We’re hearing from lots of you how challenging it can be to find the right balance to help parents support their children with learning at home during school closures, without overwhelming them. Here are just a few suggestions for simple (and fun!) ways parents can help maintain their children’s core English and maths skills, using […]
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Dr Marcello Giovanelli and Dr Chloe Harrison explain how cognitive grammar workshops developed into a pack of tried-and-tested resources. Style and interpretation Stylistics is the study of language patterns in text, and of the meaningful relationship between linguistic choice and literary interpretation. In this collection of classroom resources, we present a particular stylistic ‘tool’, Cognitive […]
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While the lockdown could potentially be a perfect time to brush up on grammar, worksheets can be rather dry and uninspiring. Try these activities with lower KS3 to get them engaging with grammar. 1. Adjective treasure hunt Pupils conduct a treasure hunt where they have to collect items from around the house which embody particular […]
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One of the worst things about being unwell is setting cover. Everyone has those ghastly days of knowing they are too ill to function in the unforgiving environment of a school. This increases at the thought of trying to set meaningful cover work for 5 or 6 classes. There are very few jobs in which […]
Read moreJill Carter dispels the popular myth that grammar is boring and explains why she thinks it should be revered by teachers and students alike. In the years I have spent around teaching, one of the main subject-related complaints of English teachers is SPaG. The main complaints seem to be: ‘I wasn’t taught grammar […]
Read morePunctuation does what it says on the tin – it punctuates. It ensures that our reader is clear about our intended meaning. Whilst it is important to use it correctly, I am a strong advocate of punctuation being employed carefully and thoughtfully in order to craft the writer’s intended meaning. After all, there is often […]
Read moreHow important is good spelling, really? Is it still vital in a world of typed documents, emails and auto correct? Isn’t it the quality of writing we should be worried about, rather than the spelling of the words themselves? Perhaps, as Mark Twain observed, ‘anyone who can only think of one way to spell a […]
Read moreWe’re all very busy here in the office, looking forward to the ALL Language World conference in just over a month in Rugby. While preparations for us are full steam ahead, we thought it might be a good time to look back at the lessons we learnt from last years’ conference. A lasting impression Something that jumped out in […]
Read moreTo get a reaction, while pointing out the window, I asked ‘Well, if the plural of mouse is mice, why isn’t the plural of house hice?’ This is an example of confusing plurals that I have often used over the years during Y7 lessons when one of the learners has commented on something in the foreign […]
Read moreIn May, Year 6 will be tested for the first time on the content of the new curriculum for grammar, punctuation and spelling. We’ve taken a look at the sample tests and test frameworks to see what’s the same, what’s different, and what to watch out for. Paper 1: Grammar and punctuation Like the 2015 paper, children will have […]
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