- Lit in Colour Pioneers pilot has increased the number of students choosing to answer an exam question on writers of colour in English Literature from 50 to just under 5000 with exam board Pearson Edexcel – a 100-fold increase since 2019.
- 10% of all students taking Pearson Edexcel GCSE English Literature now answer a question on a text by an author of colour.
- Teachers and students refer to the ‘life changing’ impact on engagement with the introduction of Boys Don’t Cry by Malorie Blackman and other texts by writers of colour, alongside greater levels of empathy and understanding.
- Entries are now open to schools and colleges to participate in the next year of this transformative initiative.
LONDON - 12 September 2024 - A first-of-its-kind study commissioned by Pearson (FTSE: PSON.L) and Penguin Books reveals that teaching texts by writers of colour can have a positive impact on students.
The research titled The effect of studying a text by an author of colour: the Lit in Colour Pioneers Pilot, wascarried out by researchers at the University of Oxford’s Department of Education, and shows a positive picture of how systemic change at assessment level is achievable through a targeted programme of support for schools.
The collaborative study assessed the impact of the Lit in Colour Pioneers pilot programme, which has provided secondary school students access to books by Black, Asian and minority ethnic writers from a range of backgrounds since 2021.
Since it began, over 250 schools and 29,000 students have been supported by the initiative with targeted support provided by Penguin Books, Bloomsbury, HarperCollins, Hachette, Nick Hern Books, Serpent’s Tail and Conchord Theatricals Ltd.
Speaking to researchers for the report, teachers described how set texts like Boys Don’t Cry by Malorie Blackman, and The Empress by Tanika Gupta “just kind of lit a fire in [students]” and “engaged students on a much deeper level because of [the] relevance to their own experiences”. Another was quoted as describing how students now understood that “their stories (as teenagers, as Black boys, as gay people, as sons and daughters, as friends, as siblings, as family...) matter.”
Malorie Blackman, author of Boys Don’t Cry says: “There is no better way to make sense of this world, ourselves and others than via stories. Over the many years that I have been an author, I have seen for myself how stories can flip the mental switch which leads to a love of not just reading but many other creative endeavours, with all the myriad benefits that may bring.
However, the evolution of stories cannot be static. They, in all their forms, have to move, change and adapt with the times. No child should ever feel that studying English at school is irrelevant because they never see themselves and their lives reflected in the literature they are tasked to read. There will always be room for the classics in the UK English Literature curricula but a space and place needs to be made for more inclusive and diverse contemporary stories across all educational boards.
If we wish to tackle the thorny topic of children who seem to be growing more disaffected by reading for pleasure and in the classroom, then the promotion of books seen to be more relevant and relatable to their own lives and perceptions of society is a crucial first step.”
Victoria Elliott, Associate Professor of English and Literacy Education, University of Oxford (Lead Researcher) says: “This research is an important and exciting first step in finding out the effect of studying texts by authors of colour for students and their lives. Evidence of positive impact is another crucial factor in making the case for change on a system level, but it also gives confidence to teachers and schools who are wondering whether to introduce these texts into their GCSE courses.”
Tom Weldon, CEO, Penguin Random House UK says: “We have always believed in the power of books, to not only make a difference for each individual reader, but in changing society for the better. This new research shows the beginning of real systemic change in our schools, and it is encouraging to see so many children excited to see themselves reflected in the books they study and, in turn, discover a love of reading. There is still much to be done to support diversity in the curriculum, and we are committed to working with our partners to drive real and meaningful change for readers of the future. We welcome the new Government’s commitment to deliver ‘a curriculum which is rich and broad, inclusive and innovative’ and hope to work with them to deliver that in English applying the learnings from Lit in Colour.”
Dr Shabna Begum, CEO Runnymede Trust says: “This research shines a light on the incredible impact that small, but determined changes can have on students' experience in their English classrooms. We often imagine anti-racist change only comes in big moments of bold action; but as shown by the experience of pupils and teachers in these Pioneer classrooms - just turning the pages on newly introduced texts written by authors of colour can contribute to a powerful and inclusive educational experience that improves engagement and relatability and maintains high attainment.”
Katy Lewis, Head of English, Languages and Arts at Pearson says: “For the first time, we’re able to see tangible evidence that studying books by authors of colour has a positive impact on students across the country. Greater levels of engagement, empathy and a sense of relevance are all incredibly promising steps forward, and testament to the great work being done by educators across the country. Our mission is to keep driving positive change with schools and our partners to create a truly inclusive, relevant and representative English Literature curriculum.”
Other key findings from the study include:
- Pearson Edexcel GCSE English Literature alone had more students answering texts by an author of colour in 2023 than there were in total across all four awarding bodies in 2019.
- The overall percentage of students answering on a text by an author of colour for GCSE in England has more than doubled from 0.7% in 2019 to 1.5% in 2023. This change is solely due to the change in the numbers of students answering on a text by an author of colour on Pearson Edexcel examinations.
- Examiners’ reports from 2022 and 2023 show that students studying these texts achieved across the range of marks, including at the very highest levels.
- Students reported being less bored in class after studying one of the Pioneers texts*1
- Students were more likely to report that they found the stories and characters in the books that they read relevant to their lives and community after reading one of the Pioneers texts*.
[* indicates statistical significance at the 0.05 level – meaning that there is a less than 5% possibility of this finding occurring by chance].
This research builds on the 2021 Lit in Colour report which looked in detail at the issues and challenges facing teachers looking to introduce new texts to students. These include a lack of time, budget and teaching resources, and little to no training on how to talk about race in the classroom (with only 12% of secondary and 13% of primary survey respondents having received teacher training in this area), or for approaching racist language in books.
Pearson Edexcel was the first awarding body in England to ensure that over 25% of its GCSE English Literature texts were written by authors from ethnic minority backgrounds.
Schools who sign up to the Lit in Colour Pioneers pilot receive a full set of texts of their choice, free resources including CPD training webinars for teachers and school librarians, author enrichment events, plus qualification-switching support and training.
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CASE STUDY - UTC DERBY For students at UTC Derby – a careers-focused school in Derby – the Lit in Colour Pioneers programme has been transformative, with the pass rate for GCSE English Literature increasing by 26% (from 50% to 76%) after Boys Don’t Cry by Malorie Blackman was introduced to the syllabus. The school signed up to the Lit in Colour Pioneers pilot in 2021 and has been teaching it to their whole year 10 cohort as part of the GCSE ever since. This means all students study the same text as opposed to having different texts for different ability classes. Hayley Robathan, Head of English at UTC Derby, says: “Boys Don’t Cry has been life-changing in terms of my career, just because I’ve seen such a light going on in so many people’s eyes when we teach something that they are engaged with. Academically for us it’s been phenomenal and groundbreaking, in that we’ve gone from a 50% pass rate to a 76% pass rate and the only thing we’ve changed is this novel. Alexia is a student at UTC Derby. Talking about having the chance to study Boys Don’t Cry, she says: “It’s made me want to read books from women of colour more, because they have more perspectives and opinions. It’s not like other books are not good, but [this] relates more to other people and society in the now, not in the past… It opened my eyes to different possibilities of reading other books like that. I think it’s important that when people find something that relates to them, it captivates them more.” Secondary student Dominic at UTC Derby, talking about Boys Don’t Cry: ‘To be honest I hadn’t heard of Malorie Blackman before we studied it, and I hadn’t even really thought about that other communities deserve to be represented in English Literature and now that it’s consciously on my mind, and because of how good the book is, I kind of search for those books that aren’t necessarily by the stereotypical author’. Principal Lee Kirkwood at UTC Derby states Boys Don’t Cry has had a massive impact on all their students and changed their whole school culture. He says that as a technical college they try to ‘challenge misconceptions about how important English is and literature is in supporting pathways into engineering and health’. They use the book to help their students understand ‘the world of work’ and develop their students’ ‘empathy’. |
Full version of the report and key findings available are available here.
Notes to editors
For more information, please contact Pearson, Penguin Random House and The Runnymede Trust.
About the research
The effect of studying a text by an author of colour: the Lit in Colour Pioneers Pilot was collaboratively researched and compiled from September 2022 to July 2024 by Victoria Elliott, Danielle Watkis, Benjamin Hart and Kyle Davison from the University of Oxford and The Runnymede Trust. It was funded by Pearson Edexcel and Penguin Books and is available on request.
About Lit in Colour
Lit in Colour campaign was created in 2020 by Penguin Books as a long-term social impact programme to support UK schools make the teaching and learning of English Literature more inclusive of writers of colour. In 2021 with principle partner the Runnymede Trust, the campaign published research highlighting the barriers currently preventing books by writers of colour from being studied in England from Key Stage 2-5. The Lit in Colour Pioneers Pilot programme is a major activity and the first with an exam board partner within the wider Lit in Colour campaign.
About Pearson
At Pearson, our purpose is simple: to help people realize the life they imagine through learning. We believe that every learning opportunity is a chance for a personal breakthrough. That's why our c. 18,000 Pearson employees are committed to creating vibrant and enriching learning experiences designed for real-life impact. We are the world's lifelong learning company, serving customers in nearly 200 countries with digital content, assessments, qualifications, and data. For us, learning isn't just what we do. It's who we are. Visit us at pearsonplc.com.
Contact: Pearson: Anna O’Sullivan, Director Corporate Affairs, [email protected]
About Penguin Random House UK
At Penguin Random House we make books for everyone, because a book can change anyone.
Penguin was founded in 1935 by Allen Lane, who wanted to make good quality books affordable and accessible to everyone. Today, we are the UK’s leading publisher and home to some of the world’s most brilliant authors: from bestselling writers and bold illustrators, to big thinkers and political commentators, trailblazing entrepreneurs and wellbeing experts. The books, ebooks and audiobooks we publish enable talented people from all walks of life to tell their stories – and we make sure they are heard.
@PenguinUKBooks | penguin.co.uk
Contact: Penguin Random House UK: Michelle Marriott, Acting Director of Communications, [email protected]
About The Runnymede Trust
The Runnymede Trust is the UK's leading independent racial justice think tank. For more than 50 years, we have worked tirelessly for racial justice in Britain. Proudly independent, we speak truth to power on race and racism without fear or favour. From broadening the curriculum to exposing the Windrush scandal, our work is rooted in challenging structural racism and its impact on our communities. Our authoritative research-based interventions equip decision makers, practitioners and the general public with the tools to deliver genuine progress towards racial justice in Britain.
@RunnymedeTrust |runnymedetrust.org
Contact: Runnymede Trust: Rohini Kars, Head of Communications, [email protected]