RfT | Centre for the Use of Research & Evidence in Education (CUREE)

Promoting students' persistence in meeting challenges

The study summarised in this TLA research summary focuses on student motivation and achievement and explores how they relate to beliefs that students hold about themselves and about the nature of ability. The book, summarised in Self-theories: Their role in motivation, personality and development (Dweck 2000), aimed to explore why some young people exceed expectations and others fail to fulfil their potential.Carol Dweck has spent over thirty years researching how learners responded to experiences of difficulty and challenge.

Teaching phonics effectively

Should they be taught using the letter sounds (phonics), by learning whole words, or by both? If they are taught using phonics what is the most effective way to do so? To help teachers find their way around the issue of phonics teaching this TLA research summary aims to highlight key features of phonics approaches in the context of literacy learning in England. We use the Rose report as the basis for the summary. This report was undertaken in the context of existing early literacy practices, including phonics, within the National Literacy Strategy in schools in England.

Assessment for learning: Putting it into practice

In this TLA research summary we feature a study which reported the experiences of a group of teachers who started from research findings to develop formative assessment in their classrooms. The study showed the positive change in their practice.

Pupils in low attaining groups

All schools work hard to identify and support pupils who are attaining well below the average. This TLA research summarises a study that explored the ways in which teachers and schools support such pupils by placing them in groupings and providing specific and tailored support. The study identified some successful classroom, department and school strategies for assisting low attaining students to learn.The study is:Dunne, M., S. Humphreys, J. Sebba, A. Dyson, F. Gallannaugh and D. Muijs. Effective teaching and learning for pupils in low attaining groups.

The enduring impact of quality early years education

This TLA research summarises the final report from the primary phase of the Effective Pre-school and Primary Education project (EPPE 3-11)*, Europe's largest longitudinal investigation into the effects of pre-school and primary education on pupils' development. The researchers followed more than 2,800 children from the start of pre-school (around the age of 3) along with a further 300+ children with no pre-school experience, until the end of Key Stage 2 (age 11 years) by which time 2,600 children were still in the study.

Interactive teaching and interactive whiteboards

Interactive whole class teaching has been identified by the British Government's National Strategies as a key way to help to raise standards in literacy and numeracy. At the same time, interactive whiteboards (IWBs) have been made widely available and are generally viewed as teaching tools which can promote interactive whole class teaching. They are often seen as a means of increasing pupil motivation to learn and of improving interactivity in teaching.

Bilingualism

Bilingualism is an important yet under-researched field of study.

Raising achievement through group work

To shed some light on these important issues, the TLA research team looked at evaluations of a classroom approach called 'Thinking Together' which helped pupils learn to work collaboratively and improve their capacity to think.Our last summary explored how teachers planned and used talk for learning in their classrooms.

The evidence for Montessori teaching methods

Around a hundred years ago, Maria Montessori (1870-1952) devised a method of educating children that was radically different to the traditional method of her time. Her approach continues to inspire many teachers today. Montessori based her theory and classroom practices on observations and trial and error in her own classrooms. But is there a more scientific evidence base to support her methods? This TLA research summary explores the findings of a book that set out to examine recent psychological research in support of Montessori's methods.

Inside the literacy hour

For this TLA research summary we looked at two reports from a study that investigated what happened when the literacy hour was implemented in small rural schools with mixed age classes. Teachers in single age classes will also find that there is much to interest them.