Collaborative Learning Pocketbook

' "I really like it when we can talk in class," says Kelly in Year 8, grinning from ear to ear when I suggest a group activity on a grey Monday morning. Although I suspect that she might like it for the wrong reasons, I know that there is a lot for her - and the other 29 students in the class - to learn in a structured co-operative learning context.' Gael Luzet's Pocketbook about small group work focuses on how 'the power of more than one' can transform learning. Like all good teaching and learning strategies, successful collaborative learning relies on meticulous planning and careful delivery, both of which are discussed here. Ideas for basic collaborative activities are included as well as practical examples of how to use various high impact strategies in lessons. You begin to see what lies behind Vygotsky's words: 'The one who does the talking does the learning'. And assessing and evaluating? Process and product; individual and team contributions; formative and summative approaches - they're all covered.

There are more similarities than differences between girls and boys, but there are innate differences in how they think, feel, behave, communicate and learn. That said, not all boys and not all girls are the same. The challenge for education is to avoid gender stereotyping, while understanding and exploiting gender differences for better teaching and learning. Ian smith argues that by letting boys be boys and girls be girls we can help them become successful learners who will mature into confident adults, comfortable with themselves and with others. He covers how to motivate both boys and girls through a combination of challenge and support; how to connect with both genders; how to create a structured environment that will work for girls and for boys; how to actively involve both in their own learning; how to give effective feedback; and whether boys and girls should be taught separately or together. This is not another book that harps on about 'the problem with boys'; it takes a refreshing look at the broader picture and gives practical classroom advice.

'The mind is not a vessel to be filled but a fire to be kindled' (Plutarch). The trouble is that, as much as we believe those words, we're sometimes under such pressure to 'deliver' that we're tricked into the spoon-feeding shortcut. We then become trapped, with our pupils, in an unhealthy cycle where we do more and more of the work and they rely on us more and more heavily. The Independent Learning Pocketbook is about breaking that cycle and creating ambitious learners who are self-regulated, self-motivated, resourceful and resilient - learners with clear goals and direction and who use their initiative to achieve success. Peter Anstee draws on a variety of research, as well as first-hand classroom experience and observation, in this clear-sighted look at how to inspire and nurture the people you teach to become lifelong learners.

Good assessment focuses mainly on improvement and is used to support progress. It helps learners to know how well they have learned and provides feedback on how they can do better; it encourages learners to support and help each other; it builds self-motivation, self-confidence and self-reliance. Sound familiar? These are the principles of formative assessment. They're at the heart of the national Assessment for Learning initiative and they form the core of the "Assessment & Learning Pocketbook". You know the theory but how do you turn it into practice? That's where Ian Smith comes in. Let Ian explain the difference between formative and summative assessment. Let him walk you through writing and sharing learning intentions and success criteria; promoting high quality interaction in lessons, verbal and written feedback, self- and peer- assessment. You'll find classroom strategies and inspiring ideas galore. "Great book: I am hugely impressed by it. It is very accessible, easily read and full of practical tips and strategies which can be easily implemented. I am sure that teachers will be inspired by it." Linda Kirkwood, Rector, Oban High School

By adopting accelerated learning principles you can teach in a way that maximises your students' chances of reaching their potential. This pocketbook offers practical strategies and techniques that get results. After outlining the background to accelerated learning, Brin Best explains how to prepare your students for learning and how to create the right learning environment. A chapter on teaching strategies covers questioning techniques and styles of teaching and learning, with suggested activities helpfully linked to each of the multiple intelligences first identified by Howard Gardner. A detailed self-evaluation framework allows you to review and develop practice. To quote one head of science, "some books have a good idea every few pages; this one has a few good ideas on every page".

Teachers are responsible for shaping the connections inside learners' brains on a day-to-day basis, connections that will remain in place for the rest of those learners' lives. Understanding the science of learning in the brain is, therefore, a powerful way to inform teaching and have an impact on learning. Furthermore, research evidence shows that teaching children about how the brain learns can improve their motivation to learn. So, when education writer and former teacher Richard Churches got together with two neuroscientists and a group of teachers they saw an exciting opportunity to pool their expertise and explore how insight from neuroscience could translate into classroom practice. Learning & the Brain Pocketbook is full of accessible information about how the brain works, how it learns, how it memorises and how it develops. At every turn, the material is discussed in relation to the classroom. Numerous tips and strategies draw on the neuroscience to enhance and support what you do with your learners. Learning about the brain is fun - and it makes for great professional development.

Drama-based activities encourage high levels of cognitive activity; they're fun, they get everyone involved, and they foster creativity across the curriculum. Maybe you recognise drama as a powerful tool for learning but don't see how it applies to your subject/classroom? Possibly you've experimented with drama and would like to build on this, or perhaps you're waiting in the wings unsure how to make your debut? Enter the Drama for Learning Pocketbook with its wardrobe of techniques: drama games; exploring narrative, character and dilemmas; 'stylisation'; analogies; props and 'teacher in role'. Each chapter describes several different drama activities with a worked example of each followed by ideas banks suggesting applications right across the curriculum. Whether you're a primary or secondary specialist why not give Drama for Learning an audition? It could become the star of your show! Brian Radcliffe is also author of 40 Creative Ideas for using Drama in RE, a series of downloadable pdfs designed to engage pupils in the RE curriculum

Britain today is culturally and linguistically diverse. One in eight pupils in primary schools speaks a language other than English; in secondary schools, one in six. Over 200 languages are spoken in London schools. The EAL Pocketbook is for teachers of pupils learning English as an additional language, whether in rural or urban contexts. It provides tips, tools and techniques to ensure that all pupils can thrive in their learning. Author Alice Washbourne is a consultant EAL advisor. Her inclusive approach is modelled on 'the ladder to success' beginning with the learner's skills and strengths, building on these to make learning cognitively challenging, then providing scaffolding to support their move towards independent learning. Useful guidance for both novice and experienced practitioners. 'A bucket-load of good advice and practical ideas in a pocket-size book. These thoughtful insights translate easily into effective classroom practice' Sally Williams, Head of School, Myatt Garden Primary 'This book is full of crystal clear and practical strategies for teachers to use in class. It's easier to follow than not to... The strategies in this book will support teachers, raising not only EAL but all the students' attainment and achievement levels. Thank you Alice' Tuba Bauhofer, EAL Co-ordinator, Prendergast-Ladywell Fields College