Identity, Social Class and Learning in the ‘Bottom’ Reading Group

Jess Anderson is a post-doctoral fellow in the Faculty of Social Sciences at the University of Stirling. A primary teacher and teacher educator for many years, she brings a practitioner lens as well as theoretical and research perspectives to issues of social equity and inequity in primary school literacies.

• 1. Ability-Grouped Reading2. Socio-Political and Emotional Landscapes of Ability-Grouped Reading3. A Feeling for Reading4. Social Positioning in Hierarchical Reading Groups5. How Class Matters in Classroom Reading Hierarchies 6. Print Reading Difficulties and Ability-Grouped Reading7. Disrupting School-Based Literacy Hierarchies8. Conclusions

Identity, Social Class and Learning in the ‘Bottom’ Reading Group is an eloquent and beautifully written account of the negative impact of ability grouping. It brings to life the voices of a largely unheard group, revealing the damage inflicted on children, as well as providing practical, research-informed ways of making teaching and learning fairer. Prof. Diane Reay, University of Cambridge, UKA fascinating and important book about disrupting reading hierarchies. Through it, Jess Anderson details children’s perspectives on being in the ‘bottom reading group’, considers how ability-grouped reading reproduces social inequalities, and offers layered evidence that mixed ability grouping affords more scope and hope for young readers. A valuable read for all educators.Prof. Teresa Cremin, The Open University, UK