Conclusion
Figure 4 : Levels of integration of academic literacy instruction into the curriculum ( Wingate , 2016 ).
However , making space in the curriculum to embed skills is often raised as a barrier by subject discipline staff who feel that they have to sacrifice some subject content . This was raised on the Padlet board , but it was suggested that the reading activity would be within the discipline content , so curriculum-linked or curriculum-integrated according to Wingate ’ s model . This solution should generate increased motivation ; an improvement in students ’ academic literacy ; and is a sustainable approach .
Make reading ' visible '
Reading is usually a private , silent , and hidden activity . Baker et al . ( 2019 ) labelled it as ‘ invisible ’ as a social practice . To counter this , the use of collaborative reading techniques was advocated on the Padlet board , extending learning beyond an embedded session with collaborative , online documents and tools . Techniques such as academic reading circles ( Seburn , 2015 ); jigsaw reading ( British Council ) and textmapping ( Middlebrook , 1994 ) promote reading as a social practice , bringing it out of the dark and enabling students to co-construct ‘ theory knowledgeability ’ ( Cowley-Hasleden , 2020 ) instead of struggling with it individually .
Working on reading activities together could still be alienating to many students , however , by evoking bad memories of negative ‘ public ’ reading experiences at previous levels of their education . Kimberley and Thursby ’ s study of the impact of affect on students ’ reading practice clearly illustrates this discomfort ( 2020 ). Despite this , they suggest that it is important to work with students ’ emotions , rather than ignore them ; to address the discomfort , in order to normalise reading practice - both individually and collaboratively . The Padlet suggestions also included the setting up of book clubs ; giving out free books to entice students to read ; and making assistive software more accessible . In the coming academic year , I will be hosting my staff reading group in a public space , using collaborative techniques , with the aim of provoking curiosity in passers-by and making collaborative reading a visible , normal and social practice .
Conclusion
BWR22 provided an invaluable moment of reflective practice for the presenters to
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