About us
At the University of Reading, four research themes unite diverse disciplines to tackle global challenges: Agriculture, Food & Health, Environment, Heritage & Creativity and Prosperity & Resilience.
Research is conducted at the Institute of Education within the Education, Language and Learning (ELL) Research Division, Along with around 10 other Research Divisions it is part of the Prosperity & Resilience Research Theme.
Some of the key questions addressed by this research theme include: What are the institutions and practices that help people and society to prosper? How do they help us build resilience against economic, social, political or environmental shocks?
All research projects conducted at the Institute of Education are part of the Education, Language and Learning (ELL) Research Division, which is currently divided into three Research Clusters as outlined below.
The Research Clusters have been identified as areas of strategic importance for the future and both all are concerned with fundamental questions relating to how prosperity and resilience can be achieved through education.
Language and Literacy
Work in this cluster investigates the development of typical and atypical language and literacy during first, second and subsequent language acquisition. Unique features include our research on foreign and second language education, pedagogy for learners with English as an additional language and other multilingual learners, reading, writing and vocabulary development, and eye movements during reading. Many researchers in the language and literacy area are members of the Centre for Literacy and Multilingualism (CeLM), with which they collaborate closely.
For more information about this cluster, please click here.
Social Justice in Education
In this cluster, we largely focus on educational equality, inclusion and social justice, encompassing health, social mobility, and the role of class, ethnicity, and gender in educational experiences and outcomes. We work with national and international organisations that promote opportunity and justice for those with restricted access to education. Our work encompasses understanding the experiences of students from underrepresented groups, including those from the LGBTQ+ community, Black and racially minoritised students and students from areas of high deprivation. Interests range from early years to the lifelong learning of adults. Individual subject areas, such as Mathematics, English, History and Science are also researched by several members of the group, with success in these subjects making important contributions to improved life chances.
For more information about this research cluster, please click here.
Curriculum and Pedagogy
This cluster is concerned with teaching and learning and their interaction, alongside curriculum design and implementation. It also considers the relationships between policy and practice, teacher learner, cognition and motivation. As well as investigating these issues from the perspective of subject pedagogy (for example, Language and Literacy, Mathematics, English, History, Music, Computing, Art and Science), it explores wider issues of teaching and learning, including the impact of new technologies. We also explore teacher cognition, leadership in schools and Higher Education, the impact of pedagogy and practice on educational outcomes and the role of AI in teaching and learning.
For more information about this research cluster, please click here.
