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      string(318) "different ways that researchers can be present in schools – as governors, as mentors, as readers, as researchers-in-residenceEngage outside of your echo-chamber by following hashtags on social media not just individuals.Karen is a social researcher and has worked in the education sector for twenty years. She is ..."
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      string(2104) "different ways that researchers can be present in schools – as governors, as mentors, as readers, as researchers-in-residenceEngage outside of your echo-chamber by following hashtags on social media not just individuals.Karen is a social researcher and has worked in the education sector for twenty years. She is passionate about increasing and communicating the use of evidence in education to positively impact the lives of young people. Karen is the Chief Operations Office at Teacher Tapp and Parent Ping, a school governor, trustee of education charity Parentkind, and a mum of two. In December 2020 she was awarded an MBE for services to children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities, particularly during the COVID-19 response.References[i] The Economist. (2018). England has become one of the world’s biggest education laboratories. https://www.economist.com/britain/2018/03/31/england-has-become-one-of-the-worlds-biggest-education-laboratories. Accessed 07/11/2019. [ii] Connolly, P., Keenan, C., & Urbanska, K. (2018). The Trials of Evidence-Based Practice in Education: A Systematic Review of Randomised Controlled Trials in Education Research 1980-2016. Educational Research. https://doi.org/10.1080/00131881.2018.1493353. Accessed 07/11/2019. [iii] Farrington, D. P., Ttofi, M. M. School-Based Programs to Reduce Bullying and Victimization. Campbell Systematic Reviews 2009:6. https://www.campbellcollaboration.org/education-updates/reduction-of-bullying-in-schools.html. Accessed 07/11/2019. [iv] Education Endowment Foundation (2018a) Preparing for Literacy: Improving Communication, Language and Literacy in the Early Years’, London: Education Endowment Foundation. https://educationendowmentfoundation.org.uk/tools/guidance-reports/preparing-for-literacy/. Accessed 07/11/2019.[v] Education Endowment Foundation (2018b) Metacognition And Self-regulated Learning, London: Education Endowment Foundation. https://educationendowmentfoundation.org.uk/tools/guidance-reports/metacognition-and-self-regulated-learning/. Accessed 07/11/2019."
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Blogs

Making Research Usable For Teachers

9 Apr 2021

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      string(4234) "school / Trust contexts to ensure they remain fit for purpose and impactful.Key recommendations and top tipsWhen reflecting on the past seven years of research engagement there are a number of aspects that have been key to its success and long term sustainability and would be recommended for any school or Trust wanting to implement a culture of research engagement and practice.Develop a culture of researchFocus on a whole school approach that will impact on everyone.  Take time to ensure all staff are involved and understand the nature of research engagement and what it means for them.  It needs to be an attainable approach. Not as something that just academics do, that is removed from everyday classroom practice.  Know your staff and find those who have some understanding of research activity and use them as ‘champions’ for the approach.Start from personal interestsWhen implementing a first venture into research activity enable staff to explore their personal interests and hypotheses where possible.  As with any new initiative focussing on current interests sparks curiosity and engagement.  Experience at The Mead shows that even the more sceptical of staff saw value when the starting points were directly effecting their own practice and interests.  The success of the first research activity is vital for securing its long term sustainability.Time and resourcesA full commitment from leaders is needed to effectively embed research engagement.  In order for research activity to be part and parcel of professional practice it needs to be given the same priority as other areas of practice and thus needs clear time commitment for staff meetings and training days.  Experience at The Mead shows emphatically that as a result of research engagement teacher workload can be decreased.  However, it is vital that the actual act of researching does not add to workload.Lindsay Palmer has worked as class teacher, SENCO and Local Authority Advisor. Lindsay is currently the Head of Teaching School at The Mead Academy Trust based in Trowbridge, WiltshireReferences[i] Handscomb, G and MacBeath, J. (2003) The Research Engaged School, Chelmsford: Essex County Council[ii] Handscomb, G and MacBeath, J. (2003) The Research Engaged School, Chelmsford: Essex County Council[iii] BERA (2014) Research and the Teaching Profession. Building the capacity for a self-improving education system.  Final Report of the BERA-RSA inquiry into the role of teacher research in teacher education, BERA, London[iv] Brown, C. and Flood, J. (2019) Formalise, Prioritise and Mobilise: How school leaders secure the benefits of Professional Learning Networks, London, Emerald.[v] Stenhouse L. (1975). An Introduction to Curriculum Research and Development. London: Heinemann.[vi] Dunn, K and Curtis, M (2012) The Incredible 5-Point Scale: The Significantly Improved and Expanded Second Edition , Shawnee,  AAPC[vii] Stoll, L. (2008) Leadership and policy learning communities: promoting knowledge animation, in: Chakroun, B. and Sahlberg, P. (Eds) Policy learning in action: European Training Foundation Yearbook 2008, (Torino, Italy, European Training Foundation).[viii] Brown, C. and Flood, J. (2019) Formalise, Prioritise and Mobilise: How school leaders secure the benefits of Professional Learning Networks, London, Emerald.[ix] Handscomb, G, Palmer L, Couzens, S, Cunningham, R (2017)  Research Report The Mead Teaching School.  Collaborate, Plan and Renew:  Reducing workload and increasing confidence through curriculum planning.  London, DfE[x] BERA (2014) Research and the Teaching Profession. Building the capacity for a self-improving education system.  Final Report of the BERA-RSA inquiry into the role of teacher research in teacher education, BERA, London.[xi] Palmer, L (2018) Teaching Assistant Handbook, Trowbridge, The Mead Academy Trust[xii] Palmer, L (2019) Leadership Appraisal Handbook (draft version), Trowbridge, The Mead Academy Trust[xiii] Palmer, L (2004) Evaluating a new model of in service education and training (Masters dissertation)[xiv] Carr, W. (1998) For Education. Towards Critical Educational Inquiry, Buckingham, OUP"
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Professional Development

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9 Apr 2021

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Creative Teaching & Learning

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30 Mar 2021

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      string(4143) "Grandma readingDigital Learning ClubIn the good old days pre-Covid, I know I for one underestimated how valuable my daughter’s ‘grandchild bond’ was.Not only did she reap the rewards of spending time giggling, playing and being spoiled rotten thanks to the undivided attention of doting grandparents, but her special 1-2-1 reading time was always assured. Every week, she’d work through another chapter or entire book, while learning new vocabulary and unconsciously enhancing her literacy skills for the next stage of her classroom work alongside her peers.It’s a sad reality of Covid that we now know many children have seen their literacy skills decline, and that’s in no small part due to the fact that there’s now been less time for Mum, Dad or Grandma to sit reading The Gruffalo or taking that youngster on a literary journey through all kinds of book genre.We’re extremely alert to that reality at Lexonik, and have spent the pandemic ensuring our solutions are one of the ultimate mechanisms for upskilling or continued progress, as our youngsters return to full-time school-based-learning. Our products are rooted in providing rapid learning solutions, giving teachers and pupils the skills to make dramatic improvements in reading, spelling and vocabulary.Catch UpMost recently, we’ve poured a decade’s worth of experience in helping over 1300 teachers supercharge reading and vocabulary, into our new cloud-based resource Lexonik Vocabulary. Schools currently using Lexonik Advance are delighted with pupil progress and confidence.  It works fast , making it the ideal literacy catch up solution. Northumbria University, 2015 found that our  flagship intervention programme, Lexonik Advance closes reading and vocabulary gaps .  Pupils’  reading age went up  27 months in just 6 sessions,  making it the solution for closing reading and vocabulary gaps with any age group.Lexonik Vocabulary doesn’t just upskill classroom teaching practice, instead it develops a systematic approach to support every learner, in every classroom, from KS1 to adulthood.  Lexonik Vocabulary supports the explicit teaching of vocabulary, based around the same methodology as our flagship Lexonik Advance intervention programme, so it  is the ideal supplementary product to l ensure sustainability and progress across the whole school.Of course, it goes without saying that I still believe Grandma and The Gruffalo are just as important for reading enhancement among our children as ever, and I look forward to the day when all our children are benefiting from such special time again, but until then, I’m proud to be part of a technological solution which might well help tackle some of the current attainment concern. IDENTIFYING SIGNS THAT A PUPIL NEEDS MORE LITERACY SUPPORT:1. Robotic and hesitant reading – if a pupil’s reading lacks fluency it’s a sign that they are struggling at the syllable level, having to rely on their phonics and decoding skills and therefore not having automaticity.2.  Disruptive behaviour or reluctant to participate – all behaviour is communication so if pupils begin to ‘act out’ or ‘act up’ around periods of reading it’s a potential sign that they’re fearful and trying to divert attention from the task3.   Reading too quickly – Some pupils read incredibly quickly so they don’t have to linger on unfamiliar or difficult words or when reading out loud it isn’t clear whether they’ve actually read the word correctly.  Slowing things down also helps with spelling.4.  Reading the same book or material – If a pupil chooses to read the same book over and over it may be because they have learned it and therefore any gaps in their reading isn’t on show.  It also prevents a challenge to them, so they can stay safe in their current level of reading.5.  Relying on pictures and context clues – Be mindful of whether a pupil is reading the words and not just the pictures.  This will lead to them guessingFor enquiries about Lexonik’s latest product range, email enquiries@lexonik.co.uk."
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Applications and Software

Grandma, Gruffalo And The Need For A Literacy Revolution

21 Mar 2021

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Applications and Software

The Case Of The Controversial Cowboy

21 Mar 2021