Archive

A reading curriculum: Gap-widening vs gap-narrowing

Mar 21, 2021 | Category: Featured

The idea that education acts as a Matthew Effect that disproportionately benefits those who start with most is an uncomfortable but well-understood phenomenon. Everything we do in schools either widen...

How should writing fit into the English curriculum?

Mar 03, 2021 | Category: Featured

I think like many English teachers I've long been conflicted about the position of writing in the curriculum. On the one hand, of course writing is central to students' experience of studying English....

Making Meaning in English: An exploration of the role of knowledge in language and literature

Feb 09, 2021 | Category: English

I'm pleased to announce that Making Meaning in English is available now. (Quote MME20 for a 20% discount)The book is a discussion on the role of English as a school subject: What is it for? How has it...

#Making Meaning in English

Reforming GCSE English literature and language

Feb 08, 2021 | Category: Featured

Seeing as all sorts of folks have decided now is a good time to try to get rid of (or at least, reform) GCSEs, I thought I'd offer up my opinions. I should start by saying that, on the whole, I'm in f...

Making Meaning in English: Book launch

Jan 31, 2021 | Category: Featured

My new book, Making Meaning in English - the final fruits of the burst of productivity I enjoyed during the first phase of lock down - will be available for your delight and edification on 10th Februa...

Educational dog whistles (and how not to blow them)

Jan 21, 2021 | Category: Featured

As in every sphere, there are certain phrases or topics that act as dog whistles in education. When people use terms like 'progressive,' 'knowledge-rich,' 'no excuses,' 'deep dive,' 'SLANT,' or 'front...

#dog whistles

Using grammar to make meaning

Jan 19, 2021 | Category: English

As a writer I know that I must select studiously the nouns, pronouns, verbs, adverbs, etcetera, and by a careful syntactical arrangement make readers laugh, reflect or riot.Maya Angelou, Conversations...

#grammar #Making Meaning in English

The best 3 sentences in education?

Dec 10, 2020 | Category: Featured

I slide I used in a presentation on the ideas in my book, Making Kids Cleverer has been getting a bit of love on Twitter, with New Zealand school principal referring to it as containing what might be...

#Making Kids Cleverer

Curriculum related expectations: the specificity problem

Nov 21, 2020 | Category: assessment

If we are going to use the curriculum as a progression model, it's useful to build in checkpoints to ensure students are meeting curriculum related expectations. So far I written about replacing age r...

#curriculum related expectations #reporting #specificty

High jump vs hurdles: Replacing grades with curriculum related expectations

Nov 18, 2020 | Category: assessment

I've recently argued that one way to ensure schools are explicitly using the curriculum as a progression model is to assess children against curriculum related expectations. Briefly, this means that i...

#curriculum related expectations