Supporting Secondary School Literacy
Never in the field of school leadership has so much been expected, with so little time, as the role of literacy coordinator.
Supporting Secondary School Literacy Read More »
Never in the field of school leadership has so much been expected, with so little time, as the role of literacy coordinator.
Supporting Secondary School Literacy Read More »
It is a truth universally acknowledged, that vocabulary knowledge is crucial for pupils’ school success. Pupils are language sponges, learning thousands of words each year. Like increases in a child’s height, it is a slow but inexorable development. On a daily basis it is near-imperceptible, but when you begin to count the passing of school
Three Pillars of Vocabulary Teaching Read More »
The importance of tending to pupils at the transition between primary and secondary school is well-established. The obvious focus, understandably, attends to the pastoral needs of pupils: making them feel safe and secure in their new ‘big school’ surroundings. Crucially, there is also an increasing recognition that making curriculum connections and charting the ‘language leap’
The ‘Language Leap’ at Transition Read More »
Every teacher recognises that every subject is mediated by reading skill, but it matters in some more than others, right? Does it really matter that much in maths? When I speak to teachers, or those school leaders responsible for aspects of literacy whole school, the refrain they often relate is that reading simply doesn’t matter so much
Does reading *really* matter in mathematics? Read More »
Do you know your fronted adverbials from your prepositional phrases? As another week of home schooling commences, many parents, and teachers, are faced with tricky questions about grammar. It inspires feisty debate on social media and in school staffrooms. From world-renowned authors, PHD possessing parent-writers, to national leaders, everyone has an opinion on ‘fronted adverbials’.
Flipping Fronted Adverbials Read More »
When I started teaching nearly two decades ago, I was a teacher of reading, writing, vocabulary, academic talk, and more. The problem was that I could do reading and writing, but I had little idea how to systematically teach the development of these vital skills. Yes – I could model some writing and offer some
Five Things I Wish I’d Known About Literacy Read More »
DEAR (Drop Everything and Read) or ERIC (Everyone Reads in Class) are very common approaches to independent reading that occur each week in countless schools. They are part of the fabric of the school day and can prove a cornerstone of a rich reading culture. The rationale for implementing sustained opportunities for repeated independent reading
Do We Need to Sort Out Silent Reading? Read More »
“For to every one who has will more be given, and he will have abundance; but from him who has not, even what he has will be taken away. Matthew, 25:29 Six months ago everything changed. Covid-19 crashed into our consciousness and schools were closed for all but a few pupils. Ever since, school teachers
Covid-19 and the Literacy ‘Matthew Effect’ Read More »
‘It ain’t what you do, it’s the way that you do it ‘t ain’t what you do, it’s the way that you do it ‘t ain’t what you do, it’s the way that you do it And that’s what gets results’ Ella Fitzgerald The COVID-19 pandemic lockdown has ushered in an independent learning experiment bigger than any in
5 Successful Study Strategies Read More »
When it comes to reading, teachers are a little like Goldilocks. When it comes to spotting difficult texts – whether it is the class reader in year 5, or a maths word problem at GCSE – teachers know what is too easy, what is too hard, and what is just right for their pupils. However,
Tricky Texts and the ‘Arduous Eight’ Read More »