This module is developed in conjunction with highly regarded educator and author Doug Lemov. Its aim is to develop teachers’ knowledge and practice in building 'writing intensive classrooms' where writing is more prevalent and takes a wider variety of forms, especially 'low stakes' writing designed to develop students’ ability to and comfort with thinking in writing. As does much of Lemov's work, the module focuses on techniques derived from current practitioners, as well as the application of ideas from cognitive science.
Students of this module will study reviews into teaching strategies in a variety of countries and across age ranges and ability groups as well as contemporary authors regarding effective methodologies for teaching and supporting writing. These include syntactic control, grammar instruction, sentence expansion, formative and summative writing and the importance of revision versus editing.
It is designed to enable teachers to focus on their work as practitioners, embedding studied techniques, and to critically reflect on and evaluate their efficacy in the classroom and in relation to the research studied including a range of arguments and counter argument. It is assessed by means of submitted reflective writing on implementation and impact of studied techniques and by an assignment synthesising research and advocating for policy change as appropriate in school.
- Lecturer: Bethany Kelly