by Ferdinand Doepel, Trinity School, Croydon Research questions: To what extent do metacognitive methods enable students in Lower 6th to improve their study habit? What is the effect on their mental health? Context and Rationale: According to the Education Endowment Foundation (EEF,
Neural and behavioural correlates of science reasoning during adolescence.
by Jack White-Foy, Dulwich College Abstract Inhibitory control is thought to play a role in conceptual change, whereby a naïve idea is inhibited in favour of the correct scientific one but is never truly erased. Activation of the anterior cingulate cortex and
Under what conditions do High Prior Attaining PP students achieve their target grades in GCSE English?
by Becky King, The Duston School THE ISSUE: Professional autobiography – what motivates me as a teacher? The Duston School has a history of High Prior Attaining students falling short of their target grade in English. Indeed, in the most recent Ofsted
Neuroscience for Students: a project to introduce EEG and Brain-Computer-Interface technology to secondary school children
by Jack White-Foy, Dulwich College ABSTRACT Neuroscience encompasses every aspect of brain and behaviour, from tiny molecular interactions to exchanges between groups of whole organisms. Educational neuroscience is the relatively new field of applying our understanding of development, cognition and behaviour to
Does the application of Universal Design principles improve accessibility of classroom learning resources?
By Andrea DiStefano & Tom Kelly, City of London Boys School What is the problem? We are aware that classroom learning resources (and worksheets) often have issues with accessibility. Over 11% of pupils experience some form of visual processing or other accessibility
What factors influence the development of positive and negative attitudes toward reading among children in year 1?
by Jo Parker, DUCKS, Dulwich College Rationale Children often start a school setting from the age of 3 when in Nursery. All children at this age enjoy books, listening to stories and spend time independently looking at books in the reading area.
Can we teach creativity?
by Mark Squire, Haberdashers’ Aske’s School for Girls Introduction To not dare is to have already lost. We should seek out ambitious, even unrealistic projects, because things only happen when we dream. Andrée Putman The education system is traditionally based on convergence:
Technology addiction among Year 9 boys
Matt Kerr, City of London School Research question: To what extent are CLS boys in the Third Form at risk of exhibiting behaviour consistent with Technology Addiction? The issue: The idea for me to study the notion of Technology Addiction came when
The impact of structured talk on student confidence
Suzanne Hughes | Rectory Farm Primary School Project rationale My school’s Ambition Charter states that we want our students to build happy and successful lives. For this, they need strength of character; strong communication skills along with a resolute confidence. There are
Comprehension through dialogic teaching: effects of talk on understanding text
Sharon Snowden | Park High School Project rationale Data collected from our feeder schools indicated that 66 students would be starting at Park High in September 2018 not having met the nationally expected standard in reading, or had no data. This is
The impact of oracy on students’ literacy outcomes
Sarah Green | Newall Green High School Project rationale Newall Green High School is a small 11-16 secondary academy which is part of The Prospere Learning Trust. It is located in Wythenshawe, South Manchester, which is one of the most socially deprived
Using ‘writing to oracy’ strategies to increase confidence in presentational talk in Y10 GCSE English
Ruth Loxley | Hastings High School Project rationale My original exploratory research question actually focused on the oracy to writing process and was: ‘to what extent do oracy strategies improve the writing skills of low ability Year 10 boys?’ However, when I
Developing children’s confidence in presentational talk
Rosie Cook | St Stephen’s C of E Junior School Project rationale The National Curriculum states that “children should be taught: to speak with confidence in a range of contexts, adapting their speech to a range of purposes and audiences” (Department for
Using speaking roles to develop the quality of contributions in group discussions among year 5 students with SEND
Richard Sternberg | Byron Court Primary School Project rationale I am interested in how teachers can positively influence character, well-being and personality. As Mental Health is a topic receiving intense scrutiny in education currently, I set out to explore how developing oracy
Using a ‘Word a day’ programme to increase the use of tier 2 vocabulary among middle-attaining children in year 1
Rebecca Hall | Windhill 21 Project rationale The purpose of this research was to explore and evaluate the impact of a ‘Word a Day’ programme on vocabulary development. Vocabulary has been a rising theme on the national education agenda and many schools
How do the protocols of oracy and talk strategies impact on the writing of low attainers?
Rebecca Carter, Silsden Primary School Project rationale Over a number of years in teaching, I have observed a lack of articulacy amongst low attainers. Unable to express themselves because of a lack of vocabulary and poor grammar, these children are often the
Using prompts to help students engage in sustained ‘free’ speech
Philippa Adkins , Surrey Square Primary School Project rationale I am hugely passionate about students being able to express themselves when sharing their thoughts and experiences with peers, both inside and outside of the classroom. I have always put a high value
Using oracy education to achieve a good level of development among pupil premium boys in the Early Years Foundation Stage
Natasha Oswald | Tilbury Pioneer Academy Project rationale Recent studies have shown that there is an increasing number of children entering the EYFS with an extensive gap in their communication and vocabulary. This has particularly been recognised in areas with a higher level
Improving pupils’ self-confidence through a whole-school approach to promoting and teaching oracy skills
Michelle Khambhaita, Keighley St Andrew’s CE Primary Project rationale I wanted to explore the effects of improved oracy skills on pupils’ social and emotional wellbeing, in particular their self-confidence. Having started working at a new school in September 2018, I was struck
Does using sentence stems to promote exploratory talk improve analytical writing among middle ability boys?
Maggie Moe, The Angmering School Project rationale Having worked in a comprehensive school judged as requiring improvement, school leaders have identified middle ability boys as consistently underachieving and frequently becoming disengaged in their learning. Underachievement in boys’ literacy has been studied by
Using oracy sentence stems to boost the quality of written analysis among Year 8 middle ability boys
Louise Northey, International Academy of Greenwich Project rationale At the school where the research was undertaken, a specific cohort that had been identified as underperforming in English were middle ability Year 8 boys. Therefore, these students were chosen as the focus group for
Using presentational talk to improve quality of writing among EAL learners
Liberty Kitchen, Catherine Junior School Project rationale For my project, I decided to research to what extent the use of presentational talk (implemented for 4 months) improved writing in Year 5. As the saying goes, “If you can say it, you can
Talk roles and child-led discussions in guided reading
Katy O’Neill | South Malling CE Primary and Nursery Project rationale I chose to focus on developing the quality and quantity of talk in a guided reading group of five Year 3 students. I selected this focus in response to observations I
Increasing student participation with talk-rich collective worship
Katie Middlehurst, St Ann’s CE Primary School Project rationale Whilst watching ‘Oracy in Action’ at School 21, I was inspired by the talk-rich assembly that I observed. I noted that compared to the current practice in my school, there were far more
Developing the confidence and participation of reluctant speakers
Julie Walters, Shoreditch Park Primary School Project rationale However, I noticed that, for some students, oracy based tasks were a challenge and that collaborative thinking and discussion weren’t areas of learning where they felt at ease. I observed some reluctant speakers in
Using a range of oracy strategies to improve the quality of written work in a mixed ability year 9 English class
Hester Dickinson , Dinnington High School Research question: To what extent does the use of oracy strategies improve the quality of written work, over a three-month period, among a focus group of Year 9 students? Project rationale: I chose to focus on this
Developing communication skills in the early years
Heather Roche, Little Stoke Primary School Project rationale Good communication skills are crucial in the early years. Being able to talk and listen well are critical in helping children learn, make friends and feel confident. Poor language puts children at risk of
Developing dialogue through guided reading
Gillian Russell, Coppice Primary School Project rationale As a teacher of year 6, at the start of the year I identified a group of six underachieving boys with high prior attainment (i.e. they were capable of achieving Greater Depth in the KS2
Using exploratory talk to improve reading among Year 4 middle attaining children
Frances Spivey, Academy at St James Project rationale Reading was highlighted as a particular focus due to our ASP (Analyse School Performance) report which indicates that as a school Reading is a line of enquiry due to falling standards. Therefore, as a
Using verbal reasoning activities to boost attainment in Year 1 maths
by Emily Bass, Fulbridge Academy Project rationale The purpose of this project was to investigate verbal reasoning as a means of embedding mathematical concepts in year 1 children and to see whether this led to an increase in scoring both in summative
Exploratory talk, resilience and attitudes to learning
by Ellie Garment, Colonel Frank Seely Academy Project rationale In March 2018, as part of an annual review, four external senior leaders visited our school to look at the quality of teaching and learning. A common observation made by each of the
Accelerating maths attainment through exploratory talk
by Edward Booth, Braunstone Frith Primary School Project rationale I have chosen to carry out an action research project on the impact of exploratory talk to support mathematical reasoning on a group of students in my year 5 class who entered the
Oracy education: does it work?
by Dave Dodd, Crab Lane Primary Project rationale A significant proportion of the students who come to our school enter without the necessary language and communication skills to fully access the curriculum. We have already begun to raise the profile of high
The A-level Mindset: The effects of a 6-month programme to develop students’ confidence in independent learning
by Sam Pennycook Context: Our purpose was to explore the effects of a structured programme on the level of confidence students had when tackling independent work for their A Level studies in Year 12. The transition from GCSE to A Level is
Group discussion and extended writing
by Dave Spence, Wilmslow High School Project rationale An analysis of KS4 data revealed that students were underperforming in extended written responses on English literature texts in relation to the national average. In particular, boys were struggling to produce substantive written responses in
Improving oral responses from high ability white working class girls
by Charlotte Gleeson, Manchester Enterprise Academy Research question To what extent do paired discussion activities, implemented for half a term, improve confidence in oral responses among high ability working class girls? Project Rationale The school that I work at serves a community
Creativity and Metacognition: Busting the Ghost in the Machine
by Joe Fenton and Sarah Wallace Research question: To what extent do strategies for metacognition enable pupils to produce creative project work? This project builds on some findings from last year, that project work that involves metacognition facilitates creative work. This is
Evaluating oracy – ‘Is that what I sound like?’
by Bev Knuckey, Llanedeyrn Primary School Project rationale Teachers have developed processes in our school to ensure moderated assessment is consistent at each outcome and level. With oracy our priority, attention has been given to its assessment and management – the storing
Enriching the year 7 curriculum through talk roles, debating and structured group work
by Beth Cooper, St Wilfrid’s RC College Project rationale To promote more ambitious teaching and learning experiences for a high prior-attaining Y7 class To maximise outcomes for Y7 students with high KS3 scores To ensure participation and engagement of every student in
Using post-it ‘notes to self’ as a tool for promoting metacognition among Year 5 girls
by Michele Tatman Rationale My initial research question was: ‘To what extent do Year 5 girls reflect on their learning?’ However this proved to be too wide a question and was narrowed down to the use of one reflective tool; the ‘post-it’
Supporting active listening through high expectations and scaffolding
by Amy Weerasekera, School 21 Research question To what extent are high expectations for listening, used alongside scaffolds for response, an effective strategy for improving learning through talk? Project rationale I chose to focus on listening as an area of development following
Does improving the vocabulary of Year 4 students impact on their reading outcomes?
by Alun ReevesRSA Academies Abbey Wood First School & Church Hill Middle School Project rationale Teaching across a pair of schools in Redditch (one a first school and the other a middle school), I work with many students who do not come
Using social stories to improve emotional intelligence among young children
Introduction The purpose of this study was to explore the way social stories can be used as tools to help develop emotional intelligence in young children. To do this, I collected comments about feelings that were communicated during six separate story sessions
Does a mandatory reading programme have a positive impact on attitudes to reading among Year 10 boys, or does it deny them autonomy, reinforcing a negative perception of reading as a chore?
Context A frequent talking point at parents’ evenings is the perception amongst teachers and parents that reading for pleasure plummets around the age of 13, particularly amongst boys. This is backed by research. For example, Hall and Coles (2002) report “a clear
“I like knowing how it all fits together”: Creating desirable difficulties in the Physics Lab.
Context There are no answers in teaching that can make you successful. No list that you can check off and be “finished and perfect”. To be a good teacher, you must strive to understand learning and keep this at the forefront of
Changing parents’ perceptions of play: mark making and heuristic play in the Toddler Room
Introduction Being a toddler can be a tricky time in a child’s life. Some of the children in my setting have just left the Baby Room, where they were in a small environment with only two adults and no more than five
Cognitive acceleration: Effects of a one-year Let’s Think in English intervention in an International School
Context: Our purpose was to explore the effects of Let’s Think in English (LTE) on the quality of critical and creative thinking in the grade 5 and 6 classes in an International school in Zürich. We also wanted to explore the cognitive
What is effective classroom questioning?
Authors: Joe Sylvester and Lucy Longhurst Summary: Allison and Tharby’s statement about questioning feels instinctively correct: ‘…questioning is hard to pin down. Good questioning is ubiquitous and fluid. It occurs in different forms during each part of a teaching and learning cycle.’
An investigation into how effective marking is and how it could be improved
Authors: Richard Riggs and Nick Hudson Summary: Teachers spend a lot of time marking students’ work. We wanted to ensure that marking was productive and helped students to make progress. The initial problem: Is marking as productive as it could be? Do
Developing self-awareness, raising self esteem and promoting participation for students with language and communication needs
Context: I run a centre for secondary aged students with Communication Difficulties, including Autism. Through embarking on the Masters in Education Studies at the University of Sussex focusing on Person Centred Education, I have become increasingly interested in student voice (Fielding, 2001, 2005)
An independent/collaborative approach to revision (Y9 GCSE Biology)
Context: I am a Science teacher, and I am currently teaching GCSE Biology to Year 9. I’m going on maternity leave soon, and I want to do something to help my students develop the independent learning skills they need in order to
Class Size Matters
Context: I have been teaching A level history for over 20 years. The new A Level coursework element of Year 13 requires the students to research independently, and I was concerned that my Year 12 students may suffer when their time came.
“The best that has been thought and written”: Analysing the representation of high expectations in the White Paper ‘Educational Excellence Everywhere’
Context: The White Paper ‘Educational Excellence Everywhere’ (DfE, 2016) sets out the policy agenda for the government from the present to 2020. Lumby and Muijs (2014) remind us that in the UK, a government White Paper is intended to set out legislation
Improving formative homework feedback
Context: This study explores the development of formative homework-feedback within a school setting, and forms the basis for my MA dissertation (see attached for the full report). Introduction: First I reviewed the existing literature relating to homework and feedback. Then I carried out an action research project,
Threshold Concepts in GCSE Photography
Context: Year 10 GCSE mixed ability Photography class 3 year GCSE course Large, mixed comprehensive school in South East London Introduction: This Action Research study is concerned with the big ideas (Threshold Concepts) in Photography and how they might be meaningfully integrated into
Improving how students write conclusions in Science
Context: I teach a Year 8 mixed ability Science group, ranging from NC level 4 to level 8. Previously, I have noticed that when writing up science experiments, conclusion writing is one of the areas where there is lots of room for improvement from students
Threshold Concepts in A level Photography
Context: A level photography Threshold Concepts Critical understanding Introduction: What are the key Threshold Concepts in A level photography? Would time spent explicitly discussing them with AS level photography students improve their critical understanding of the subject, helping them to think and
Observing lessons: Ofsted vs. Lesson Study
Context: This study, which I completed for an MEd in 2015, explores the impact of two models of classroom observation on teaching and learning: the Ofsted approach, and Lesson Study – an evidence-based / practice-based approach to improving teaching through lesson observation. Introduction: I
Boosting learning in Computer Science with independent research homework tasks
Context: I have chosen to carry out an action research project on independent learning my year 9 Computer Science class. I have chosen this class because this is going to be the only year 9 group with no previous knowledge of Computer Science; future GCSE groups would have