Katharine Scott is a teacher trainer and educational materials developer with over 20 years’ experience writing English language textbooks. She’s co-author of the Pearson Primary course - English Code and is based in Spain. Katharine outlines a number of practical ways you can help English language learners develop key literacy skills.
Teachers at all stages of education often complain about their students’ reading skills. The students are literate. In other words, they can interpret the graphemes, or letters on the page, into words. But they struggle to identify the purpose of a text or to analyze it in a meaningful way. We could say that the students have poor literacy skills.
Literacy is a term used to describe an active, critical form of reading. Some of the skills of a critical reader include:
A crucial literacy skill involves discerning whether a text is factually true or not. A critical reader always checks new information against existing knowledge. As we read, we have an internal dialogue: Where does that information come from? That’s impossible because ….
This skill is essential for understanding many different types of texts from newspaper articles to scientific research.
All pieces of text have a main purpose. This may be entertainment, in the case of a story or persuasion, in the case of advertising. A critical reader will know how to identify the purpose of the text.
In the classroom, different types of text require different responses from the students. It’s important, as students grow older, that they know how to read and respond appropriately to a piece of written information.
This is an essential skill for summarizing information or following instructions. It is also important when we transform written information into something else, like a chart.
In many ways, literacy is the key skill that underpins learning at all stages. This may seem like an exaggeration, but consider the importance of the four skills outlined above.
Many teachers and parents of early learners instinctively develop literacy skills before the children can even read.
When we read a story out loud to a child, we often ask questions about the narrative as we turn the pages: What is going to happen next? How do you think …. feels? Why is …?
These questions set the foundations for literacy.
Too often, the comprehension questions that teachers ask about a text are mechanical. They ask the student to “lift” the information out of the text.
"Once upon a time, there was an island in the sea. One day, people were working in the fields. The sun was shining and there was one cloud in the sky. The cloud was a strange shape and moving towards the island. Soon the cloud was very big. Then a small boy looked up."
Taken from English Code, Unit 4, p. 62
Typical comprehension questions based on the text would be:
These questions do not really reflect on the meaning of the text and do not lead to a critical analysis. While these simple questions are a good checking mechanism, they don’t help develop literacy skills.
If we want to develop critical readers, we need to incorporate a critical analysis of reading texts into class work through a deep reading comprehension. We can organize the comprehension into three types.
Comprehension at “text level” is about exploring the meaning of individual words and phrases in a text. Examples for the text above could be:
Other text-level activities include:
Comprehension “between the lines” means speculating and making guesses with the information we already have from the text. This type of literacy activity often involves lots of questions and discussions with the students. You should encourage students to give good reasons for their opinions. An example for the text above could be:
Other “Between the lines” activities include:
Literacy activities are not only based on fiction. We need to help students be critical readers of all sorts of texts. The text below is factual and informative:
"Ice hockey players should be very good skaters. They always have good balance. They change direction very quickly and they shouldn't fall over. Players should also have fast reactions because the puck moves very quickly."
Taken from English Code, Level 4, p. 96
“Between the lines” activities for this text could be:
Comprehension “behind the lines” is about the information we, the readers, already have. Our previous knowledge, our age, our social background and many other aspects change the way we understand and interpret a text.
An example for the text above could be:
Sometimes a lack of socio-cultural knowledge can lead to misunderstanding. Look at the text below.
Is the relationship between Ms Turner and Jack Roberts formal or informal?
73 Highlands Road Oxbo, Wisconsin 54552
April 11th
Dear Ms. Tamer,
Some people want to destroy the forest and build an airport. This forest is a habitat for many wolves. If they destroy the forest, the wolves will leave the forest. If the wolves leave the forest, there will be more rabbits. This won't be good for our forest.
Please build the airport in a different place. Please don't destroy the forest.
Kind regards, Jack Robers
Taken from English code, Level 4, unit 5, Writing Lab
If your students are unaware of the convention of using Dear to start a letter in English, they may not answer this question correctly.
Other “Behind the lines” literacy activities include:
Examples:
From the activities above, it’s clear that a literacy scheme develops more than reading skills. As students speculate and give their opinions, they talk and listen to each other.
A literacy scheme can also develop writing skills. The text analysis gives students a model to follow in their writing. In addition, a literacy scheme works on higher-order thinking skills such as analysis, deduction and summary.
Developing literacy skills so that students become active, critical readers should be a key part of educational programs at all ages. Literacy activities based on a reading text can be especially useful for the foreign language class.
With literacy activities, we can encourage students:
More crucially, we are developing critical readers for the future.
English Code is a 7-level course for 7-12-year-olds, offering 5 hours or more of English study per week. Available in both American English and British English versions, it promotes hands-on creative learning, investigation, fun projects and experiments.
The course comes with twelve plays chosen from the Bug Club library to help boost literacy skills. They have been specifically chosen because of their reading level and topic area. In addition, all Bug Club plays provide support for differentiation within the classroom because each character is matched to reading ability. This allows teachers to allocate the parts according to their students' abilities. Further teaching support for the plays is also included.
If 2025 taught us anything, it’s that educators who lead with heart, ingenuity and resilience help students thrive. Your creativity drove the momentum. Your learners set the direction. Our role at Pearson was to support your journey with tools that save time, create impact and open more opportunities for your students.
Here’s your Educator Wrapped for 2025.
In international education, admissions are just the beginning. While securing a place at a university is a massive milestone for a student, measuring success continues for them from the moment they arrive on campus. Institutions know that academic performance, engagement and retention are shaped long before the first lecture begins, and one of those critical factors is English language proficiency.
Students who begin their studies with the right level of English are better equipped to participate fully in academic life. They understand course material, contribute to discussions and complete assignments with confidence. This foundation does not support individual achievement; it also strengthens the entire learning environment.
That is why reliable proficiency testing is more than an admissions tool. It is a strategic investment in student success.
Universities have long understood the connection between language readiness and academic outcomes. When students are placed correctly, they are more likely to thrive. Misplacement, on the other hand, can lead to frustration, disengagement and even dropout.
Reliable testing helps institutions avoid such pitfalls. It ensures that students are matched to the right level of study, reducing the need for remedial support and improving retention rates. For universities, this translates into stronger performance metrics and a cohesive student experience overall.
The Pearson English Express Test is designed to support this journey before day one. With fast, secure and trusted results, it gives both students and institutions the clarity they need to move forward with confidence.
It delivers certified scores within 48 hours, allowing universities to make timely decisions and students to begin their academic journey without delay. It is AI-powered scoring and alignment with CEFR and GSE frameworks ensures accuracy, while remote proctoring and identity verfication protect the integrity of the results.
This combination of speed, precision and security makes the Pearson English Express Test more than just a test but a strategic tool for long-term success
For universities, adopting the Pearson English Express Test is not just about streamlining admissions; it is about strengthening the entire student lifecycle. By ensuring that potential students are linguistically prepared, institutions can reduce academic risk, improve retention and enhance their reputation for supporting international learners.
The Pearson English Express Test helps universities to demonstrate a commitment to quality and care. It shows that they are not just admitting students, they are setting them up for success.
In a competitive global education market, institutions need solutions that go beyond the basics. The Pearson English Express Test offers a smarter, more strategically driven approach to language assessment. One that not only supports them getting into university, but also from application to graduation.
By choosing the Pearson English Express Test, universities are investing in outcomes that matter: academic success, student satisfaction and long-term institutional positive impact.
Across classrooms, holidays show up as stories, songs, recipes, colors and customs. For English educators, they also offer language tasks that build communication, intercultural understanding and community. The key is to celebrate in a way that’s inclusive, academically rich, and respectful of diverse beliefs and backgrounds. Here are some activities you can do this festive season with minimal fluff and maximum impact, each tied to clear language objectives.
