Anastasia Mendonca considers how we can support pupils to trust their own interpretations and become more independent thinkers.

During a recent Year Ten lesson, I asked pupils to share their opinions on one of our GCSE set texts. I wanted to create space for discussion: an opportunity to explore their interpretations before considering how to shape an examination response. But when I cold-called a pupil working at Grade 8–9 level, their answer was simple: ‘I don’t know.’

I was surprised. This was a strong pupil who regularly demonstrated a secure understanding of the text. After a few prompts, they asked whether they were supposed to have memorised an argument for AO1. That question stayed with me beyond the lesson.

I had invited the pupil to offer an interpretation, but they appeared to be searching for an answer they should already have learned. Before sharing what they thought, they wanted to know what they were expected to say.

What sits behind ‘I don’t know’?

It would have been easy to interpret the response as a lack of confidence or preparation. Yet this exchange suggested something more specific: uncertainty about whether an independent opinion belonged in the discussion. I encouraged the pupil to set aside the anticipated examination response and consider their own reading of the text. We opened the question into a short class debate, and they were able to contribute thoughtfully.

Their response made me reflect on my own practice. Had I made enough room for pupils to develop an argument before showing them how to structure one? Had my emphasis on examination preparation inadvertently suggested that successful interpretations needed to be memorised?

One exchange cannot explain everything about a pupil’s thinking. It can, however, prompt us to reconsider what our classroom routines might be communicating.

Why this matters in English

Interpretation is central to English. Pupils need opportunities to question a character’s motives, consider competing readings and explain why particular words lead them towards an idea. These opportunities matter beyond the examination hall. Learning to form a view, support it with evidence and reconsider it in response to discussion helps pupils participate thoughtfully in the world around them.

There is also a question here about reading enjoyment. If pupils approach every text by asking what they are supposed to say about it, how much space remains for curiosity, disagreement or a personal response? That does not mean every interpretation is equally convincing. Pupils still need to test their ideas against the text. The challenge is helping them recognise that they can develop a defensible interpretation themselves.

Finding the balance between support and independence

Following that lesson, I decided to give more deliberate attention to pupils’ spoken responses. I planned an oracy lesson focused on developing and expressing their own arguments about the text. As an English teacher, I used questions to guide their thinking and sentence starters to help them articulate their views. The intention was to support the process of building a critical argument while leaving the substance of that argument open to them.

This distinction matters. A scaffold can help a pupil begin, connect ideas or explain their reasoning. We also need to consider whether it leaves enough room for them to decide what they actually want to say.

Model answers, structured paragraphs and examination practice all have a place in English teaching. The question I am now asking is how I can use them alongside regular opportunities for pupils to explore their own critical ideas before introducing other interpretations and asking them to commit to a polished response.

Discussion provides one such opportunity. Pupils can hear an alternative interpretation, explain their reasoning and revise an initial thought. An idea can develop through conversation before it becomes a paragraph.

For example, pupils might begin with the question: ‘At this point in the text, do you sympathise with the character?’ Before offering a model interpretation, I could ask them to choose a word or phrase that supports their initial view, using the starter: ‘I read the character as … because …’. A partner could then offer a different reading of the same evidence. Finally, pupils could explain whether the discussion had strengthened or changed their interpretation. This would give them a structure for developing an argument while leaving the argument itself theirs to make.

What I am taking forward

That Year Ten pupil reminded me that strong attainment does not necessarily mean a pupil feels confident offering an independent interpretation.

I cannot assume that ‘I don’t know’ always means the same thing. Sometimes it may reveal a gap in knowledge. Sometimes it may signal difficulty finding the words. In this instance, it prompted me to consider whether the pupil was waiting for permission to trust their own thinking. Our responsibility is to recognise the difference and provide opportunities for pupils to practise making those judgements themselves.

What helps your pupils move from waiting for an answer to trusting their own thinking?

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