Lewis A Baker, Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences, University of Surrey, UK Introduction The purpose of this article is to justify the engagement in developing a teaching philosophy statement and to scaffold the writing process. For those already familiar with such documents, this article will argue for the value of revisiting a teaching philosophy […]
PROFESSOR BECKY FRANCIS, CHIEF EXECUTIVE, EDUCATION ENDOWMENT FOUNDATION, UK There’s no doubt that schools today are in a much better position to judge what is most likely to work in their classrooms than they were 10 years ago. We have access to more robust evidence than ever, which gives us valuable information about which pedagogical […]
ALEX REYNOLDS, DIRECTOR OF PRIMARY LEARNING & CURRICULUM, NORTHERN EDUCATION TRUST, UK HANAH HERON, DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION, CLIC TRUST, UK KIRSTIN MULHOLLAND, ASSISTANT PROFESSOR IN EDUCATION, NORTHUMBRIA UNIVERSITY, UK LOUISE JACKSON, INDEPENDENT EDUCATION CONSULTANT, WYE EARLY YEARS, UK NICOLA CHERRY, EARLY YEARS DELIVERY MANAGER AND INDEPENDENT EARLY YEARS CONSULTANT, UK Effective teaching is complex and nuanced. It requires a deep […]
GEMMA MOSS, PROFESSOR OF LITERACY AND DIRECTOR OF ESRC EDUCATION RESEARCH PROGRAMME, UCL INSTITUTE OF EDUCATION, UK RACHEL FRANCE, RESEARCH FELLOW, ESRC EDUCATION RESEARCH PROGRAMME, UCL INSTITUTE OF EDUCATION, UK Research-informed practice in England The concepts of evidence-based and research-informed practice have become increasingly central to school improvement in England. With its origins in evidence-based […]
MARCY STEIN, PROFESSOR EMERITUS, UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON, USA KRISTEN ROLF, ASSISTANT PROFESSOR, UTAH STATE UNIVERSITY, USA For over 50 years, the best way to educate children has been heatedly debated by those who favour what might be described as ‘teacher-directed instruction’ and those who favour ‘student-centred instruction’. In this article, we contend that Direct Instruction […]
SIDRA SAEED AND HUW HUMPHREYS, DEPARTMENT OF TEACHER EDUCATION, SCHOOL OF EDUCATION AND COMMUNITIES, UNIVERSITY OF EAST LONDON, UK Introduction: Context and research focus How children respond to each other as learners through feedback is well established (Topping et al., 2003; Boon, 2016; Feil, 2021); less is known about how children learn from peer-modelling (Ohtani […]
Terry Pearson, Independent Researcher, UK Introduction In this article, I consider research on two aspects of engaging in retrieval from memory – research that has reported both positive and negative effects. I begin with a very brief outline of the conclusions drawn about the consequences of retrieving information from memory on the long-term retention of […]
Kristian Still, Deputy Headteacher, Boundary Oak School, UK Over the last decade, an extensive body of literature on the benefits of testing (Roediger et al., 2011) has become connected with and articulated through the language and conceptual toolkit of cognitive science. The evidence is clear: testing or retrieval practice raises pupil achievement (Perry et al., […]
JAYNE LAVELLE, ITT, UNIVERSITY OF WARWICK, UK There are many ways in which a student’s learning can be maximised and, as this paper will address, feedback can be seen as the most powerful aspect of teaching and learning. However, despite this, why is feedback so powerful and why is it variable? According to Hattie and […]
HANNA BEECH, REGIONAL LEAD PRACTITIONER, THE KEMNAL ACADEMIES TRUST, UK We know that thinking is an internal process. As a result, we cannot be certain that students’ thoughts are directly related to our teaching. We aim to provide the most relevant content in the most explicit and engaging way, and we hope that this leads […]
Katie Jump, Associate Lecturer in ITE, National Institute of Teaching and Education (NITE), UK When observing an expert teacher, the modes of effective classroom dialogue (word choice, prosody, proxemics and kinesics – described by Norris (2004) as embodied methods) can be interwoven in such a complex way that they would be impossible for a novice […]
Kathleen McBride, Learning Design Lead, Voice 21, UK Introduction During the transition from primary to secondary school, there is a significant increase in the quantity and complexity of vocabulary that students encounter at school (Deignan et al., 2022). This is also a time of social and emotional upheaval, as they learn to navigate unfamiliar environments […]
Angela Schofield, Programme Development Lead, Excelsior Multi-Academy Trust, UK When considering the wealth of research around the complexities of narrowing the disadvantage gap, the fundamental importance of oracy to the many suggested strategies is clear. Whether the focus is on early reading, relationships, metacognition and self-regulation or language development and comprehension, oracy underpins the work. […]
Dr James Ingham, National Institute for Teaching and Education, Coventry University, UK The sense of hearing is truly remarkable. Developing as early as 16 weeks in utero, babies can recognise and respond to voices by 25 weeks. Playing music during pregnancy has been shown to positively impact babies’ brain development (Fox, 2000). As it develops, […]
Carl Luke, Chris Counihan, David Nichol, Sophie Meller, Kirstin Mulholland, William Gray, Arlene Anderson, Deborah Herridge, Northumbria University, UK Diana Karikis, Rowan Sanderson, Elisa Collard, Ryan Hill, students and pedagogic consultants, Northumbria University, UK Teacher preparedness and EAL Over the last decade, the percentage of pupils in state-funded primary schools whose first language is known […]
NIKKI SULLIVAN, DEPUTY HEADTEACHER, BECKFOOT SCHOOL, UK CLAIRE SMITH, DEPUTY SENDCO, BECKFOOT SCHOOL, UK Introduction The number of teaching assistants (TAs) in schools has risen sharply since 2000 (Sharples et al., 2018), and continues to rise (GOV.UK, 2023). Initially, this rise was associated with the determination to address teacher workload. However, the role of TAs […]
DR ROLAND MARDEN, SENIOR RESEARCH MANAGER, NATIONAL FOUNDATION FOR EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH, UK PIPPA LORD, RESEARCH DIRECTOR, NATIONAL FOUNDATION FOR EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH, UK Set up in 2020, in response to the disruption experienced during the COVID-19 pandemic, the National Tutoring Programme (NTP) aimed to help disadvantaged children in England catch up on learning affected by partial […]
MARK LESWELL, RESEARCH LEAD, SWALE ACADEMIES TRUST, UK Introduction In light of considerable investment in continuing professional development (CPD), it is crucial for school leaders to understand the characteristics of effective PD that contribute to improved teaching and learning (Hill et al., 2013) and the mechanisms that increase the likelihood of effective professional development (Sims […]
PATRICK MCDONALD, CURRICULUM LEAD, WESTERHOPE PRIMARY SCHOOL, UK WILLIAM GRAY, DEPUTY HEADTEACHER, WESTERHOPE PRIMARY SCHOOL, UK Introduction Cognitive science has clear implications for classroom practice (EEF,2021a), and research shows that teachers’ professional development (PD) can positively impact pupil outcomes (Cordingley et al., 2015; Rauch and Coe, 2019; Sancar et al., 2021). Drawing on evidence from […]
HANNAH MCMANUS, SENDCO, WESTERHOPE PRIMARY SCHOOL, UK WILLIAM GRAY, DEPUTY HEADTEACHER WESTERHOPE PRIMARY SCHOOL, UK Introduction It is undeniable that high-quality teaching is crucial in order for all pupils to make progress (Cullen et al., 2020), supplemented with carefully selected, small-group and one-to-one targeted interventions (EEF, 2020b). In our primary school context, following the impact […]
