Immerse yourself in the art and science of teaching and learning with a comprehensive range of blogs. Explore dynamic topics such as effective feedback strategies, impactful explanations, the art of questioning, and more. Gain valuable insights into pedagogical techniques informed by research evidence, along with an array of practical tips. These blogs are useful for teachers, leaders and everyone interested in education.
“Is adaptive teaching the same thing as ‘reasonable adjustments’?” I get asked this question often when working with teachers and leaders on developing adaptive teaching. It is no surprise, given they can often appear similar when applied to classroom practices that support pupils with learning needs. It is helpful for
My weekend typically involves helping coach my boy’s football team in muddy fields in the far corners of North Yorkshire. It is one of those parental experiences that mingles pleasure with pain. From narrow wins to thumping losses. Coaching is a lot like teaching. From wrangling a bunch of
Adaptive teaching may be tricky to define, but we must define it well, and exemplify it, otherwise it will prove an empty buzzword. I’ve tried to characterise it into broadly two types of adaptations: * Microadaptations (Corno, 2008). Sensitive, moment-to-moment adaptations responding to pupils’ learning e.g. deploying flexible grouping
Is oracy the next big thing? Are we destined for interminable arguments about it in the coming months or is there a healthy debate to be had about oracy? I have lots of questions. For me, as a former English teacher, it feels like oracy – or speaking and listening – is
Teachers in England spend hours marking pupils’ work and in the final mile run up to national exams teachers are often exhausted by their efforts. A key challenge appears to be how we ensure pupils work just as hard as their teachers and taking responsibility to manage their own learning.
Teaching and learning can be prone to shifting trends. Some aspects of teaching may suffer from waning popularity, but we cannot lose sight of them because they are so integral for successful learning. Formative assessment is one such aspect that demands our focus – or a refocus – on its central importance.
There is not a week that goes by without hearing about a new technology tool or AI resource that is going to impact education. But what it is that makes so many experienced teachers and people in education sceptical about the legion of technology promises? It is normally a matter
“The main role of feedback, at least in schools, is to improve the learner, not the work. The idea is that, after feedback, students will be able to do better at some point in the future on tasks they have not yet attempted.” Dylan Wiliam Giving some pupils timely and
“Sir, I don’t know where to start with this Scrooge essay!” “Neither do I…” “How many paragraphs do I need to do again?” “What does redemption mean?” Even the best laid lesson plans of expert teachers go awry. Regardless of deftly planned schemes of learning, teaching is not merely
Has ‘growth mindset’ been debunked? Will the million+ selling book quietly be removed from shelves, or will it reappear rebooted in teacher training in some other guise in future? I began writing about the promise and the problems with ‘growth mindset’ in 2014. It was a wildly popular topic that
I have written over 23 blogs so far in 2023. Before I sign off for summer (I have a book to finish off drafting and some sun to bask in), I wanted to reshape my 10 most popular blogs: 1. Crafting Great Sentences. My most popular new 2023 blog so
Is ‘instructional coaching’ the next big thing? Maybe I should be a little clearer: by ‘next big thing’, I wonder whether a nation-wide wave of enthusiasm for this particular professional development vehicle will soon wane, and the promise of coaching will quietly fold into mass of unshared failures in schools.