At Milton Education, we are convinced that reading comprehension is the cornerstone upon which learning is built. If students do not master this skill early on, the effects are felt in other subjects: from difficulty solving math problems and understanding science and history concepts to student motivation and autonomy. As Ray James said on the Science of Reading Podcast: “If you don’t get reading right in an elementary school, every piece of the school suffers.”Even reading in a second language such as English has been shown to improve performance in non-linguistic areas. For example, various studies based on reading science have shown improvements in maths problem solving in primary school pupils learning English, as well as increasing their overall understanding of the content. With this science-based approach and by listening to what teachers want, we created ‘Bookroom Bites’ as a physical complement to Read & Play, to offer resources that reinforce reading comprehension, with a view to improving the balance between digital and print, and responding to the real needs of classrooms.
The science of reading and knowledge construction
The science of reading shows that learning to read is not something that happens spontaneously: Explicit teaching of skills such as phonological awareness, decoding, fluency, vocabulary and comprehension is required. These skills are not only important in English, but in all other subjects as well. For example, in order for a student to get the most out of mathematics, they need to be able to read problem statements well, interpret data and follow written instructions. If reading comprehension is lacking, their performance in all subjects will be limited.
Knowledge building—cultural context, vocabulary, prior experiences—also plays a key role. The more context learners have, the more sense what they read makes, making it easier for them to connect new ideas with what they already know. When learning English as a foreign language, reading stories in English also boosts memory, attention, and cognitive flexibility, skills that transfer to the rest of the curriculum.
Context in Spain: what the data and teachers’ demands show
The Sanoma Learning European Teacher Survey 2025 collects data that we cannot ignore: 90% of teachers in Spain believe that a hybrid approach—combining digital and printed materials—offers the best results in the teaching and learning process, and 91% say that differentiated printed materials help improve student performance. In addition, around 80% of teachers perceive that many of their students are below the expected level.
Estos datos revelan una demanda clara: los colegios necesitan recursos que fomenten el desarrollo de la comprensión lectora en inglés, que apoyen la escritura impresa, que sean motivadores, fáciles de usar, y que integren lo digital sin depender exclusivamente de pantallas. En Milton, la mayoría de nuestros materiales actuales siguen ese modelo híbrido; la creación de “Bookroom Bites” responde directamente a esta necesidad, con un diseño y materiales elaborados a partir de las aportaciones de los profesores.
Read & Play: the best hybrid solution
Conclusion
Reading well in English in primary school is not secondary: it is essential. The data is there, the teachers’ voices are there, and science backs it up. Bookroom Bites complements the best digital platform with printed stories to provide real tools that adapt to what classrooms need. At Milton Education, we remain committed to supporting teachers in making reading in English a motivating, comprehensive and transformative experience: reading, writing, imagining… and learning better in every subject.