iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Reposted by Dr Katharine Barden

The School Library Association @sla.org.uk · 23/02/2026

Today saw publication of the Government's Education #WhitePaper. We've shared a full response on our website, including our thoughts on the new statutory Year 8 reading assessment: bit.ly/4tQk4aj Bookmark our live blog to stay up to date with important announcements 🗞️ #SchoolLibraries #EduSkyUK

053

Dr Katharine Barden @katharinebarden.bsky.social · 06/02/2026

Excellent summary of where the expertise of academic researchers vs classroom-based practitioners lies, and why it can be hard to bring together.

062

Reposted by Dr Katharine Barden

Barbara Bleiman @barbarableiman.bsky.social · 20/01/2026

PHENOMENAL response to this from English teachers so far! We'd love to have even more, so keep those responses coming. We'll be able to offer a really good picture of what's happening & what English teachers feel about the teaching of poetry in secondary schools.

133

Dr Katharine Barden @katharinebarden.bsky.social · 20/01/2026

My top 20 book recommendations for literacy interventionists #NationalYearOfReading: Day 20: This was one of my favourite reads of 2025! It takes pleasure in the complexities of English spelling rather than despairing of them. A great read for teachers of spelling! tinyurl.com/9vkw3d3h

tinyurl.com

Why Q Needs U — The Literacy Hub

Dr Katharine Barden from The Literacy Hub reviews Why Q Needs U by Danny Bate

000

Dr Katharine Barden @katharinebarden.bsky.social · 19/01/2026

My top 20 book recommendations for literacy interventionists #NationalYearOfReading Day 19: Teaching high frequency words can be difficult because so many of them have unusual spellings. Today’s book uses the etymology of these words to help pupils to read and spell them. tinyurl.com/3hsh72hn

tinyurl.com

The High Frequency Word Project — The Literacy Hub

Dr Katharine Barden from The Literacy Hub reviews The High Frequency Word Project

030

Dr Katharine Barden @katharinebarden.bsky.social · 18/01/2026

Thoughtful article on the use of sarcasm in the classroom 👇

010

Dr Katharine Barden @katharinebarden.bsky.social · 18/01/2026

My top 20 book recommendations for literacy interventionists #NationalYearOfReading: Day 18: Thought-provoking and thorough discussion of the implications of diagnosing dyslexia, not just for the individuals who receive a diagnosis, but for the education system as a whole. tinyurl.com/yvhhyk9n

tinyurl.com

The Dyslexia Debate Revisited — The Literacy Hub

Dr Katharine Barden reviews 'The Dyslexia Debate Revisited' by Julian G. Elliott and Elena L. Grigorenko

000

Dr Katharine Barden @katharinebarden.bsky.social · 17/01/2026

My top 20 book recommendations for literacy interventionists #NationalYearOfReading: Day 17: Written specifically for educators, Unlocking Literacy is particularly strong on the way the etymology and morphology can feed into teaching. tinyurl.com/55v3xbej

tinyurl.com

Unlocking Literacy — The Literacy Hub

Dr Katharine Barden from The Literacy Hub reviews 'Unlocking Literacy' by Marcia Henry

010

Reposted by Dr Katharine Barden

Simon Smith @smithsmm.bsky.social · 13/12/2025

Here are almost 40 of my favourite #MiddleGrade reads for 2025. A fantastic range from wild fantasy, to gritty realism, historical adventures and more than a few scares. What a brilliant year its been for children’s books

24122

Dr Katharine Barden @katharinebarden.bsky.social · 16/01/2026

My top 20 book recommendations for literacy interventionists #NationalYearOfReading: Day 16: This is great for understanding the processes underlying reading. Not necessarily an easy read, but well worth the effort. Wait for the upcoming second edition before buying though! tinyurl.com/2nje2bkd

tinyurl.com

Language at the Speed of Sight — The Literacy Hub

Dr Katharine Barden from The Literacy Hub reviews Language at the Speed of Sight by Mark Seidenberg

000

Dr Katharine Barden @katharinebarden.bsky.social · 15/01/2026

My top 20 book recommendations for literacy interventionists #NationalYearOfReading: Day 15: I’ve chosen this book by Valerie Muter because of its particular focus on literacy difficulties in the context of co-occurring diagnoses such as ADHD, DLD and dyscalculia. tinyurl.com/y85hbrs5

tinyurl.com

Understanding and Supporting Children with Literacy Difficulties — The Literacy Hub

Dr Katharine Barden reviews 'Understanding and Supporting Children with Literacy Difficulties' by Dr Valerie Muter

020

Dr Katharine Barden @katharinebarden.bsky.social · 14/01/2026

In case you missed it, the Today programme on Radio 4 had a lovely interview about the transformative power of learning to read as an adult yesterday (see 1 hr 33 mins at this link www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/... ). Uplifting to listen to on a dark winter morning!

bbc.co.uk

Today - 13/01/2026 - BBC Sounds

News and current affairs, including Sports Desk, Weather and Thought for the Day.

000

Dr Katharine Barden @katharinebarden.bsky.social · 14/01/2026

My top 20 book recommendations for literacy interventionists #NationalYearOfReading: Day 14: Lyn Stone’s book is great for helping literacy teachers to understand the main concepts in English spelling, and includes plenty of examples of engaging ways to teach them. tinyurl.com/2r5uuxck

tinyurl.com

Spelling for Life — The Literacy Hub

Dr Katharine Barden from The Literacy Hub reviews 'Spelling for Life' by Lyn Stone

020

Dr Katharine Barden @katharinebarden.bsky.social · 13/01/2026

My top 20 book recommendations for literacy interventionists #NationalYearOfReading: Day 13: Etymology can explain a lot about English spelling, so understanding the basic history of the English language is really helpful for interventionists. This is a great introduction! tinyurl.com/mmnpxejh

tinyurl.com

Spell It Out — The Literacy Hub

Dr Katharine Barden from The Literacy Hub reviews 'Spell It Out' by David Crystal

030

Dr Katharine Barden @katharinebarden.bsky.social · 12/01/2026

My top 20 book recommendations for literacy interventionists #NationalYearOfReading: Day 12: Thinking Reading by @jamespmurphy.bsky.social and @diannemurphy.bsky.social is a powerful reminder that teenagers *can* learn to read if given the right support. tinyurl.com/mujyr8d6

tinyurl.com

Thinking Reading — The Literacy Hub

Dr Katharine Barden from The Literacy Hub reviews 'Thinking Reading' by James and Dianne Murphy

152

Dr Katharine Barden @katharinebarden.bsky.social · 11/01/2026

My top 20 book recommendations for literacy interventionists #NationalYearOfReading Day 11: I learned a lot from @drsarahmo.bsky.social‘s book! It’s important not to neglect teaching reading to children with complex learning needs, despite a relative lack of research. tinyurl.com/3xwky82c

tinyurl.com

Teaching Reading To All Learners Including Those With Complex Needs — The Literacy Hub

Dr Katharine Barden from The Literacy Hub reviews 'Teaching Reading To All Learners Including Those With Complex Needs' by Dr Sarah Moseley

020

Reposted by Dr Katharine Barden

School Reading List @schoolreadinglist.bsky.social · 11/01/2026

A list of annual children's & YA book festivals and events for schools, teachers and parents to look out for. schoolreadinglist.co.uk/competitions... #kidlit #ukedchat

schoolreadinglist.co.uk

Children's Book Festivals and Events

Children's book festivals - our calendar of events running annually in the UK which schools and individuals can take part in.

0178

Dr Katharine Barden @katharinebarden.bsky.social · 10/01/2026

My top 20 book recommendations for literacy interventionists #NationalYearOfReading Day 10: A really solid textbook that covers the main aspects of reading development, includes evidence-based suggestions for teaching practice, and maintains a friendly tone throughout! tinyurl.com/dktddp3r

tinyurl.com

Reading Development and Teaching — The Literacy Hub

Dr Katharine Barden reviews 'Reading Development and Teaching' by Morag Stuart and Rhona Stainthorp

030

Dr Katharine Barden @katharinebarden.bsky.social · 09/01/2026

My top 20 book recommendations for literacy interventionists #NationalYearOfReading Day 9: Well-known for a good reason – this is the best book about vocabulary teaching that I’ve come across, and it’s packed with practical examples. tinyurl.com/mryur4yw

tinyurl.com

Bringing Words to Life — The Literacy Hub

Dr Katharine Barden from The Literacy Hub reviews 'Bringing Words to Life' by Isabel Beck, Margaret McKeown and Linda Kucan

000

Dr Katharine Barden @katharinebarden.bsky.social · 08/01/2026

My top 20 book recommendations for literacy interventionists #NationalYearOfReading Day 8: There are a lot of books out there about cognitive science and its application to teaching. This, by Finola Wilson of @impactwales.bsky.social, is one of the best! tinyurl.com/zmruw72h

tinyurl.com

The Illustrated Guide to Pedagogy — The Literacy Hub

Dr Katharine Barden from The Literacy Hub reviews The Illustrated Guide to Pedagogy by Finola Wilson

010

Dr Katharine Barden @katharinebarden.bsky.social · 07/01/2026

My top 20 book recommendations for literacy interventionists #NationalYearOfReading Day 7: This is a fantastic book by Misty Adoniou. It’s a short, informative, practical, no-nonsense introduction to how to teach spelling, suitable for parents and educators. tinyurl.com/2x4hefsj

tinyurl.com

Spelling It Out — The Literacy Hub

Dr Katharine Barden from The Literacy Hub reviews the book 'Spelling It Out' by Misty Adoniou

020

Dr Katharine Barden @katharinebarden.bsky.social · 06/01/2026

My top 20 book recommendations for literacy interventionists #NationalYearOfReading Day 6: The Reading Mind by Daniel Willingham explores decoding and comprehension, and then examines the wider context of what makes a successful reader. tinyurl.com/yr3cnpnx

tinyurl.com

The Reading Mind — The Literacy Hub

Dr Katharine Barden from The Literacy Hub reviews 'The Reading Mind' by Daniel Willingham

010

Dr Katharine Barden @katharinebarden.bsky.social · 05/01/2026

My top 20 book recommendations for literacy interventionists #NationalYearOfReading: Day 5: Focusing on comprehension today. This is a great textbook for explaining how much is involved in the process of understanding a text! tinyurl.com/6n2a7exs

tinyurl.com

Understanding and Teaching Reading Comprehension — The Literacy Hub

Dr Katharine Barden reviews 'Understanding and Teaching Reading Comprehension' by Jane Oakhill, Kate Cain and Carsten Elbro

010

Dr Katharine Barden @katharinebarden.bsky.social · 04/01/2026

My top 20 book recommendations for literacy interventionists #NationalYearOfReading Day 4: This short book packs in a huge amount of information about the nature and causes of dyslexia! tinyurl.com/393vxt3r

tinyurl.com

Dyslexia – A Very Short Introduction — The Literacy Hub

Dr Katharine Barden from The Literacy Hub reviews the book 'Dyslexia - A Very Short Introduction' by Professor Maggie Snowling

000

Dr Katharine Barden @katharinebarden.bsky.social · 03/01/2026

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

tinyurl.com

The Art and Science of Teaching Primary Reading — The Literacy Hub

Dr Katharine Barden from The Literacy Hub reviews 'The Art and Science of Teaching Primary Reading' by Christopher Such

121

Dr Katharine Barden @katharinebarden.bsky.social · 02/01/2026

My top 20 book recommendations for literacy interventionists #NationalYearOfReading Day 2: My favourite book about how words work! If you’ve ever struggled to explain why a word is spelled in a certain way, read this! Great for those curious about Structured Word Inquiry. tinyurl.com/3cpxzpj8

tinyurl.com

Beneath the Surface of Words — The Literacy Hub

Dr Katharine Barden from The Literacy Hub reviews 'Beneath the Surface of Words' by Sue Scibetta Hegland

010

Dr Katharine Barden @katharinebarden.bsky.social · 01/01/2026

My top 20 book recommendations for literacy interventionists #NationalYearOfReading Day 1: A practical introduction to the needs of dyslexic students by @louiseselby.bsky.social A great book to recommend to colleagues who don’t have a background in literacy teaching! tinyurl.com/3asx4ehc

tinyurl.com

All About Dyslexia — The Literacy Hub

Dr Katharine Barden from The Literacy Hub reviews 'All About Dyslexia' by Louise Selby

031

Reposted by Dr Katharine Barden

Writing for Wellbeing @writeforwellbeing.bsky.social · 10/12/2025

Great ideas for increasing reading ability

111

Dr Katharine Barden @katharinebarden.bsky.social · 06/12/2025

Great suggestions from @alexjquigley.bsky.social. To his list, I’d add a spelling test - definitely an underrated tool! Easy to administer to a whole class, and it gives information about phonological awareness issues, grapheme-phoneme correspondences, spelling rules, word structure and more...

010

Dr Katharine Barden @katharinebarden.bsky.social · 06/11/2025

A frank and, in places, eye-opening discussion with Elizabeth Nonweiler about her experiences on the Welsh Government's Expert Literacy Panel.

110

Reposted by Dr Katharine Barden

Rhys Williams @rhyswilliamsnews.bsky.social · 27/10/2025

Exclusive: A member of the Welsh Government’s expert literacy panel has resigned, warning the new £8.2m national programme to improve reading is “flawed” and “not fit for purpose”. Full story below 🧵 1/

287

Dr Katharine Barden @katharinebarden.bsky.social · 24/10/2025

Great news! With so much focus on phonics, I think we sometimes forget the amount of reading it takes to develop fluency. Anything that will get publicity for the fantastic books out there for upper primary is a big win! www.theguardian.com/books/2025/o...

theguardian.com

Booker prize launches £50,000 children’s award

Children will help judge the new prize along with children’s laureate Frank Cottrell-Boyce

062

Dr Katharine Barden @katharinebarden.bsky.social · 22/10/2025

Recommended listening for anyone (like me!) who is teaching reading in Wales.

051

Reposted by Dr Katharine Barden

Writing for Wellbeing @writeforwellbeing.bsky.social · 06/10/2025

Please share! Free place in Let your Words Flow Online workshop for Sat 18 Oct 10am-12pm (UK time). A regular participant has generously sponsored a place for anyone needing the assistance of a free place. Message me here on Bluesky if interested. www.writingforwellbeing.co.uk/therapy-and-...

031

Reposted by Dr Katharine Barden

Jon Biddle @jonnybid.bsky.social · 20/07/2025

This short paper about the decline in volitional reading is definitely worth ten minutes of your time. "In an ecosystem which supports volitional reading, young people flourish and encourage each other as readers and learners." @teresacremin.bsky.social shorturl.at/PquEf

02413

Dr Katharine Barden @katharinebarden.bsky.social · 18/07/2025

Interesting article suggesting that making "high-low" books more mainstream might help children make the transition to reading longer books. In our school library, we certainly have pupils who are 'stuck' on Dog Man! It's inspired me to try promoting our high-low books more next year...

160

Reposted by Dr Katharine Barden

Christopher Such @suchmo83.bsky.social · 17/02/2025

It's half term, which means I have a copy of Primary Reading Simplified to give away. Simply *repost* this post for your chance to win. I will choose a winner at random this Saturday (22nd February).

364135

Reposted by Dr Katharine Barden

Tom Gauld @tomgauld.bsky.social · 21/12/2024

How to gift wrap a book… my cartoon for this week’s @theguardian.com books.

Title: How to gift wrap a book

A book, scissors, sellotape and giftwrap on a table. The book has a friendly face and says "1. Roll out your chosen paper and put the book on it."

The book continues, saying "2. Take a moment to consider the book as an object." and "3. Ask yourself "Will the intended recipient fully appreciate this book and accord it the respect that it truly deserves?"

"4. Correct. They will not. Put the book on your shelf and replace it with a different gift."
Socks, chocolate, whatever.
Repeat steps 1-4 for any other books

332005478

Reposted by Dr Katharine Barden

Geoff Barton @realgeoffbarton.bsky.social · 07/12/2024

Love this (from the Literary Review):

Wally, in distinctive striped sweater and hat, making small talk at a party

817725

Reposted by Dr Katharine Barden

Rhys Williams @rhyswilliamsnews.bsky.social · 04/12/2024

The Welsh Government has published details of its Literacy Expert Panel. This panel has been tasked with reviewing the development of steps being taken to improve literacy in Wales. Updated guidance is expected to be given to schools in the New Year. www.gov.wales/literacy-exp...

gov.wales

Literacy Expert Panel [HTML] | GOV.WALES

The panel will review and inform the work to improve literacy standards in Wales.

023

Reposted by Dr Katharine Barden

Prof Christina Pagel @chrischirp.bsky.social · 28/11/2024

Thread on need to fight for evidence-based policy - a response to Trump's cabinet picks. Based on new @bmj.com article by me, @martinmckee.bsky.social & @kentbuse.bsky.social TLDR: Now is the time to stand up for science, not appease those in power attacking it www.bmj.com/content/387/... 1/14

17616276

Dr Katharine Barden @katharinebarden.bsky.social · 30/11/2024

Inspired by @mmelockhart.bsky.social #SOR #PodcastPairing here are three of my recommended podcast pairings from the last month... If you can't explain English spelling through phonics, morphology or orthography, etymology probably has the answer!

150

Dr Katharine Barden @katharinebarden.bsky.social · 16/11/2024

Catching up on a few literacy podcasts this week... Highly recommend @suchmo83.bsky.social on Progressively Incorrect with @mrzachg.bsky.social - clear and very practical, especially on teaching reading fluency.

4185

Dr Katharine Barden @katharinebarden.bsky.social · 16/11/2024

First post on Bluesky! Quick intro. I'm a former researcher in Linguistics/Psychology at Cambridge and Bristol, now developing and delivering evidence-based reading/spelling interventions at a Welsh secondary school. Especially interested in practical implementation of education research.

260