DR ALIA PAN, KAMEHAMEHA SCHOOLS, HONOLULU, USA Done well, social emotional learning (SEL) helps children to learn better; students who participate in SEL programmes show ‘an 11 percentile-point gain in achievement, suggesting that SEL programs tend to bolster, rather than detract from, students’ academic success’ (Mahoney et al., 2018, p. 20). Past research has established […]
Sophie Smith-Tong, Teacher and Founder, Mindfulness for Learning, UK At the heart of creating an innovative and effective curriculum is enabling students to feel a sense of belonging and connection. American Psychologist Louis Cozolino states that ‘Children learn best when they feel protected and connected’ (2013, p. 241), so how can educators ensure that children […]
KATE THORNTON, LEAD PRACTITIONER FOR TEACHING AND LEARNING, PENWORTHAM PRIORY ACADEMY, UK I would happily bet money that in your staffroom everyone has a seat or at least an area where they sit. Nobody would actually claim a seat to be ‘theirs’, but if you went in on Monday and rearranged the furniture, everyone would […]
SOPHIE DICKIN AND AMELIE THOMPSON, GIPSY HILL FEDERATION, UK Introduction The proportion of pupils identified as having a special educational need or disability (SEND) has risen from 14.9 per cent in 2019 to 16.6 per cent in 2022 (DfE, 2019, 2022). There is an increased demand for special school places without a corresponding increase in […]
BATHSHEBA WELLS DION, ECT TEACHER OF ENGLISH, BRISTOL CATHEDRAL CHOIR SCHOOL, UK ‘I would like to build on what L and J said,’ says T. ‘I think maybe she used that kind of language because she felt small, and sometimes people want others to feel small, so they can feel bigger.’ T is talking about […]
Liz Robinson and Sarah Seleznyov, Big Education, UK Big Education is a multi-academy trust with three schools: Surrey Square, School 360 and School 21. The trust works with a network of over 500 schools across the UK, focusing on developing pupils as empowered and successful individuals, and moving beyond a narrow emphasis on teaching for […]
HELEN RIDDLE, DIRECTOR OF TEACHING & LEARNING, ST DUNSTAN’S COLLEGE, UK Context Inspired by the Educational Endowment Foundation’s guidance report on improving literacy (Quigley and Coleman, 2021), our recent whole-school CPL (continuous professional learning) has focused on literacy. Staff chose one of three linked CPL sessions that responded to the EEF report: teaching targeted vocabulary […]
SARAH SHEPPARD, TEACHER OF GERMAN, AYLESBURY HIGH SCHOOL, UK We live in an increasingly multilingual society in which modern foreign language (MFL) teachers will teach students who speak and learn many different languages. Yet in a typical MFL lesson, few references are made to these other languages or indeed the linguistic skills that such students […]
ERIN PRADA, URSULINE ACADEMY, USA Introduction Intercultural skills are essential for success in today’s increasingly and evermore globalised world. Connection and collaboration with others who are culturally and linguistically diverse is a regular occurrence, compelling educators to ensure their classrooms reflect these realities. Students must have ample opportunity to develop the type of knowledge, skills […]
ESMALET VAN ZYL, ST MARY’S SCHOOL WAVERLEY, SOUTH AFRICA Abstract This action research project examined the possibility of strengthening comprehension skills in Grade 9 girls learning Afrikaans first additional language (FAL). In the language classroom, students often feel anxious about comprehension exercises and tests, perhaps because comprehension is not a language aspect that is explicitly […]
GEORGE DAVIES-CRAINE, SUBJECT LEADER FOR GEOGRAPHY AND DIGITAL LEARNING LEAD, DR CHALLONER’S GRAMMAR SCHOOL, UK Introduction Oracy is a vital aspect of a student’s education and way of learning, covering all verbal communication skills from presenting and questioning to storytelling, negotiating and listening. Teaching students effective oracy, ensuring that they are able to articulate themselves […]
KATHERINE JACKSON, PYMBLE LADIES’ COLLEGE, AUSTRALIA Introduction Skills in mathematics are highly desirable for the 21st-century workplace. Yet many girls still see mathematics as challenging and appear reluctant to take the calculus-based courses needed for the future work environment. Despite having a growing school culture of looking at mistakes as desirable for learning, the girls […]
LUCIE NEAL, KENSINGTON PREP SCHOOL, UK Introduction One of the main methods for teaching mathematics at Kensington Prep School is through problem-solving. Within the teaching of mathematics, emphasis is placed on how girls learn to use the skills that they are given to deal with real-life situations and on the ability of mathematical reasoning to […]
Christopher Tay, Headteacher, Longden CE Primary School and Nursery, Shropshire, UK; Visiting Lecturer in ITE, University of Chester, UK This article is based on a two-year inquiry into children’s spiritual thinking in a rural Anglican primary school. Funding from the Farmington Institute supported the development of a conceptual framework for spirituality that provides children with […]
Adam Giblin, Northwood College for Girls, UK Introduction Problem-solving has always been a fundamental aspect of education. In the humanities, the problems with which we deal are often centred on society and justice, with no clear right or wrong solutions – only better or worse ones. Many of the better solutions relate to particular advocacy […]
SARA BEDDOES, HISTORY TEACHER/EAL COORDINATOR, BRITISH SECTION, LYCÉE COLLÈGE STE ANNE, FRANCE This study examines the teaching of English as an additional language (EAL) to French students (Year 9) through the subject of history. The context is different from UK schools in that acquisition of English is not crucial for integration and future success. While […]
KATHARINE WHITE, DIRECTOR OF SCIENCE, LIONHEART EDUCATIONAL TRUST, UK Multiple research studies have suggested that the reciprocal reading strategy can be effective in increasing reading comprehension. In the aftermath of the pandemic, this method could be a potential solution to closing the gap and improving student independence, by developing confidence when a variety of texts […]
Claire Coolin, Oxford High School GDST, Oxford, United Kingdom Introduction Reflecting on my time in the classroom, I recognise that girls in my classes were achieving well and performing, in many cases, beyond age-related expectations. They understood concepts taught and, when given routine problems which followed the theme or topic being covered that week, were […]
Beng Huat See, Professor in the School of Education, Durham University, UK Ensuring an adequate supply of appropriate, suitably qualified teachers is a major policy concern facing many education systems around the world. It is generally agreed that the quality of teachers is an important element in the learning outcomes of their students (Darling-Hammond, 2000; Hanushek […]
Thomas Perry and Rebecca Morris, University of Warwick, UK Implementation: Easier said than done Underlying a lot of current thinking about evidence-based practice is the idea of teachers selecting and implementing the programmes and strategies that researchers deem to be effective. In this division of labour, researchers find out ‘what works’ and teachers are tasked […]
