It's that time of year again! As you all know by now, I love to plan ahead and each year I update what I call my 'Literacy Calendar' to include key dates, competitions, book awards, events, days and weeks that help to inform my school planning for the year ahead. This is my third year... Continue Reading →
How many non-fiction books can you name? What about non-fiction books that were released in the past couple of years? For many of us, this is much harder to do with non-fiction than with fiction or poetry. So, to celebrate non-fiction November, I have produced a Padlet of the UKLA Book Awards Longlist 2021 (non-fiction... Continue Reading →
Twitter chats are essentially virtual meet-ups for people with common interests and they are BIG in the #edutwitter world! If you're looking to connect with other educators on a wider scale then Twitter is where it's at. With the nation in various states of regional lockdown, making connections is even more important than ever. Twitter... Continue Reading →
Hello everyone, it's finally here! For those who have been patiently waiting for this to be released, I do apologise. My Literacy Calendar is a little late this year for a couple of reasons. First, I have been busier than usual - adapting to teaching during lockdown and then returning to school with a bubble.... Continue Reading →
CPD doesn't have to be in the form of attending a course; professional learning as a process comes in many guises. It could be something as simple as joining in a twitter chat, attending a book festival, watching a Youtube tutorial or reading a book for pleasure! I am well aware that 'Summer CPD' is... Continue Reading →
Aside from having one of the most extaordinarily beautiful libraries I've ever seen, the CLPE is bursting with passionate, experienced educators who always leave me feeling inspired. I have been lucky enough to attend many of the brilliant CLPE courses over the past few years but this one in particular gave me so much to... Continue Reading →
Last year, I created a Literacy Calendar - something I'd wanted to sink my teeth into for a long time. I’ve always felt it would be one of those things that's incredibly useful to have and to share with staff, yet something we rarely have time to research or create! It proved so popular amongst... Continue Reading →
If reading is the key to learning, then writing is the lock. Or rather, writing is the medium through which we unlock potential and empower children (and adults). We still depend on writing as the largest indicator of success and progress in learning. Therefore, it should have just as much emphasis as reading in school. For... Continue Reading →
If you’ve read my posts about building vocabulary and spelling in a reading rich curriculum, you’ll know that I am keen on instilling a love of reading, an interest in the etymology of words and an inquisitive nature about word origins and meanings. I believe the teaching of spelling and vocabulary should be through fun,... Continue Reading →
Building vocabulary is essential for all pupils to ensure that they are able to access the curriculum and reach their full potential academically. Of course, vocabulary building continues to evolve throughout our lives, but creating a curiosity around words from a young age can have a big impact. Embedding positive reading and vocabulary-building habits can... Continue Reading →
When I started out in teaching, it was easy to confuse pinterest-perfect classrooms with those that actually had an impact on learning. As well as being vibrant and welcoming, the classroom environment can also be a valuable learning tool, a way of engaging and supporting children. With careful thought and planning, an effective classroom environment is... Continue Reading →
There is an edu-bubble on twitter and it is amazing. Many teachers, education experts, academics, authors and journalists are already making the most of this exciting social media platform by connecting and conversing with the teacher community online. I've been using Twitter for years but only recently started using it to connect professionally and it's... Continue Reading →
