spent a couple of very enjoyable hours dipping into these for the umpteenth time. Every primary school teacher needs to read them, not just English leads! @suchmo83.bsky.social explains things with such clarity and purpose.

My review of @suchmo83.bsky.social's new(ish) book. It's great but is it greater than his first one? open.substack.com/pub/markgood...

If you are in the Cambridgeshire area and want to hear me talk about an evidence-informed approach to teaching reading post-phonics, then this Thursday's after-school session might be of interest. ⬇️ www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/evidence-b...

Here's the pitch: Almost every primary school I've encountered is worried about the effectiveness of their approach to teaching reading after phonics and whether it provides pupils with engaging reading experiences. My book offers a tried-and-tested alternative.

Excited to start reading this to help us with our SDP priority next year. @mrssdeputy.bsky.social won this from @suchmo83.bsky.social - thanks again!

In this week's episode of TDAPE, I answer questions on the use of test papers in teaching, disciplinary reading in primary and the implementation of reading lesson structures. ⬇️ podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/t...

Brilliant day of lesson visits and workshops with @suchmo83.bsky.social for our wonderful teachers today. Looking forward to more of the same next week! 📚✨

We’re currently reviewing our English curriculum (huuuge job!) and just wondering how much success people have had with phonic based spelling curriculums in KS2? @missiebee.bsky.social @suchmo83.bsky.social @rebuckedu.bsky.social Any advice greatly appreciated! #EduSky #EduSkyPrimary

We had some really inspiring guest speakers at our Trust conference today. Huge thanks to Iesha Small, Catherine Berwick, Marc White, @ensermark.bsky.social @suchmo83.bsky.social, Roary Pownall, Shaun Brown and Ruth Murad. #community #CAM30

In today’s paper: my column is on the campaign against exclusions and what I think it gets right (but more importantly, what I think it gets wrong):

Three years ago, I bought 18 copies of “The Art and Science of Teaching Primary Reading” for a school-wide Book Study. This year, I bought a copy of “Primary Reading Simplified” to support whole-school implementation. These two egg-cellent books keep giving all year long!🐰 @suchmo83.bsky.social