Ex- Primary Tchr Cambridge & Durham Unis (Hon Fellow) Philosophy of Ed Ed research Early reading Primary Maths Ed https://xitter.cf/t.co/nqy1LehBil
Joined December 2013
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Introduction to my novel Planet Meno: The Origin of Species published February 21st 2025 youtu.be/L9mZrTI2RR0?si=Wwwk…
The fact that students, especially from 12 upwards may well learn from an adult delivering a script of some kind does not imply that the adult is teaching worthy of the name. True teaching means taking account of student responses during the lesson, thus departing from any script
A letter sequence considered only as such is not a word. In that sense, "dog" isn't a word. But because it is used to write a sound heard in speech, whose meaning as a word is established by both speech and text conventions-in this case, those of English, it can identify a word.
and further back, there's some superb analysis of such teaching across primary schools in 5 countries. Culture and Pedagogy: International Comparisons in Primary Education amazon.co.uk/Culture-Pedagog…
And I've always valued and loved this from C S Lewis's advice to a young writer:
"Write and read for the ear: Hear every sentence aloud as if spoken to a listener; if the rhythm or sound is awkward, rewrite it."
Sorry to hear about this & for all those affected. But I just wanted to say that in Sept 2025 I was in the University Hospital of North Durham with sepsis which had developed suddenly. Doctors & nurses treated me with great professionalism and kindness. I'm still here. Thankyou!
In any case, whatever the empirical research allegedly says about oracy in all the multiplicity of its possible interpretations, surely space for oracy in the school classroom is a *moral* imperative. Students are human beings rather than speechless passive sponges.
Given the phenomena of multiple realisation and neural re-use, the idea that 'different parts of the brain' are involved in speaking and writing may not be scientifically valid.
Yes.. of course.. oracy difficult to assess reliably so push it back where it belongs, in the shadows. & while you're doing it, make out that you've no idea what it is, really, whereas you're so sure about what it is to know and understand stuff-& that's all memory, of course.
promoting "inquiry-based learning over explicit instruction" resembles
dessicated swimming baths over carnivorous platonism
muscular refuse over odoriferous Christianity
sardonic apple crumble over ontological cricket
So it all makes sense. Long may intelligent debate continue!
Parents of 15 year old grandson with severe cognitive impairment, no language, incontinent have limited respite 40 mins drive away. Council takes him from his special school. But council stops transport when he's 16 in Feb. Parents can't replace transport. So what can they do?
So if being English is a matter of ethnicity..
Who on earth are the 'we' in claims that 'we' were never consulted about immigration, and why should such a 'we' think they have any exclusive moral or political authority here? 1/2
Ofsted's 'contestable policies'. This is still relevant, and a taster for the related open access academic paper: youtu.be/YtD4JK7O6lA?si=N0tL…
Tolkien said his creations could be wonderful in the sight of God because as 'subcreations' they mirrored divine activity. Maybe some time in the future a scientist who helped create an AI with true sentience, consciousness and reason could be 'subcreating' in Tolkien's sense.
If you say that AI cannot originate true art, you have *already* decided that AI can never achieve personhood with consciousness and rights. That may be very obviously true at present, but to further assume that it will never happen is pitting dogma against future science.
Why on earth would anyone think ethnicity important? Any more than thinking you should be 'rated' according to your height, freckles, ginger hair, symmetry of teeth, accent or wheelchair user? The only motivation for this that looks as if it's playing a role is toxic racism.