Developing Skills in Mathematical Explanation
Aim: To find out ways in which teachers can become more effective at developing childrens skills in the area of written mathematical explanation.
The Evidence People
Key stage 2
Is there truly a shirt of happiness or not? Developing thinking through a Community of Enquiry approach.
Aim: To consider whether a Community of Enquiry approach would improve the ability of Y5 and 6 pupils to discuss issues arising from texts by asking relevant questions. Individual teachers were keen to:
Develop written responses to comprehension texts; or
Improve the quality of questioning and discussion.
Use of drama and story telling techniques to improve writing at KS2, with an emphasis on boys' achievement
Aim: To investigate strategies for helping KS2 pupils, particularly boys, to overcome barriers to writing. In particular to explore whether:
Using drama and storytelling techniques can enable pupils to bridge the gap between what is spoken and what is written;
A range of oral communications skills including persuasion, description and narrative can be transferred to the written form through shared and tiered writing sessions; and
The existing influence of T.V. and video viewing can promote the transfer visual images into the pupils writing.
Effective teaching to raise boys' literacy learning and achievement
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.
Extending Children's Spelling Strategies
Aim: To investigate the medium-term effectiveness of raising spelling achievement through teaching the structure and process of cued spelling.