Why ‘word consciousness’ matters
We can learn language in small increments - word for word and phrase by phrase, making connections for a deeper understanding of rich language patterns. Teachers experienced in communicating the language of the curriculum know that teaching vocabulary is valuable for many, and for some pupils it proves critical to
Disciplinary talk
"As pupils progress through an increasingly specialised secondary school curriculum, there is a growing need to ensure that pupils are trained to access the academic language and conventions of different subjects. Strategies grounded in disciplinary literacy aim to meet this need, building on the premise that each subject has
Teacher development: what, why, and how
Every teacher can be sure of cyclical change. Governments come and go and the national curriculum and assessment shifts along with them. Teacher professional development trends come and go too. We are left asking: what trends for teacher professional development will emerge? Whether forms like instructional coaching will last the
Do we need to learn how to listen?
We are in an age of communication. We are connected more than ever before: with the ability to talk to friends and family across the world in an instant. You can publish your unfettered views on X, you can talk about and share your best life on Instagram, or create
Disciplinary literacy: 50 years of failure
Every maths teacher recognises the language of their subject is unique. Each teacher of history recognises that they teach pupils reading and writing moves that are different to maths teachers. Primary school teachers must teach the shifting language of subjects and topics from different corners of the curriculum on a
Adaptive teaching and the power of anticipation
Teaching is brilliantly complex, endlessly challenging, and potentially the most rewarding of the professions. No two lessons are the same. No two classes are the same. This diversity and complexity demands an expertise from teachers that is too often underestimated. Teachers need to constantly anticipate, act and adapt. There is
