Effective teaching to raise boys' literacy learning and achievement

The National Teacher Research Panel was set up about 15 years ago by CUREE supported by a group of national education agencies most of which no longer exist. It had three main goals:

  • To ensure that all research in education takes account of the teacher perspective
  • To ensure a higher profile for research and evidence informed practice in government, academic and practitioner communities
  • To increase the number of teachers engaged in and with the full spectrum of research activity.

Over the several years of its existence, the Panel, supported by its expert advisers in CUREE, has helped and encouraged dozens of teachers and school leaders to do high quality but practical research. The Panel also helped them report their findings succinctly, in plain English and focused on relevance to other practitioners. This is one such example of that work.

Author: 
O'Sullivan
Aim: The research aimed to find out whether and how oral, interactive approaches to literacy might engage underachieving Year Four and Year Five boys in school literacy learning within the context of whole class teaching. Research questions included: How does oral rehearsal for writing (reading aloud, a range of discussion opportunities, and forms of drama) encourage under achieving boys to respond to texts and prepare for writing? How does creating a visible audience (through performance) or a virtual audience (using ICT) for reading and writing affect boys perceptions of literacy and their achievement? How does collaboration and peer support help boys literacy development?
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