Is oracy the next big thing? Are we destined for interminable arguments about it in the coming months or is there a healthy debate to be had about oracy? I have lots of questions. For me, as a former English teacher, it feels like oracy – or speaking and listening – is just part of […]
Questions about oracy Read More »
Teachers in England spend hours marking pupils’ work and in the final mile run up to national exams teachers are often exhausted by their efforts. A key challenge appears to be how we ensure pupils work just as hard as their teachers and taking responsibility to manage their own learning. Common issues I hear regularly
Supporting Exam Preparation: The Final Mile Read More »
There is not a week that goes by without hearing about a new technology tool or AI resource that is going to impact education. But what it is that makes so many experienced teachers and people in education sceptical about the legion of technology promises? It is normally a matter of experience. Robert Conquest, a British
Should we throw the tech out the classroom? Read More »
Teachers and professionals who work in education typically draw upon a wealth of academic vocabulary in their every interaction. We have easy access to this word richness, and it becomes part of who we are and how we communicate. What we recognise when we closely scrutinise the patterns of academic language is that the vocabulary
Academic Language and the Phrases that Matter Read More »
One of the most enduring teaching strategies, for almost every classroom at every key stage, is the explicit teaching of morphology: the structure of words and their meanings. Teaching word parts, including the history of the word (etymology), can prove much more than a mere curiosity. It can be vital knowledge to unlock the school
Mighty Morphology – 5 Resources Read More »
“Sir, I don’t know where to start with this Scrooge essay!” “Neither do I…” “How many paragraphs do I need to do again?” “What does redemption mean?” Even the best laid lesson plans of expert teachers go awry. Regardless of deftly planned schemes of learning, teaching is not merely imparting knowledge in linear, formulaic fashion.
Adaptive teaching: What is it anyway? Read More »
They say that interests and trends in education come and go in cycles. Depending on your attitude, it beckons the disagreeable return of a fad, or it is the timely return of a vital aspect of education. ‘Oracy’ is one of those touchstone trends that comes and goes in cyclical fashion. In 2023, oracy appears
What is ‘Oracy’ anyway? Read More »
