Forensic reading is a whole-school approach which involves putting language, critical ideas and imagery under the microscope to arrive at a deeper understanding of it and of the world in which we live.
Staff in the GORSE Academies Trust have collaborated to develop a unique set of reading materials – fiction, non-fiction, poetry, journalism and multi-media – in the form of six strands with the prerequisites that these materials are of the highest quality as well as being intellectually challenging.
The six strands are:
- Women, Suffrage and Misogyny
- The Spirit of life
- The Fragile Earth
- Journeys and Futures
- Secrets and Lies
- Power and Conflict
The aims of Forensic Reading are:
- To develop our students’ ability to think critically, to recognise sub-text and authorial intent.
- To provide our students with the benefits that are synonymous with reading widely: general knowledge; a better understanding of other cultures; a greater insight into human nature and decision-making, as well as exposure to the nuances and delights of language.
- To give our students the opportunity to explore challenging topics that broaden their understanding and awareness of the wider world.
Here at the Stephen Longfellow Academy years 7 to 9 cover all 6 strands of Forensic Reading whilst year 10 focus on 3. All lesson resources are heavily adapted to ensure students can access both the ‘big ideas’ and the close textual analysis which is at the heart of Forensic Reading. As a holistic approach we believe this will boost literacy as well as students’ cultural capital, opening up healthy debate and tackling misconceptions.
