The Problem with 'Just Google It'
[I have cross-posted this blog on my Substack. You can follow my newsletter and Substack publications HERE] The Internet is omnipresent in our lives. The magic of near-infinite knowledge in the palm of our hand would be scarcely believable for most humans since the dawn of history. Access to such
5 Free Research Reads on...Teacher Professional Development
It is January and that time of year when we consider new habits, routines and development. As new resolutions begin, we may consider it a good bet to focus some effort on how best to support professional development. Here is a short selection of freely available reading on effective teacher
5 Free Research Reads On... Teaching Spelling
Debates about spelling never really go away. No matter what technological advancement is ushered in, it appears that spelling development still matters and we should sustain the teaching of spelling. For young writers in particular, spelling is linked to writing, reading and vocabulary development. But teachers need support to understand
7 Helpful Vocabulary Websites
The Internet is a minefield of useless websites, but sometimes you can unearth some gems. New AI applications, like ChatGPT, are making the news, with potential for useful vocabulary learning, applications for writing, the classroom, and more. For those seeking useful vocabulary websites, these 7 may just do the trick:
Scurvy Seadogs and Using Research Evidence
What was more dangerous for sailors in centuries past: pirates, crushing canon, or storms and shipwrecks? The greatest scourge of sailors in the 16th and 18th centuries was… a lack of vitamin C. Scurvy – a dietary deficiency caused by a lack of vitamin C – resulted in an estimated 2 million
10 Creative Ways to Teach Vocabulary
“Vocabulary knowledge is knowledge; the knowledge of a word not only implies a definition, but also implies how that word fits into the world.” Steven Stahl (2005) Developing vocabulary knowledge is so much more than word lists and student-friendly definitions. Even the most careful curation of vocabulary on a knowledge