The performance of reading aloud can offer vital opportunities for pupils to learn. In particular, the act of reading aloud can benefit pupils’ reading fluency, as well as proving a helpful bridge to increasing reading comprehension. Reader’s Theatre is a comprehensive classroom approach that can offer a vehicle to foster fluency in the classroom. A recent research review … Fostering Fluency with Reader’s Theatre Read More » The post Fostering Fluency with Reader’s Theatre first appeared on The Confident Teacher ..read more

There are a vast array of barriers and problems that attend literacy development. In Part 1, it was tricky to limit it to only ten! And yet, the gains from developing literacy are so significant – for many pupils they can prove genuinely life-changing – that we keep making literacy a significant focus of our … Why Literacy Fails (Part 3) Manageable Solutions Read More » The post Why Literacy Fails (Part 3) Manageable Solutions first appeared on The Confident Teacher ..read more

Developing literacy is difficult. Like most school improvement efforts, it is beset by challenges, barriers, and limits of capacity and time. Rather than gnash our teeth, it is helpful to confront these issues and understood the likelihood of failure. In doing so, we can attempt to carefully plot our way to success. In my previous post, … Why Literacy Fails (Part 2) The Oracy Challenge Read More » The post Why Literacy Fails (Part 2) The Oracy Challenge first appeared on The Confident Teacher ..read more

This blog is based on my talk entitled, ‘Why Literacy Fails (And What To Do About It)’, at the researchED National Conference, in a baking-hot Camden classroom! It will be the first part of a short series of blogs.   I’ve never found a teacher who disputes the importance of literacy, reading, writing, or the … Why Literacy Fails (Part 1) Read More » The post Why Literacy Fails (Part 1) first appeared on The Confident Teacher ..read more

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 was common in school INSET, based … Where does ‘growth mindset’ go next? Read More » The post Where does ‘growth mindset’ go next? first appeared on The Confident Teacher ..read more

From the blogs of 2023 so far, this is my top 10 most popular blogs. They span from 'Crafting Great Sentences' to free research reads on spelling, and more. The post Top 10 Blog Posts of 2023 (So Far) first appeared on The Confident Teacher ..read more

If I was to identify one important writing process that is most neglected by pupils, I would pose revising their writing. Why is this vital strategy so commonly neglected? In my ‘Closing the Writing Gap’ book, I propose that ‘revising’ writing is misunderstood and confused with ‘editing’. So, what is the difference between these admittedly … Revising writing and why it matters Read More » The post Revising writing and why it matters first appeared on The Confident Teacher ..read more

After some grim national writing results last year, and lots of conversations with school leaders about their post-Covid teaching and learning priorities, writing is high on many schools’ priority list. Common issues that have been raised to me by school colleagues are wide ranging, from issues with spelling, to extended writing, problematic writing assessments, and … The Struggle with ‘Writing Stamina’ Read More » The post The Struggle with ‘Writing Stamina’ first appeared on The Confident Teacher ..read more

“To write is human, to edit is divine.”  Stephen King, ‘On Writing’ ‘I’ve finished’ is a common refrain you hear in the classroom soon after pupils are set a writing task. Pupils’ urge to write can see them rush to pour their ideas onto the page. Alas, for too many pupils, their energised efforts can … The Challenge of Editing Writing Read More » The post The Challenge of Editing Writing first appeared on The Confident Teacher ..read more

There are few simple solutions in education. If you are being promised one, it is at best a hopeful fib, at worst a deceptive sales-pitch. But there are some helpful principles that can guide our actions. A useful one I think could help improve literacy in primary and secondary schools: write less; read more. It … Write Less; Read More Read More » The post Write Less; Read More first appeared on The Confident Teacher ..read more