Firmly rooted in research evidence of what works within the classroom for our most disadvantaged students, Disciplinary Literacy and Explicit Vocabulary Teaching offers teachers and school leaders practical ways in which those students who are behind in their literacy capabilities can make excellent progress.

Building on the work of Geoff Barton in his influential book Don’t Call it Literacy, Kathrine Mortimore outlines the unique literacy challenges posed by specific subject areas for those with weaker literacy skills, and more importantly how these challenges can be addressed and overcome. A student’s GCSE results are vital in giving them the choices they deserve in order to go on to the next stage of their academic careers.

This book draws on the success stories of schools and subjects that have made significant improvements in the outcomes of the children they teach, regardless of their starting points. From the inevitable success of Michaela Community school, to the gains made by the English department at Torquay Academy and the rapid reading improvements at Henley Bank, this book draws on both whole school initiatives and subject-specific strategies which have had proven success.

This book places a wide and balanced knowledge-rich curriculum at the centre of any school improvement strategy designed to improve literacy, and illustrates the role that all subjects must combine to play in building the vital background knowledge and vocabulary that young people need in order to read independently. This curriculum must then be delivered using those teaching methods that have had the greatest impact on disadvantaged learners, and this book sets out how the methodology of direct and explicit instruction can be adopted within each subject area.

Alongside this is a useful summary of staff development and inset which offers practical ways in which teachers’ adoption of these effective strategies can be facilitated. There are also useful sections on creating a whole school dictionary of essential vocabulary, creating a culture of reading and writing, and also those key literacy barriers experienced by those students with some of the most common special educational needs.

Read more

Stymied by statistics? No fear? this friendly guide offers clear, practical explanations of statistical ideas, techniques, formulas, and calculations, with lots of examples that show you how these concepts apply to your everyday life.

Statistics For Dummies shows you how to interpret and critique graphs and charts, determine the odds with probability, guesstimate with confidence using confidence intervals, set up and carry out a hypothesis test, compute statistical formulas, and more.

• Tracks to a typical first semester statistics course
• Updated examples resonate with today’s students
• Explanations mirror teaching methods and classroom protocol

Packed with practical advice and real-world problems, Statistics For Dummies gives you everything you need to analyze and interpret data for improved classroom or on-the-job performance.

Read more

The essential guide to the science behind reading and its practical implications for classroom teaching in primary schools.

Teaching children to read is one of the most important tasks in primary education and classroom practice needs to be underpinned by a secure foundation of knowledge. Teachers need to know what reading entails, how children learn to read and how it can be taught effectively.

This book is an essential guide for primary teachers that explores the key technical and practical aspects of how children read with strong links to theory and how to translate this into the classroom. Bite-size chapters offer accessible research-informed ideas across all major key topics including phonics, comprehension, teaching children with reading difficulties and strategies for the classroom. Key features include:

·        Discussions of implications for the classroom
·        Questions for further professional discussions
·        Retrieval quizzes
·        Further reading suggestions
·        Glossary of key terms

Christopher Such is a primary school teacher and the author of the education blog Primary Colour. He can be found on Twitter via @Suchmo83.

Read more

Collins Easy Learning KS2 6 Books Collection Set Ages 7-9: Ideal for home learning:

Maths Ages 7-9:
An engaging Maths activity book to really help boost your child’s progress at every stage of their learning! Including helpful questions and answers, this Maths book provides reassurance whilst supporting your child’s learning at home.

English Ages 7-9:
Motivating English for Year 4. Including helpful questions and answers, this English book provides reassurance whilst supporting your child’s learning at home. Combining useful English practice with engaging, colourful illustrations, this English practice book helps to boost your child’s confidence and develop good learning habits for life.

Handwriting Ages 7-9:
Learn the easy way with this handwriting activity book! Including helpful questions and answers, this English book provides reassurance whilst supporting your child’s learning at home.

Comprehension Ages 7-9:
An engaging Comprehension activity book to really help boost your child’s progress at every stage of their learning! Including helpful questions and answers, this English book provides reassurance whilst supporting your child’s learning at home.

Fractions and Decimals Ages 7-9:
Learn the easy way with this fractions & decimals activity book! Including helpful questions and answers, this Maths book provides reassurance whilst supporting your child’s learning at home.

Problem Solving and Reasoning Ages 7-9:
Learn the easy way with this problem solving & reasoning workbook! Fully in line with the national curriculum, this Maths book provides reassurance whilst supporting your child’s learning at home. Each fun activity is designed to give your child a real sense of achievement.

Read more