UKLA
£0.00 Basket
Log in
Join UKLA
£0.00 Basket

Due to COVID restrictions, the UKLA team is working from home. This is a challenging time for us all, so your patience is very much appreciated.

Resources

It’s OK not to be OK

We know from recent research into children’s mental health in this pandemic (Young Minds 2020), that stress and Anxiety disorders are an increasing problem for our children and that we do need to therefore work more at a preventative level to support the development of key skills and strategies to manage such issues.

Promoting wellbeing and managing anxiety during online learning

This presentation from Dr Tina Rae is an excellent resource for helping to navigate online learning while considering the wellbeing of each child.

Supporting children with the transition from year 6-7 in the COVID-19 pandemic

This presentation from Dr Tina Rae is an excellent resource for helping to navigate transferring to high school during the pandemic, while considering the wellbeing of each child.

Building Resilience

How do you promote and maintain emotional health and wellbeing? In the first of two articles, Dr Tina Rae looks at focusing on children who are more vulnerable due to a range of risk factors in their lives.

The Power of Positive Thinking

How do you promote and maintain emotional health and wellbeing? In the second of two articles, Dr Tina Rae looks at focusing on children who are more vulnerable due to a range of risk factors in their lives.

Find Your Calm Plan

Use this Find Your Calm Plan from Dr Tina Rae to inspire a classroom focus on finding calm to combat anxiety.

Share Your Calm Plan

Use this Share Your Calm Plan from Dr Tina Rae to inspire a classroom focus on sharing calm to combat anxiety.

Time to Rest Plan

Use this Time to Rest Plan from Dr Tina Rae to inspire a classroom focus on the value of rest.

Get Grounded Plan

Use this Get Grounded Plan from Dr Tina Rae to inspire a classroom focus on finding a sense of balance.

Kindness Plan

Use this Kindness Plan from Dr Tina Rae to inspire a classroom focus on the value of kindness.

Sunday Evening Plan

Use this Sunday Evening Plan from Dr Tina Rae to help children to regulate their feelings and prepare them for the school routine in the week ahead.

Monday Morning Plan

Use this Monday Morning Plan from Dr Tina Rae to help children to regulate their feelings and prepare them for the school routine in the week ahead.

#UKLAchat – Reading Fluency

Catch up on the resources from the chat on ‘Reading Fluency’ led by Susan Reid and Rachel Clarke on 11/03/21.

UKLA Voices Spring 2021

This issue includes UKLA publications news, literacy in lockdown, the Lost Wor(l)ds project, and more on our UKLA student research prize.

UKLA Viewpoints: Literacy and Film

UKLA believes that children’s first experiences of narrative are often from the films they watch.

#UKLAchat – Reading Comprehension

Catch up on the resources from the chat on ‘Reading Comprehension’ led by Jamie Evans and Jo Tregenza on 11/02/21.

Storytime with Peters

Share this page with pupils and their parents to hear a new story read aloud every day during half-term, from Monday 15th to Friday 19th February 2021.

UKLA Viewpoints: Literacy in Early Education

UKLA believes that literacy and early literacy learning can be theorised in different ways.

Early Years Literacy Section

Visit the Early Years Literacy Section of UKLA. Here you will find key information and resources if you are interested in Early Years Literacy.

#UKLAchat – Vocabulary

Catch up on the resources from the chat on ‘Vocabulary’ led by Kelly Ashley and Gemma Gibson on 14/01/21.

Holistic Approaches to Early Literacy Education

This paper illustrates the theories, beliefs and values, and the classroom practices that underpin broad, balanced and inclusive approaches to literacy education in the early years.

UKLA Conversations Series: ‘Teaching Poetry’

Hear Rebecca Simpson Hargreaves talking with Christine Lockwood about the joys of teaching poetry.

#UKLAchat – Diversity and Inclusion

Catch up on the resources from the chat on ‘Diversity and Inclusion’ led by Imogen Maund and Rich Charlesworth on 10/12/20.

#UKLAchat Padlet summary

You’ll definitely want to take note of all of the advice included and recommended points of reference!

Black Lives Matter to UKLA

UKLA’s selection of recommended books that educate on black culture and promote voices of black authors in literacy for readers of all ages.

English 4-11 Magazine – Sample issue

View one of our past magazine issues included below to see the useful content that you can expect from this publication as a UKLA member.

UKLA Viewpoints: Teachers as writers

UKLA believes that developing a teacher-writer identity enhances approaches to writing in the classroom.

UKLA Viewpoints: Multimodality

UKLA believes that reading/viewing and writing/designing often work across modes, media, and genres for contemporary learners.

UKLA Viewpoints: Assessing English

UKLA believes the assessment of English is necessary but should not only (or always) be ‘high stakes’.

English 4-11 Magazine

Here you will find content features from English 4-11 magazine to highlight this fabulous member resource!

UKLA News Autumn 2020

Our Autumn issue of the members’ newsletter

UKLA Book Awards 2021 Longlists

UKLA Conversations Series: ‘Finding Critical Literacies’

Papers for UKLA’s AGM 2020

Members can access the papers for the UKLA 2020 AGM (online) on this page.

The UKLA Book Awards 2020 Winners

The UKLA Book Awards team and teacher judges announce the winners of the 2020 Awards for the 4 categories.

Diversity Matters to UKLA

UKLA’s selection of recommended books that promote diversity in literacy for readers of all ages.

Recommended books to celebrate Pride

UKLA’s suggestions for books that connect with and celebrate LGBTQ+ lives, history and experiences.

UKLA Application to become a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO)

UKLA Conversations Series: Online Teaching & Learning in ITE

Enseñar comprensión de lectura a través de leer y responder a imágenes en movimiento

UKLA Webinar Series – Jennifer Rowsell, Affective Aperture: Exploring the role of photography in literacy research and teaching

This webinar offers ways of building literacy teaching and research around photography as a powerful emotional and intellectual way into meaning making.

Short, sweet and potent: the appeal of short stories

Teresa Cremin outlines how short stories can offer exciting possibilities for classroom work

Developing a Culturally Inclusive Curriculum

Developing a Culturally Inclusive Curriculum by Jane Bednall, Sharon Fell and Niv CuloraThis UKLA online professional development resource is designed to support schools in developing a culturally inclusive curriculum.

CLPE Reflecting Realities – Survey of Ethnic Representation within UK Children’s Literature 2018

CLPE released its second Reflecting Realities report on 19 September 2019. The Reflecting Realities: Survey of Ethnic Representation within UK Children’s Literature 2018 shows that there has been an increased presence of BAME (Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic) characters in children’s books published in 2018, compared to the previous year. This is the second year the survey has been conducted in the UK, with the aim of identifying and highlighting representation within picture books, fiction and non-fiction for ages 3 – 11.

Picture Books: opening pathways for new arrival children

As part of the Visual Journeys international research project, children newly arrived in Scotland and in the very early stages of learning English, explored David Wiesner’s book Flotsam and Shaun Tan’s The Arrival. The article offers suggestions for helping bilingual children to read complex (and wordless) picturebooks and shows how such shared reading experiences can help children tell their own stories.Thanks to The English Association for allowing UKLA to reproduce the article.

Inspiration: cross curricular literacy

In a school where over 47 different languages are spoken and there is a higher than average proportion of children who have additional educational needs, the staff developed cross-curricular projects as a basis for developing whole school literacy policy. This highly illustrated article describes the inspirational work of years 2 and 5.Thanks to The English Association for allowing UKLA to reproduce the article.

History, Hope and long- lasting beauty

A project with years 5 and 6 pupils designed to gain an understanding of slavery, drew on the quality picture book Dave the Potter Artist, Poet, Slave by Laban Carrick Hill, illustrated by Bryan Collier. Dave was born into slavery in South Carolina at the turn of the nineteenth century, became a skilled potter, was sold to several different owners, survived the civil war and eventually obtained his freedom.Thanks to The English Association for allowing UKLA to reproduce the article.

UKLA News Summer 2020

Our summer issue of the members’ newsletter

UKLA Webinar Series – Julia Gillen, Social Media in the Early 20th Century

In this presentation with a Q&A, Julia Gillen explains why it is reasonable to call Edwardian picture postcards social media.

UKLA Book Awards 2020 Longlists

Find out more about the books on the 2020 UKLA Book Awards longlists

UKLA Webinar Series – Navan Govender, Critical Literacy & Close Reading

In this video I explore how close reading in the secondary English classroom might be approached from a critical literacy perspective by engaging with language, literacy, and power.

UKLA Webinar Series – Sabine Little, Supporting Multilingualism in the Classroom

This talk explains why heritage language development is important, and how everyday school literacy practices can be adapted to include multilingualism.

Activities and Ideas for all Ages

Here are our suggestions for on and off line activities for all ages. 

UKLA Webinar Series – Debra Myhill, Grammar in the Spotlight

Improve your understanding of verb phrases and noun phrases

UKLA Book Awards 2020 Shortlists

See the full shortlists for the UKLA Book Award 2020.

Authors Share Their Stories

We have an amazing opportunity to indulge in reading with children. Many of us will not be lucky enough to have a huge array of books to explore and so we have pulled together some websites that enable you to explore stories with their authors

UKLA News Spring 2020

In this edition read about new 2020 Shadowing opportunities for teacher members, UKLA Research Grant Awards, brand new books and dates for your diary.

UKLA Viewpoints: Writing

UKLA believes that writing is not a skill; it’s a craft.

UKLA Viewpoints: Vocabulary

UKLA believes that vocabulary develops as language in use, not by learning words out of context.

UKLA Viewpoints: Talk for learning

UKLA believes that talk is the bedrock of children’s personal, social, cultural, cognitive, creative and imaginative development.

UKLA Viewpoints: Teachers and reading

UKLA believes that reading teachers are teachers who read and readers who teach.

UKLA Viewpoints: Standard English

UKLA believes that standard English is just one dialect of English.

UKLA Viewpoints: Spelling

UKLA believes that children learn to spell through reading, writing and talking about words.

UKLA Viewpoints: Reading comprehension

UKLA believes that comprehension involves what the reader brings to the text as well as what the reader understands from the text.

UKLA Viewpoints: Punctuation

Punctuation shows how to read words and sentences on a page.

UKLA Viewpoints: Multilingualism and home language

UKLA believes that speaking more than one language is an asset.

UKLA Viewpoints: Grammar

UKLA believes that grammar is about how people make sense in speaking or writing.

UKLA Viewpoints: Early reading and phonics

UKLA believes that phonics alone will not make successful readers; children need to develop a range of strategies to make sense of what they read.

UKLA Viewpoints: Drama

UKLA believes that drama is both a creative activity in its own right and a vehicle for learning.

UKLA Viewpoints: Diversity and inclusion

UKLA believes that despite the rich diversity of humankind, certain groups are privileged in terms of literacy.

UKLA Viewpoints: Digital Literacies

UKLA believes that children and young people need to engage confidently, creatively and critically in a wide range of digital media practices.

UKLA Viewpoints: Critical Literacy

UKLA believes that being able to read critically and analytically is vital in contemporary society.

UKLA Viewpoints: Children’s Texts

UKLA believes that enjoying reading is the right of all children.

UKLA’s response to EYFS consultation January 2020

In October 2019, a consultation was launched on proposals for changes to the statutory framework for the early years foundation stage in England.

Grammar in its Place…Putting the teaching of grammar back in to the heart of books

This is the first article in a new series that demonstrates how grammar can be taught in a rich literature context. The first of the series is being provided as a free resource to coincide with the UKLA Grammar conference. Further resources will be provided on the member’s site. In this first paper, the wonderful book by Carol Ann Duffy called Lost Happy Endings can be used to teach quality grammar in context for a variety of year groups. At the heart of the project was the determination that grammar should be taught in context and through high quality books. Having worked with schools on grammar training in the locality, it had become clear that many teachers lacked the knowledge of what grammar could be explored through real books.

UKLA News Autumn 2019

In this edition of UKLA News we discover more about the UKLA Literacy Schools of the Year 2019 and read about author and illustrator Chris Riddell’s Desert Island Books.

UKLA Occasional Paper: Multimodality

Rapid technological change has meant that everyday practices surrounding reading and writing have shifted significantly over the last 20 years.

UKLA Book Awards 2019 Shortlists

See the full shortlists for the UKLA Book Awards 2019 

The UKLA Book Awards Winners 2018

Independent publishers dominate in 10th anniversary yearSarah Crossan scores a second win with her novel co-authored with Brian ConaghanInformation text shares the first ever joint award for 7-11 year oldsDebut artist on debut list triumphs in the 3-6 category

Diverse picture books: Pink is for Boys

This series of online resources looks at issues related to social diversity through a range of picture books. The term diversity can be used to cover a number of social categories including, but not limited to, representations and identity, ethnicity, sexuality, gender orientation, family setting and housing. The series aims to increase the range of picture books being shared in EYFS and KS1 classrooms by introducing picture books that explore ideas related to diversity. 

Diverse picture books: I Walk with Vanessa

This series of online resources looks at issues related to social diversity through a range of picture books. The term diversity can be used to cover a number of social categories including, but not limited to, representations and identity, ethnicity, sexuality, gender orientation, family setting and housing. The series aims to increase the range of picture books being shared in EYFS and KS1 classrooms by introducing picture books that explore ideas related to diversity. 

Diverse picture books: And Tango Makes Three

This series of online resources looks at issues related to social diversity through a range of picture books. The term diversity can be used to cover a number of social categories including, but not limited to, representations and identity, ethnicity, sexuality, gender orientation, family setting and housing. The series aims to increase the range of picture books being shared in EYFS and KS1 classrooms by introducing picture books that explore ideas related to diversity. 

Diverse picture books: Billy and the Beast

This series of online resources looks at issues related to social diversity through a range of picture books. The term diversity can be used to cover a number of social categories including, but not limited to, representations and identity, ethnicity, sexuality, gender orientation, family setting and housing. The series aims to increase the range of picture books being shared in EYFS and KS1 classrooms by introducing picture books that explore ideas related to diversity. 

UKLA News Summer 2019

In this edition read about teachers participating in the UKLA Book Awards, our UKLA Ambassador to Brunei Malai Zeiti Sheikh Abdul Hamid, new competitions and events across the UK.

Building understanding, sharing identities

This is a chapter from the UKLA publication Literacy and Community: developing a primary curriculum through partnerships. It describes how a class teacher and a literacy consultant in a multilingual school in Birmingham developed a teaching sequence to explore identity and citizenship. The teacher, Katie Palmer, is now Deputy Head Teacher and Curriculum and Assessment Leader, and the school now has 356 children on roll. The book Literacy and Community invites readers to reflect on their own practice and the chapter ends with some prompt questions. If you find this article interesting, why not look in the UKLA bookshop for Literacy and Community for examples of partnerships with homes, parents and communities throughout the primary age range.

It’s Seriously Comic – a Year 2 Case Study

This article is an updated version of a chapter from the UKLA publication Beyond Words: Developing children’s response to multimodal texts where teachers in a multilingual school in Birmingham introduced children to multimodal texts through reading and making comic strip stories. Since this chapter was first written, the school has grown so that there are now 938 children on roll including the Nursery, and the Assistant Head Sarah Abraham is now Deputy Head Dr Sarah Allen.

UKLA News Spring 2019

The latest edition of UKLA News Spring 2019

UKLA Occasional Paper: English as an Additional Language

Teachers need readily accessible guidance that identifies the ‘how, when and why of EAL’ and this occasional paper goes some way to doing that by presenting the current state of play for EAL according to both research and practice.

The Tsunami project: writing narrative poetry

In an extended cross-curricular project, Years 3 and 4 create a poem scroll based on a traditional Bengali form of poetic narrative. Through drama, discussion and close examination of the original poem, the children came to understand the horrors of the tsunami and wrote and illustrated their own narrative poem, which they made into a scroll.

No secret: using good models to write narrative in Year 2

In this article, Rebecca Kennedy describes how a year 2 teacher has planned and taught a sequence of literacy lessons for young writers, with cross curricular links to geography and art. 

About the UKLA Book Awards 2019 Longlists

Find out more about these fantastic books.

Harold Rosen Lecture 2018

Dr John Potter, University College London,  Dynamic Literacies, Third Spaces and Everyday Practices: The ‘Other Possibilities’Delivered at the 54th UKLA International Conference at the Mercure Holland House Hotel in Cardiff on Sunday 6th July 2018.

UKLA Book Awards 10th Anniversary Film

A film by UKLA to celebrate the UKLA Book Awards 10th Anniversary. UKLA representatives talk about their favourite books from the past 10 years of the award.

UKLA Book Awards 2018 Shortlists

The only national book awards which are judged by teachers. View the 2018 shortlist.

UKLA News Summer 2018

In this edition, news of UKLA Award Winners, a school visit by illustrator Lucy Letherland, a spotlight on our new Developing a Culturally Inclusive Curriculum materials and a piece from UKLA long standing member Professor Greg Brooks.

Types and sequences of self‐regulated reading of low‐achieving adolescents

This study examines the relationship between types and sequences of self‐regulated reading activities in task‐oriented reading with quality of task achievement of 51 low‐achieving adolescents (Grade 8).Journal of Research in Reading (pages 229–252). (Vol 39, No.2)

Free the sheep: improvised song and performance in and around a minecraft community

This article draws upon data from a year‐long ethnographic study, investigating a group of ten and eleven year old children’s engagement with the video game ‘Minecraft’ as they collaborate to build a ‘virtual community’. Literacy Volume 50, Issue2

UKLA / Wiley-Blackwell Research in Literacy Education Award 2017 shortlist

The Award is given annually for papers published in each of UKLA’s journals – Literacy and Journal of Research in Reading (JRR) – judged to be exemplary in terms of criteria applied in both journals. Literacy and JRR are peer-reviewed journals with international reputations for excellence. The panel chair is Professor Jackie Marsh.

UKLA News Spring 2018

In this edition, The Reading Challenge: A perspective on PIRLS, a spotlight on our Ambassador for Australia Paul Gardner, Desert Island Books by Geraldine Magennis and obituaries for Brenda Eastwood and Liz Grugeon.

UKLA News Autumn 2017

In this edition: An update on the UKLA Book Awards, using drama to re-engage children in writing, Desert Island Books, our International Ambassador in Iceland, and obituaries of James Berry OBE and Brian Street.

Harold Rosen Lecture UKLA International Conference 2017​: Making a Difference by Making it Different

Making a Difference by Making it Different: How researchers and educators can create kinder literacy interventions.Sue Ellis (Harold Rosen Memorial Lecture)We know that social class and gender are strongly associated with how easily and how well children learn to read. Despite this, many education policies frame literacy as a cognitive endeavour and suggest cognitive, content-based curricular interventions to address the attainment gap. Such approaches often ignore children’s social/cultural capital and identity in ways that risk literacy teaching appearing alien and unkind.

UKLA News Summer 2017

In the summer 2017 edition of the Association newsletter: pop-up books, the Bristol Primary School Book Project and using images in the classroom.

A Story Like the Wind

In this popular series, the published Book for Keeps review of A Story Like the Wind is combined with a summary of the key themes in the book, some teaching ideas, and connections to other stories that teachers may find useful.

Tidy

In this popular series, the published Book for Keeps review of the featured story is combined with a summary of the key themes in the book, some teaching ideas, and connections to other stories that teachers may find useful.

UKLA Book Awards Winners 2017.

The unique UKLA Book Awards are the only awards judged entirely by teachers. Discover the 2017 winners here. 

Trouble Next Door

In this popular series, the published Book for Keeps review of Trouble Next Door is combined with a summary of the key themes in the book, some teaching ideas, and connections to other stories that teachers may find useful.

Bookmaking with two illustrators

In a project designed for inclusion, illustrators Mark Long and Mark Oliver worked with a Year 5 class on an extended project where each child produced their own illustrated book. Children with additional educational needs and children in the early stages of learning English were able to access the work and proudly create their own picturebooks.   Thanks to The English Association for allowing UKLA to reproduce the article.

Synthetic Phonics and Baseline Assessment

For many years UKLA member Margaret M. Clark has consistently challenged the evidence base for claims made by the UK government that synthetic phonics should be used as the method to teach all children how to read.

Finding the Joy in reading and writing: teaching literacy in PRUs.

This article describes how two teachers in pupil referral units used writing journals, storytelling and quality picturebooks to encourage reluctant learners to write with enthusiasm and find success in creating their own stories. The teachers were delighted about gains in self-esteem as well as in reading and writing achievement and the article recommends particular texts which helped tackle sensitive issues.Thanks to The English Association for allowing UKLA to reproduce the article.

The Multimodal literacy project: supporting looked after children

A project in Nottinghamshire has for some time supported home-school links for families caring for looked after children. Each child is given a multimodal kit with carefully selected resources and suggested activities to take home in the autumn term and to keep regardless of change in school or home setting. Carers are given support to help them encourage the children to create their own multimodal books and presentations.Thanks to The English Association for allowing UKLA to reproduce the article.

Chatsworth road: an after school video project

Children from two primary schools in the London borough of Hackney took part in a community arts funded project which investigated the history of the local high street, discovering a great deal about the cultural richness of the area. The active, investigative nature of the project challenged the participants but was particularly successful with children who had previously been seen as reluctant or disaffected learners.Thanks to The English Association for allowing UKLA to reproduce the article.

On the Same Page

This article reviews books which include issues of disability as part of ‘usual’ characterisation and plot but where the child characters are not defined by their disability or learning difficulty. It offers a good starting point for selecting inclusive reading material with lists of books and useful websites.Thanks to The English Association for allowing UKLA to reproduce the article.

Restor(y)ing Paintings

This article describes a project which began with an art gallery created in a nursery where over 90% of the children were bilingual speakers. Parents were invited to discuss the paintings with the children, create their own stories based on the pictures and record them in home languages. Finally the children and their parents visited the National Gallery where they shared their interpretations.Thanks to The English Association for allowing UKLA to reproduce the article.

UKLA Book Awards 2017 Shortlists

View the 2017 shortlists for ages 3-6, 7-11 and 12-16+

UKLA News Spring 2017

In this issue, international ambassadors, Desert Island Books and the Literacy at Transition Project.

​Working in Partnership with parents- creating multimodal stories in the Early Years.

With lots of practical examples, this article describes how children in nursery settings, many from Minority Ethnic Groups, some who experienced difficulties with learning, worked alongside their parents and other family members to create their own multimodal storybooks. The stories were translated into twelve different languages for sharing at home. Thanks to the English Association for allowing UKLA to reproduce the article.

Cambridge Primary Review Trust:The Digital Age and its Implications for Learning and Teaching

In July 2016 the CPRT published their 7th Research Briefing and Report papers entitled: The Digital Age and its Implications for Learning and Teaching in the Primary School. The report and the summary found within the research briefing, written by Professor Cathy Burnett provide a substantial but necessarily selective survey of research related to children’s lives in the digital age within and beyond school. Please access the resources here and here or download the pdfs on the right.Thanks to the CPRT for giving UKLA permission to share these resources.

A Visit to City Farm

In this popular series, the published Book for Keeps review of A Visit to City Farm is combined with a summary of the key themes in the book, some teaching ideas, and connections to other stories that teachers may find useful.

Young News Readers: Critical Media Literacy

This Key Stage Two and Three teaching resource is premised on the concept that how we read is as important as what we read. Young people today live in a world where they are bombarded by print and non-print texts, all of which implicitly or explicitly present perspectives on race, gender, class, as well as many social, political and economic issues. This resource draws on Freebody and Luke’s Four Resources Model (1990) to teach children and young people not to uncritically conform in their personal lives, but at a societal level as well. These skills and dispositions are what literacy scholar and educator Allan Luke (2009) refers to as ‘a new basic’ for navigating our text and media-saturated world.

UKLA response to the consultation initiated by Education Committee Primary Assessment Inquiry 2016

The following is the response of The United Kingdom Literacy Association (UKLA) to the consultation initiated by the Education Committee Primary Assessment Inquiry 2016.

UKLA News Autumn 2016

In this issue, International Ambassadors, Daniel Hahn’s Desert Island Books and the 2016 Book Awards.

The Best Medicine

In this popular series, the published Book for Keeps review of the challenging young adult novel The Best Medicine is combined with a summary of the key themes in the book, some teaching ideas, and connections to other stories that teachers may find useful.

Harold Rosen Lecture 2016: “Who’ll tell the story?”

Who’ll tell the story? Why teaching and researching narratives still matters. This presentation will re-visit some of Harold Rosen’s powerful arguments in The Dramatic Mode (1980) and Stories and Meanings (1985) about why it matters that young people both create their own narratives in the classroom and engage with other people’s narratives as well.

UKLA Book Awards 2017 Longlists

The UKLA Selection Panel, chaired by Lynda Graham, whittled down the 398 publisher submissions to arrive at a set of longlists, which excitingly feature books in translation, nonfiction titles, poetry and debut authors as well as established and familiar names in children’s literature. Read the longlists and longlist book blurbs for each book.

UKLA Book Award Winners 2016

The unique UKLA Book Awards are the only awards judged entirely by teachers, who are able to share the books with their classes and genuinely discover what works with young readers.

Validity and sensitivity of the phonics screening check: implications of practice

UKLA / Wiley-Blackwell Research in Literacy Education Award: Award Winner – Journal of Research in Reading 2016.

UKLA News Summer 2016

In this issue, putting the spark back into spelling, Literacy Volunteers and UKLA Awards 2016

UKLA Book Award 2016 Shortlists

View the 2016 shortlists for ages 3-6, 7-11 and 12-16+

UKLA News Spring 2016

In this issue, UKLA remembers Sally Yates, celebrating Michael Rosen and Love Literacy this Valentine’s Day.

The impact of an IMPACT pamphlet: on decoding synthetic phonics

Whose knowledge counts in Government literacy policies and at what cost?

To read or not to read: decoding Synthetic Phonics

UKLA/ Wiley-Blackwell Research in Literacy Education Award 2016 shortlist

Congratulations to all authors shortlisted for the 2016 Academic Book Award UKLA Wiley-Blackwell Research in Literacy Education award 2016!

Curriculum and Assessment in English 3 to 19: A Better Plan

CLPE, NAAE, NATE and UKLA have come together to make a common statement about the curriculum and assessment in English across the whole school age-range. This statement is made up of 6 PDFs available to download.

Promoting Reading for Pleasure

A specially commissioned resource designed to support parents and carers as they help their children to enjoy reading. Written by UKLA member Polly Atkinson, a highly experienced literacy educator based in school. While they are designed for parents and carers, you may find them helpful for discussion with teacher colleagues, student teachers and other practitioners.

UKLA Academic Book Award 2016 shortlist

Congratulations to all authors shortlisted for the 2016 Academic Book Award

UKLA Academic Book Award 2015 shortlist

Publishers submitted an unprecedented number of books for the prestigious UKLA Academic Book Award 2015. The panel- teachers, consultants, librarians and HE tutors- discussed a strong field of entries from a range of academic publishers. After much debate, seven titles were chosen for the shortlist.

UKLA Academic Book Award 2013 shortlist

Congratulations to the authors who were shortlisted in the 2013 Academic Book Award.

UKLA Book Award 2015 Winners

The unique UKLA Book Awards are the only awards judged entirely by teachers, who are able to share the books with their classes and genuinely discover what works with young readers.

Moving Literacy On

An evaluation of the BFI Lead Practitioner Scheme for moving image media literacy.

UKLA Book Award 2014 Winners

The unique UKLA Book Awards are the only awards judged entirely by teachers, who are able to share the books with their classes and genuinely discover what works with young readers

UKLA Book Award 2013 Winners

The unique UKLA Book Awards are the only awards judged entirely by teachers, who are able to share the books with their classes and genuinely discover what works with young readers.

UKLA Book Award 2012 Winners

The unique UKLA Book Awards are the only awards judged entirely by teachers, who are able to share the books with their classes and genuinely discover what works with young readers.

UKLA Book Award 2011 Winners

The unique UKLA Book Awards are the only awards judged entirely by teachers, who are able to share the books with their classes and genuinely discover what works with young readers.

UKLA Book Award 2010 Winners

The unique UKLA Book Awards are the only awards judged entirely by teachers, who are able to share the books with their classes and genuinely discover what works with young readers.

UKLA Book Award 2009 Winners

The unique UKLA Book Awards are the only awards judged entirely by teachers, who are able to share the books with their classes and genuinely discover what works with young readers.

UKLA Book Award 2008 Winners

The unique UKLA Book Awards are the only awards judged entirely by teachers, who are able to share the books with their classes and genuinely discover what works with young readers.

Impressions, improvisations and compositions: reframing children’s text production in social…

UKLA / Wiley-Blackwell Research in Literacy Education Award Winner – Literacy 2010.
This paper draws from a current research project that is exploring three pre-teenage children’s text production in social networking sites.

Teachers are digikids too: the digital histories and digital lives of young teachers in English

Teachers are digikids too: the digital histories and digital lives of young teachers in English primary schools.

Flexibility in young second-language learners: examining the language specificity of orthographic…

UKLA / Wiley-Blackwell Research in Literacy Education Award: Award Winner – Journal of Research in Reading 2010

Children’s inference generation across different media

UKLA / Wiley-Blackwell Research in Literacy Education Award: Award Winner – Journal of Research in Reading 2009.
This paper investigated the degree to which children’s inference generation ability generalises across different media and predicts narrative comprehension over and above basic language skills and vocabulary.

Deriving word meanings from context: does explanation facilitate contextual analysis?

UKLA / Wiley-Blackwell Research in Literacy Education Award: Award Winner – Journal of Research in Reading 2008.

Reasons for reading: why literature matters

Taking as its starting point a selection of surveys and policy documents before moving to consider views from theorists, writers and young readers, this article seeks to stimulate debate about why reading literature as part of the curriculum still matters.

Grounded literacies: the power of listening to, telling and performing community stories

UKLA / Wiley-Blackwell Research in Literacy Education Award: Award Winner – Literacy 2011.
This article offers an analysis of community arts to develop an argument about the power of vernacular literacies.

Parent–child reading in English as a second language: Effects on language and literacy development..

UKLA / Wiley-Blackwell Research in Literacy Education Award: Award Winner – Journal of Research in Reading 2011.
This paper highlights the potential benefits of English parent–child reading and dialogic reading on children learning English as a second language.

Policy and the search for explanations for the gender gap in literacy attainment

UKLA / Wiley-Blackwell Research in Literacy Education Award: Award Winner – Literacy 2012.
This paper considers how policy-led processes of education reform have reshaped the space in which to think about gender and literacy.

Cross-linguistic transfer of oral language, decoding, phonological awareness and reading…

Cross-linguistic transfer of oral language, decoding, phonological awareness and reading comprehension: a meta-analysis of the correlational evidence.
UKLA / Wiley-Blackwell Research in Literacy Education Award: Award Winner – Journal of Research in Reading 2012.
This paper is a meta-analysis of cross-linguistic transfer of oral language (vocabulary and listening comprehension), phonology (decoding and phonological awareness) and reading comprehension.

UKLA’s response to DfE consultation

We are pleased to make UKLA’s response to the consultation on ‘Primary assessment and accountability under the new national curriculum’ available. Our response was informed by members’ views at a consultation meeting on 14th September 2013. Many thanks to all who participated in this process.

UKLA Response to the Consultation on Teacher Professional Development

This consultation concerns the previous government’s proposals for teacher professional development in England and focuses on: Improving the quality of professional development and learning undertaken by all teachers; and Facilitating the establishment of a new independent professional body for teaching (a “College of Teaching”).

Open Letter concerning the ‘phonics check’ for six year olds in English primary schools

Letter sent to the Secretary of State, 20th June 2014

Curriculum review and planning tool

The review and planning tool will help providers to support the development of a school curriculum as well as the English curriculum. The review format means that the materials can be used by tutors, schools, groups of schools or individuals as a means of identifying strengths and areas for attention and development.

Harold Rosen Lecture 2015: Investigating the language of learning

This presentation will consider some important lines of inquiry bearing on talk and learning in classrooms before going on to look at how the language of neuroscience is permeating education and potentially changing our understanding of learning and the learner.

Harold Rosen Lecture 2013: Deciphering landscapes of reading

Drawing on comparative analysis of different familial circumstances as well as recent research in the learning sciences, Heath helps educators and policymakers rethink their roles in the future of reading for young learners.

Harold Rosen Lecture 2014: Revisiting the power of narrative – Presentation

In the context of UKLA’s 50th anniversary and in recognition of Harold Rosen’s rich contribution within the period, this memorial lecture will revisit the ‘irrepressible genre’ of narrative (Rosen, 1984), re-examining its potency as a fundamental mode of thought (Bruner, 1986) an organisational device that enables us to order experience, real and imagined and a space to play and co-create.

Teachers as Readers: Building Communities of Readers – Research projects, resources and evaluations

This UKLA project was planned in response to recurring evidence that suggests children in England continue to read less independently and find less pleasure in reading than many of their peers in other countries (Twist et al., 2003; 2007).

Couldn’t read, couldn’t write, we knew we were rubbish but you should see our work now! Part 2

In the second part of this series, the literacy journeys of two pupils with challenging behaviour are considered with a particular emphasis on the importance of the pupil’s voice and the use of ICT in providing ways into learning. The article concludes with reflections from both the pupils and the author.Thanks to the English Association for allowing UKLA to reproduce the article.

Contemporary approaches to classic text – H.G Wells’ War of the Worlds

Gill Robins outlines the elaborate project she undertook to read a classic novel by moving away from the single subject discipline and creating a scenario that engaged and enthused children. It also gave them choices, which produced a strong engagement with contemporary media rather than written language. She concludes by asking the question: was it a success?Thanks to the English Association for allowing UKLA to reproduce the article.

Contemporary approaches to classic text – William Shakespeare’s Macbeth

Shakespeare is increasingly studied in primary schools, and Gill Robins shows how a contemporary approach is a rich experience of communication in many forms, providing an introduction to the subject that enhances children’s experience when meeting Shakespeare as a set text in Year 7.Thanks to the English Association for allowing UKLA to reproduce the article.

Contemporary approaches to classic text – Beowulf

Gill Robins explores the Anglo-Saxon epic ‘Beowulf’ with a class of Year 5 children. Describing how exploratory talk lays the foundation of the project, she goes on to evaluate the children’s multi-media responses to a timeless tale of good and evil. The article concludes with a reflection on the quality and value of the learning which these projects have prompted.

Thanks to the English Association for allowing UKLA to reproduce the article.

Investigating the use of film to improve children’s literacy skills

As part of an action research project jointly organised by the BFI and CLPE, Annette Johnson focuses on how the use of film can inspire and develop children’s speaking, listening and writing skills. This leads her to ask questions about the links between film, auditory learning and developing children’s writing.Thanks to the English Association for allowing UKLA to reproduce the article.

UKLA News Summer 2015

In this issue, the power of story, Chatterbooks project and the Lovereading4schools scheme.

UKLA News Spring 2015

In this issue, review of the National Conference Cardiff, 2015 Academic Book Award shortlist and research that makes a difference.

UKLA News Autumn 2015

In this issue, review of the 51st International Conference, Desert Island Books and remembering Henry Pearson.

UKLA News Summer 2014

In this issue, 50 years of UKLA, Desert Island Books and the importance of Children’s Literature.

UKLA News Autumn 2014

In this issue, 50th International Conference, Professional Development activities and new publications.

UKLA News Spring 2013

In this issue, Children’s Literature in ITE SIG, UKLA Book Awards and focus on reading.

UKLA News Autumn 2013

In this issue, obituary for Jessie Reid, review of the 49th International Conference and UKLA Awards 2013.

UKLA News Summer 2012

In this issue, Conference Reports, Caribbean Poetry Project and obituary for DR L J Chapman.

UKLA News Spring 2012

In this issue, Campaign Against the Phonics Test, Poetry with Tony Mitton and UKLA’s new Professional Development series.

UKLA News Autumn 2012

In this issue, review of UKLA’s 48th International Conference, Book Awards and Desert Island Books.

UKLA News Summer 2011

In this issue, books to support the writing of poetry, Awards shortlists and Greg Brooks: Activities and Accolades.

UKLA News Spring 2011

In this issue, tributes to past members, Poetry Matters seminar series and Desert Island Books.

UKLA News Autumn 2011

In this issue, review of UKLA’s 47th International Conference, 2011 Award Winners and book reviews.

UKLA News Summer 2010

In this issue, UKLA’s Agenda for Action, new books and UKLA Across the UK.

UKLA News Spring 2010

In this issue, news from UKLA Special Interest Groups, Perform-a-Poem website for children and books to support writing.

UKLA News Autumn 2010

In this issue, information for the UKLA International Research Symposium, review of the UKLA 46th International conference held in Winchester and 2010 Award winners.

Conceptualisations of literacy and literacy practices for children with severe learning difficulties

UKLA / Wiley-Blackwell Research in Literacy Education Award: Award Winner – Literacy 2013.
This article argues for literacy as a specific form of communication, but concludes that broader models of literacies should be utilised to guide and support practitioners in developing interactive practice and in making reasoned and principled approaches and decisions about literacy practices, routes and progression for children with SLD.

Impact of early code-skill and oral-comprehension training on reading achievement in first grade

UKLA / Wiley-Blackwell Research in Literacy Education Award: Award Winner – Journal of Research in Reading 2013.

What counts as reading? PIRLS, EastEnders and The Man on the Flying Trapeze

UKLA / Wiley-Blackwell Research in Literacy Education Award: Award winner – Literacy 2014.
This article examines two unofficial reading activities in a class of 10–11-year-olds’ to see how far these activities match up with the official definitions of reading, or whether they involve a different kind of interaction with text.

Reviewing evidence-based practice for pupils with dyslexia and literacy difficulties

UKLA / Wiley-Blackwell Research in Literacy Education Award: Award Winner – Journal of Research in Reading 2014.
This paper considers three single-case studies as a source of evidence providing useful insights into the type of assessment needed to inform the planning of highly individualised intervention programmes for pupils with severe and persisting literacy difficulties.

Guided reading: young pupils’ perspectives on classroom practice

UKLA / Wiley-Blackwell Research in Literacy Education Award: Highly Commended – Literacy 2015.
Guided reading is widely perceived to be tricky in English primary schools; prior research has found difficulties with teacher interpretation and implementation. This study suggests that to understand the problems associated with it we should also take into account pupils’ perspectives on their guided reading lessons.

“How people read and write and they don’t even notice”

“How people read and write and they don’t even notice”: everyday lives and literacies on a Midlands council estate. UKLA / Wiley-Blackwell Research in Literacy Education Award: Award Winner – Literacy 2014.

UKLA Book Award 2015 Shortlists

View the 2015 shortlists for ages 3-6, 7-11 and 12-16+

UKLA Book Award 2015 Longlists

View the 2015 longlists for ages 3-6, 7-11 and 12-16+ and the longlist book blurbs

UKLA Book Award 2014 Shortlists

View the 2014 shortlists for ages 3-6, 7-11 and 12-16+

UKLA Book Award 2014 Longlists

View the 2015 longlists for ages 3-6, 7-11 and 12-16+

UKLA Book Award 2013 Shortlists

View the 2013 shortlists for ages 3-6, 7-11 and 12-16+

UKLA Book Awards 2013 Longlists

View the 2013 longlists for ages 3-6, 7-11 and 12-16+

UKLA Book Award 2012 Shortlists

View the 2012 shortlists for ages 3-6, 7-11 and 12-16+

UKLA Book Award 2012 Longlists

View the 2012 longlists for ages 3-6, 7-11 and 12-16+

UKLA Book Award 2011 Shortlists

View the 2011 shortlists for ages 3-11 and 12-16+

UKLA Book Award 2011 Longlists

View the 2011 longlists for ages 3-11 and 12-16+

UKLA Book Award 2010 Shortlists

View the 2010 shortlists for ages 3-11 and 12-16+

UKLA Book Award 2010 Longlists

View the 2010 longlists for ages 3-11 and 12-16+

UKLA Book Award 2016 Longlists

The UKLA Selection Panel, chaired by Lynda Graham, whittled down the 320 publisher submissions to arrive at a set of titles which once again feature books in translation, exciting debut authors as well as established and familiar names.

Further critiques of the phonics test

Under the Freedom of Information Act, Margaret Clark has discovered the costs for the phonics test and the phonics ‘catalogue’ offer to schools.
Download her articles ‘Whose knowledge counts in Government literacy policies and at what cost?’ from Education Journal 186 and ‘The impact of an IMPACT pamphlet: on decoding synthetic phonics’ from Education Journal 188 below, as well and the IMPACT pamphlet on decoding synthetic phonics by Andrew Davis.
Our thanks to Demitri Coryton for permission to publish these.

Phonics check concerns and critiques of the phonics test

Professor Margaret M Clarke OBE questions aspects of the phonics check. She has analysed the results and implications of the phonics check required of all children at the end of Year 1 in England since 2012. Under the Freedom of Information Act, Professor Clarke has discovered the costs for the phonics test and the phonics ‘catalogue’ offer to schools. Thanks to Demitri Coryton for permission to publish these articles.

Case study of Amelia, a five-year-old reader who enjoys reading at home

Case study of Amelia, a five-year-old reader who enjoys reading at home by Felicity Holt-Goldsmith, PGCE student, Canterbury Christ Church University.

Case study of Charlotte – a four year old reader with special educational needs

Case study of Charlotte, a four year old girl with special educational needs by Jade Corby, PGCE student, Canterbury Christ Church University.

Case study of Charlotte – a four year old reader with special educational needs

Case study of Charlotte, a four year old girl with special educational needs by Jade Corby, PGCE student, Canterbury Christ Church University.

Case study of Tom – a seven year old confident reader

This case study is by Amy Godman, PGCE student, Canterbury Christ Church University.

Case study of J – a ten year-old reluctant reader

Case study of J a ten year-old reluctant reader. Written by Serena Corps, student at the University of Roehampton.

Case study of M – an engaged and enthusiastic seven-year-old reader

Case study of M an engaged and enthusiastic seven-year-old reader. Written by Dave Downey, student at the University of Roehampton.

Case study of O – a six year-old reluctant reader

Case study of O – a six year-old reluctant reader. Written by Liz Green, student at the University of Roehampton.

The Pet Person

In this popular series, the published Book for Keeps review of the featured story is combined with a summary of the key themes in the book, some teaching ideas, and connections to other stories that teachers may find useful.

The Lost Happy Endings

In this popular series, the published Book for Keeps review of the featured story is combined with a summary of the key themes in the book, some teaching ideas, and connections to other stories that teachers may find useful.

Ernest and Celestine

In this popular series, the published Book for Keeps review of the featured story is combined with a summary of the key themes in the book, some teaching ideas, and connections to other stories that teachers may find useful.

Blood Family

In this popular series, the published Book for Keeps review of the featured story is combined with a summary of the key themes in the book, some teaching ideas, and connections to other stories that teachers may find useful.

Puss Jekyll Cat Hyde

In this popular series, the published Book for Keeps review of the featured story is combined with a summary of the key themes in the book, some teaching ideas, and connections to other stories that teachers may find useful.

Good Dog, Bad Dog

In this popular series, the published Book for Keeps review of the featured story is combined with a summary of the key themes in the book, some teaching ideas, and connections to other stories that teachers may find useful.

Sky Hawk

In this popular series, the published Book for Keeps review of the featured story is combined with a summary of the key themes in the book, some teaching ideas, and connections to other stories that teachers may find useful.

The Last Tiger

In this popular series, the published Book for Keeps review of the featured story is combined with a summary of the key themes in the book, some teaching ideas, and connections to other stories that teachers may find useful.

Good Little Wolf

In this popular series, the published Book for Keeps review of the featured story is combined with a summary of the key themes in the book, some teaching ideas, and connections to other stories that teachers may find useful.

Review of the Cool Web edited by Margaret Meek, Aidan Warlow, Griselda Barton

UKLA has published several reviews of tried and tested books. These aren’t new publications but books which members recommend as practical and accessible.

Review of Multiliteracies: Literacy Learning and the Design of Social Futures by Cope & Kalantzis

UKLA has published several reviews of tried and tested books. These aren’t new publications but books which members recommend as practical and accessible.

Review of Writing and the Writer by Frank Smith

UKLA has published several reviews of tried and tested books. These aren’t new publications but books which members recommend as practical and accessible.

Review of How Texts Teach What Readers Learn by Margaret Meek

UKLA has published several reviews of tried and tested books. These aren’t new publications but books which members recommend as practical and accessible.

Review of On Being Literate by Margaret Meek

UKLA has published several reviews of tried and tested books. These aren’t new publications but books which members recommend as practical and accessible.

Review of To Rhyme Or Not To Rhyme? Teaching Children to Write Poetry by Sandy Brownjohn

UKLA has published several reviews of tried and tested books. These aren’t new publications but books which members recommend as practical and accessible.

Review: Understanding Phonics and the Teaching of Reading: Critical Perspectives – Goouch & Lambirth

UKLA has published several reviews of tried and tested books. These aren’t new publications but books which members recommend as practical and accessible.

Review of None but our Words: Critical Literacy in Classroom and Community by Chris Searle

UKLA has published several reviews of tried and tested books. These aren’t new publications but books which members recommend as practical and accessible.

Review of Inquiry into Meaning: an investigation of learning to read (Revised Edition)

UKLA has published several reviews of tried and tested books. These aren’t new publications but books which members recommend as practical and accessible.

Review of Communication, Language and Literacy from Birth to Five by Avril Brock and Carolynn Rankin

UKLA has published several reviews of tried and tested books. These aren’t new publications but books which members recommend as practical and accessible.

Review of Multilingual Learning by Jean Conteh, Peter Martin and Leena Helavaara Robertson (eds)

UKLA has published several reviews of tried and tested books. These aren’t new publications but books which members recommend as practical and accessible.

Review of Acts of Reading: Teaching, text and childhood Edited by Morag Styles and Evelyn Arizpe

UKLA has published several reviews of tried and tested books. These aren’t new publications but books which members recommend as practical and accessible.

Review of Understanding Children’s Books – a Guide for Literacy Professionals by Prue Goodwin

UKLA has published several reviews of tried and tested books. These aren’t new publications but books which members recommend as practical and accessible.

Review of the Really Useful Literacy Book by Tony Martin, Chira Lovat and Glynis Purnell

UKLA has published several reviews of tried and tested books. These aren’t new publications but books which members recommend as practical and accessible.

Review of Visual Approaches to Teaching Writing by Eve Bearne and Helen Wolstencroft

UKLA has published several reviews of tried and tested books. These aren’t new publications but books which members recommend as practical and accessible.

Review of Exploring Children’s Literature by Nikki Gamble and Sally Yates

UKLA has published several reviews of tried and tested books. These aren’t new publications but books which members recommend as practical and accessible.

Encouraging and supporting reading in primary schools in England: the next steps

This article is based on four recent sources of information: The Westminster Education Forum Keynote Seminar, oral evidence from the Education Select Committee, a funding initiative by DfE to schools that excel in phonics teaching to become phonics partners and a new action plan to help improve reading standards in primary schools, announced by School Reform Minister Nick Gibb to mark World Book Day (5/3/15).

An Evidence-based Critique of Synthetic Phonics in Literacy Learning

Since 2006, synthetic phonics has become the required method of teaching reading in primary schools in England. Since 2012 a phonics check has been administered to all children in Year 1 and again in Year 2 to any who fail to reach the pass mark.

UKLA Minibook extract: Talk for Spelling

This is an extract from Tony Martin’s UKLA Minibook Talk for Spelling.

UKLA book extract: Bringing the Outside In

This paper originally appeared as a chapter in the UKLA book Connecting, Creating: New ideas in teaching writing edited by Susan Ellis and Colin Mills and published in 2002. The book is now out of print but some of the chapters have been revised and updated as part of a new series of downloadable papers for members of UKLA.

Battle Bunny by Jon Scieszka

In this popular series, the published Books for Keeps review of the featured story is combined with a summary of the key themes in the book, some teaching ideas, and connections to other stories that teachers may find useful.

David Almond

Helping children to develop a love of reading is always a priority for teachers. In this series of author studies we aim to provide rich insights into the worlds and work of some popular children’s authors.

Reading and Writing Fact Cards: Professional Development Activities

UKLA has published key professional development activities to support the popular reading and writing fact cards. The activities are designed to support professional development in schools and will be invaluable to literacy leaders in running training and staff meetings. You can download cards on a range of topics, including Grammar, Spelling, Puncuation and Working with stories.

Good Books for Great Readers

At the end of a workshop session on children’s books at the UKLA International Conference 2014, colleagues each contributed one ‘must read’ title to a list. Here is the list, with thanks to all who helped create it.

Jacqueline Wilson

Helping children to develop a love of reading is always a priority for teachers. In this series of author studies we aim to provide rich insights into the worlds and work of some popular children’s authors.

Michael Morpurgo

Helping children to develop a love of reading is always a priority for teachers. In this series of author studies we aim to provide rich insights into the worlds and work of some popular children’s authors.

Cressida Cowell

Helping children to develop a love of reading is always a priority for teachers. In this series of author studies we aim to provide rich insights into the worlds and work of some popular children’s authors.

Neil Gaiman

Helping children to develop a love of reading is always a priority for teachers. In this series of author studies we aim to provide rich insights into the worlds and work of some popular children’s authors.

Disjunct adverbials and conjunct adverbials

Completing his series of ideas for teaching children how language works, this article looks at adverbials and how they can convey attitude.

Subordinate clauses

Continuing his series of ideas for teaching children how language works, this resource features three articles continuing discussion regarding how clauses are constructed.

Joining Sentences

Continuing his series of ideas for teaching children how language works, Jim Crinson shows how children can enjoy playing with clauses and connectives.

Prepositional Phrase 2

Continuing his series of ideas for teaching children how language works, Jim Crinson takes another look at the prepositional phrase and the fun children can have playing with language.

The Prepositional Phrase

In this article, Jim Crinson prepares the way for moving on from noun phrases and verb phrases to a new kind of ‘language chunk’.

The verb phrase: passives

The National Literacy Strategy suggests that children should be introduced to passives in Y6. However, Jim Crinson feels there should only be limited work on them in primary school.

The verb phrase – past, present and future.

Continuing his series of ideas for teaching children how language works, Jim Crinson suggests investigating verb phrases is not only fascinating, but will help children avoid making mistakes of tense in writing.

Inside the verb-phrase

Continuing his series of ideas for teaching children how language works, Jim Crinson gets inside the verb phrase.

Verb Phrases

Continuing his series of ideas for teaching children how language works, this article looks at the sentence and how they are split into subject and predicate.

Noun Phrases: Part 3

In the third part of this series, Jim Crinson offers more ideas for teaching children about grammar in the context of their own reading and writing. Here, he extends his investigation into noun phrases and how they can be modified.

Noun Phrases: Part 2

Jim Crinson offers more ideas for teaching children about grammar in the context of their own reading and writing. Here, he extends his investigation into noun phrases to consider one of their most important components.

Alone and at home with books

With an emphasis on reading for pleasure, Andrew Lambirth and Helen Nokes describe Year 2 children sharing and discussing books independently.

Noun Phrases: Part 1

Jim Crinson starts a major new series on how to respond to the current pressure to teach grammar, whilst ensuring that this is done in the context of children’s own reading and writing.

Beyond British boundaries

In this article, Cathie Holden and Tatiana Wilson describe an international project introducing children to picturebooks from Europe.

A Community of Readers

This article focuses on reading at Key Stage 2 – Elizabeth Broad writes about reading novels.

Critical Reading of Magazines: Free resources from Egmont

These teaching materials will develop the critical reading of magazines in KS2 classrooms (although we feel they would be of interest in KS3 and ITE as well).

The power of a text revisted

Gary Crew’s compelling and complex picturebook The Watertower features in this article which suggest ways of reading picturebooks with older readers.

Year 6 pupils have a weird experience

Gary Crew’s compelling and complex picturebook The Watertower features in this article which suggest ways of reading picturebooks with older readers.

Environmentally educational entertainment

This article is about using films in the primary school. David Whitley explores the links between nature and texts.

Wordsworth and the need to save the planet

This article is about teaching Wordsworth in the secondary school. David Whitley explores the links between nature and texts.

Fathers as role models for reading

This is a useful article about fathers as role models for reading. This project began some time ago and Caroline has added an update showing that the work is still relevant and helps children get into reading with pleasure.