featured article
Mindfulness and English Teaching
Is English a mindful subject? How can mindfulness help English teachers teach their subject? This article explores these issues, arguing that mindful awareness of the present moment can assist teachers, and help learners appreciate the qualities of literature.
free audiobook
My Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde Audio Book is out now: free copies available!
I am delighted that the audio version of my analysis & study guide on Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde is now available on Audible, Amazon and iTunes. I firmly believe it’s the best audio version of the novel there is (thanks to actor and voice artist Richard J. Bunn).
Best practices
Reading pedagogies
How reading can be best taught by English teachers.
Riding the Reciprocal Teaching Bus A teacher’s reflections on nurturing collaborative learning in a school culture obsessed by results
My interactions with the teaching strategy known as Reciprocal Teaching (aka Reciprocal Reading), which involves students learning to read collaboratively in small groups. Students teach each other by following a rubric of activities that are aimed at primarily improving their comprehension skills.
Writing pedagogies
Writing can be a great learning tool, not a burden for teachers.
Review of Real-World Writers: A Handbook for Teaching Writing with 7-11 Year Olds by Ross Young and Felicity Ferguson
The ways in which writing for pleasure can be nurtured by teachers, with a specific focus upon English teachers. This is more than a simple review, because in my critique of the book, I outline a key element of effective writing pedagogy: namely that teachers themselves should be writers.