The Leading, Language and Literature Podcast: Recent Episodes
Chris Jordan
In this episode, I’m talking to Eoin MacCarthaigh. This is the latest in a running series of conversations between Eoin and I, where we share 3 things each from the world of education that have been causing us some consideration.
We discuss:
- Attainment grouping in English
- The openness of teachers to professional feedback
- The big problems with assessment at Key Stage 3 or middle school
- The increasing pushback on teaching playbooks
- The relative importance of characterisation in fiction
If you want to be kept up to date on when educational chat like this happens, then be sure to subscribe to the podcast and/or follow me on X @chrisjordanhk and Eoin@EMCTeach
Additionally, if you would like a head start on learning how to prioritise your middle years English curriculum, head to the bottom of this podcast’s show notes or top of my stream on X to find a beta copy of my forthcoming book: Reinforcing Middle School English You can read as much as you want and even highlight elements that you like, dislike or find confusing to help make it better.
Links:
Beta version of Reinforcing Middle School English
The EEF report on ability grouping
In this episode I am talking to Tom Needham. Tom is an assistant headteacher in London, former Head of English and author of two fantastic books. His first, Explicit English Teaching, looks at how to take the findings of cognitive science and apply it to the secondary English classroom. And his second, Direct Instruction in Action, was my major motivation for getting in touch with him, as it breaks down the legendary work of Siegfried Engelmann and how highly technical curriculum frameworks can create foolproof learning for all students.
We discuss
- The distinctions between explicit instruction, direct instruction and Direct Instruction
- Tom’s experience working with off-the-shelf DI curricula
- The possibilities for Direct Instruction in secondary English
- And finally, what all this means for holistic curriculum design
Thanks again to Tom for speaking with me for the podcast but also writing two incredible books in the context of English teaching. These will no doubt garner more and more deserved attention in the coming years as the theory of Direct instruction gains greater attention in wider education circles.
If you’d like to be kept up to date on when chat like this happens, feel free to subscribe to the podcast and follow me on LinkedIn @chrisjordanhk or X @chrisjordanhk
Additionally, if you would like a head start on learning how to prioritise your middle years English curriculum, head to the bottom of this podcast’s show notes or top of my stream on X to find a beta copy of my forthcoming book: Reinforcing Middle School English You can read as much as you want and even highlight elements that you like, dislike or find confusing to help make it better.
Links:
Beta version of Reinforcing Middle School English
Tom’s book on Explicit English Teaching and Direct Instruction in Action
In this episode I am speaking with Doug Lemov. Doug is one of my all time teaching heroes and an incredible person in the world of education. He is the founder and leader of Teach Like a Champion, an organisation that studies exceptional teachers and translates their practice into replicable techniques. Most notably, these are shared via the Teach Like a Champion books which are now on their 3.0 version.
Whilst the TLAC books are an exceptional example of how to improve any teacher’s classroom instruction and curriculum design, Doug has also authored and co-authored the likes of Practice Perfect, The Coach’s Guide to Teaching, Teaching in the Online Classroom, Reading Reconsidered and The Teach Like a Champion Guide to the Science of Reading. It was on the topic of the last two books that I most wanted to speak to Doug. Reading and the associated knowledge students gain from it has always been of great importance within English, but this has never been more prevalent in the age of smartphones, the internet and its associated economy of attention.
We discuss
- What the biggest oversights English teachers might have about reading instruction
- Why solid advice, effectively communicated, isn’t enough to improve reading instruction in schools
- Any prerequisites an internal canon of literature should adhere to
- Why engaging with a contiguous, 300 page text is better than a unit filled with diverse extracts exploring a common theme
- And finally, when and how we release our level of control and encourage students to read more challenging books at home
Thank you so much to Doug for speaking with me and the legendary support he has given to teachers down the years with his team at Teach Like a Champion.
If you’d like to be kept up to date on when chat like this happens, feel free to subscribe to the podcast and follow me on LinkedIn @chrisjordanhk or X @chrisjordanhk
Additionally, if you would like a head start on learning how to prioritise your middle years English curriculum, head to the bottom of this podcast’s show notes or top of my stream on X to find a beta copy of my forthcoming book: Reinforcing Middle School English You can read as much as you want and even highlight elements that you like, dislike or find confusing to help make it better.
Links:
Beta version of Reinforcing Middle School English
Doug’s books
In this episode I am speaking to Dr. Claire Badger. Claire is the Head of Teacher Professional Development at InnerDrive, a UK-based education and coaching company that specialises in bridging the gap between cognitive science, psychology, and the classroom. She is also a former assistant head and now specialises in helping schools develop their evidence-informed practice.
Claire has also co-authored a book entitled Creativity for Teachers: A Cognitive Science Approach. It was this book and the discussion of creativity in schools that prompted me to contact Claire and arrange what proved to be a fantastic conversation.
We discuss:
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The varying definitions offered up by all sections of society regarding creativity and what it actually means in academic terms
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What different manifestations of creativity look like on a global, professional and educational level
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How knowledge and creativity are akin to the amount and type of lego blocks a child owns and what this, therefore, means for curriculum design
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How domain specific creativity is and whether it can be achieved through interdisciplinary projects
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What 'Legacy Projects' are what they require to be done well
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And finally, the extent to which we need to be planning with creative opportunities in mind and how much of it will come out naturally as a matter of teaching a knowledge-rich curriculum
Thanks again to Claire for taking the time to write the book and talk with me about it today. Creativity, as we discuss, is such a valuable and necessary part of everyone’s experience in education or their profession, so helping to dispel the myths from the meaningful evidence makes her work exceptionally useful.
If you’d like to be kept up to date on when chat like this happens, feel free to subscribe to the podcast and follow me on LinkedIn @chrisjordanhk or X @chrisjordanhk
Additionally, if you would like a head start on learning how to prioritise your middle years English curriculum, head to the bottom of this podcast’s show notes or top of my stream on X to find a beta copy of my forthcoming book: Reinforcing Middle School English You can read as much as you want and even highlight elements that you like, dislike or find confusing to help make it better.
Links:
Beta version of Reinforcing Middle School English
Claire’s book: Creativity for Teachers: A Cognitive Science Approach
In this episode I’m talking with Gaurav Dubay. Gaurav is a Trust Director of English and Evidence Lead in Education based in Birmingham, England. He is an active and passionate voice both online and in-person when it comes to enhancing all students outcomes through the Key Stage 3, literacy, oracy and much more.
I have followed Gaurav for a long time now but what prompted our chat was a post I recently wrote regarding the intersection between English disciplinary skills and the vast background knowledge that also needs to be understood for kids to access many texts. This prompted an exchange between Gaurav and I that has led to this week’s episode.
We discuss:
- Where Gaurav stands on recent advice to shift towards a concept-led curriculum in English
- Where he sees oracy playing a role in this or other forms of curriculum design
- How departments can supplement their curriculum with the vast background knowledge needed to make meaning from texts in language and literature
- And finally, Gaurav’s thoughts around AI implementation in the classroom and around the curriculum
Thanks again to Gaurav for taking the time to chat about all things English as well as all the fantastic sharing he has done over the years on X and beyond.
If you’d like to be kept up to date on when chat like this happens, feel free to subscribe to the podcast and follow me on LinkedIn @chrisjordanhk or X @chrisjordanhk
Additionally, if you would like a head start on learning how to prioritise your middle years English curriculum, head to the bottom of this podcast’s show notes or top of my stream on X to find a beta copy of my forthcoming and newly renamed book: Reinforcing Middle School English You can read as much as you want and even highlight elements that you like, dislike or find confusing to help make it better.
Links:
Beta version of Reinforcing Middle School English
In this episode, I’m explaining What I Learnt From: Making Good Progress? The Future of Assessment for Learning by Daisy Christodoulou. This is the fourth episode that sees me go through my annotations and notes for a book that explores an area of English teaching or leadership.
This time, it’s a text that I think is absolutely fundamental to understanding assessment and therefore curriculum design in our schools. Even better, it is written by Daisy Christodoulou MBE, a former English teacher and one of the most prominent and important voices in education from the past twenty years. Much of the examples that she offers are written through the lens of her time as an English teacher and are therefore very instructive when it comes to improving our approach to teaching and learning.
Expect to hear:
- Why assessment for learning or formative assessment has failed in many schools
- The fundamental differences between summative assessments and formative assessments
- Why descriptor-based assessments are problematic
- How to create a model of progression in our curriculum
- And finally, how to create the best system of integrated formative and summative assessments
This is an absolute monster of an episode and I did consider dividing it into two parts. However, as a regular listener of podcasts myself, I know that depending on everyone’s respective listening habits you will choose to either listen and relisten to the whole thing as desired or break it up according to your commute, runs, walks or whatever you do whilst listening.
If you’d like to be kept up to date on when chat like this happens, feel free to subscribe to the podcast and follow me on LinkedIn @chrisjordanhk or X @chrisjordanhk
Additionally, if you would like a head start on learning how to prioritise your middle years English curriculum, head to the bottom of this podcast’s show notes or top of my stream on X to find a beta copy of my forthcoming and newly renamed book: Reinforcing Middle School English You can read as much as you want and even highlight elements that you like, dislike or find confusing to help make it better.
Links:
Beta version of Reinforcing Middle School English
Making Good Progress? by Daisy Christodoulou
In this episode I am speaking to Gemma Keating. Gemma is a specialist in IBDP Mathematics, EdTech enthusiast and public speaker here in Hong Kong.
Our chat is the sixth conversation ina series of discussions designed to learn more about secondary subjects and their possible interdisciplinary links with English. My intrigue in doing these is to see whether there are possibilities for connections across subjects that are at least shared in passing during class or actually and more excitingly, the basis of complex interdisciplinary units.
We discuss:
- The products, processes or texts that are at the heart of studying Maths
- The deep concepts that an expert in Maths uses to make meaning from these phenomena
- The potential links that Maths and English share from a conceptual or disciplinary point of view
- And lastly, possible projects that students could work on to better understand both subjects, simultaneously.
Thanks so much to Gemma for walking me through the basics and higher order concepts of Maths, so that we could consider interdisciplinary links. Whilst I’m walking away with a better appreciation of the likes of probability and geometry, Gemma did message me afterwards and explain that she could’ve covered the concept of ‘number’ too but felt I’d probably heard of that one already.
If you’d like to be kept up to date on when chat like this happens, feel free to subscribe to the podcast and follow me on LinkedIn @chrisjordanhk or X @chrisjordanhk
Additionally, if you would like a head start on learning how to prioritise your middle years English curriculum, head to the bottom of this podcast’s show notes or top of my stream on X to find a beta copy of my forthcoming and newly renamed book: Reinforcing Middle School English You can read as much as you want and even highlight elements that you like, dislike or find confusing to help make it better.
Links:
Beta version of Reinforcing Middle School English
In this episode, I’m speaking to Richard Wheadon. Richard is a Fellow of the Chartered College of Teaching (FCCT), a former senior leader and author of Learning Habits: How to Develop Independent and Successful Learners.
It was regarding this book that I most wanted to chat with Richard in the first place. For a while I have been considering the role of metacognition and self-regulation in the classroom and Richard’s book was released in a timely manner for me to further my knowledge on this emerging aspect of school instruction.
We discuss:
- The cognitive processes we need to be explicitly teaching students so they can harness such methods themselves
- Why assemblies before Year 11 study leave are simply not enough when it comes to kids learning how to learn
- How we implement such a programme in a pastoral and/or subject specific context
- The role parents play in habit forming behaviours
- And finally, Richard’s case for choosing this focus as a whole-school focus on improving students' learning
Thanks again to Richard for writing what is an excellent and instantly practical book as well as taking time to talk about implementation and lessons learnt in a insightful manner.
If you’d like to be kept up to date on when chat like this happens, feel free to subscribe to the podcast and follow me on LinkedIn @chrisjordanhk or X @chrisjordanhk
Additionally, if you would like a head start on learning how to prioritise your middle years English curriculum, head to the bottom of this podcast’s show notes or top of my stream on X to find a beta copy of my forthcoming book: Make Middle Years English Matter. You can read as much as you want and even highlight elements that you like, dislike or find confusing to help make it better.
Links:
Learning Habits: How to Develop Independent and Successful Learnersby Richard Wheadon
In this episode, I’m speaking to Christopher Such. Chris is a primary school teacher by trade but has also served as a school leader, teacher educator and consultant. He has worked with many schools, multi-academy trusts and English organisations to develop teachers’ understanding of reading and implement evidence-informed classroom practice. He is also an author, having written The Art and Science of Teaching Primary Reading and Primary Reading Simplified: A Practical Guide to Classroom Teaching and Whole-School Implementation.
As a secondary English teacher, I was keen to chat to someone with Primary expertise to better understand the experiences younger children go through before entering a secondary classroom. Given the quality and applicability of his writing, Chris was arguably the best person for the job.
We discuss:
- Chris’ broad explanation of what outstanding reading instruction entails in KS1 and 2.
- The specific instructional routines Primary teachers use to develop fluency, vocabulary and other essential skills.
- What struggles when reading aloud reveal about a child's needs.
- What 'effective intervention' looks like.
- And finally, the reciprocal relationship between reading and writing.
Thanks again to Chris for sharing vital ideas in terms of how to support students’ continual growth of literacy. His books, whilst including ‘Primary’ in the title, are equally effective when working with pupils who still require effective and efficient instruction in the secondary school.
If you’d like to be kept up to date on when chat like this happens, feel free to subscribe to the podcast and follow me on LinkedIn @chrisjordanhk or X @chrisjordanhk
Additionally, if you would like a head start on learning how to prioritise your middle years English curriculum, head to the bottom of this podcast’s show notes or top of my stream on X to find a beta copy of my forthcoming book: Make Middle Years English Matter. You can read as much as you want and even highlight elements that you like, dislike or find confusing to help make it better.
Links:
Chris’ books: Primary Reading Simplified: A Practical Guide to Classroom Teaching and Whole-School Implementation and The Art and Science of Teaching Primary Reading
Beta version of Make Middle Years English Matter
In this episode, I’m speaking to Costas Constantinou. Costas is the co-founder and Director of Education at Veema Education, an organisation that provides professional development and school improvement programs internationally. A former London-based school leader, he specialises in training, coaching, and supporting educators globally. He is also the author of "A School Leader’s Guide to Leading Professional Development".
Professional development is a fascinating phenomenon, given those in charge are tasked with building a shared language of excellence for staff, who might have ten different definitions of what a "good lesson" even looks like. On top of this, it’s culturally and contextually complex, and is arguably one of the most interesting design challenges in education right now. So, getting Costas into discuss best practice was a real privilege.
We discuss:
- How and why schools should move from one-off events to multi-year CPD that establishes whole-school priorities while still being relevant at the department level
- How can leaders can make CPD meaningful for both early career teachers and experienced subject specialists
- How we foster 'disciplined inquiry,' where teachers identify their own professional needs
- Moving from measuring teacher satisfaction to measuring its actual impact on student learning
- And finally, how to simplify engagement with evidence so it feels practical rather than a chore
Thanks again to Costas, someone who’s spent years truly deconstructing the ‘how’ and ‘why’ of school improvement, for his insights into the rigorous, evidence-backed architecture PD can offer.
If you’d like to be kept up to date on when chat like this happens, feel free to subscribe to the podcast and follow me on LinkedIn @chrisjordanhk or X @chrisjordanhk
Additionally, if you would like a head start on learning how to prioritise your middle years English curriculum, head to the bottom of this podcast’s show notes or top of my stream on X to find a beta copy of my forthcoming book: Make Middle Years English Matter. You can read as much as you want and even highlight elements that you like, dislike or find confusing to help make it better.
Links:
Costas’ book: A School Leader's Guide to Leading Professional Development
Beta version of Make Middle Years English Matter
In this episode, I am speaking to Gina Davies. Gina is an experienced educator of Science with expertise in instructional leadership, coaching and serves the charity WomenEd as regional lead here in Hong Kong.
Our chat is the fifth conversation in a series of discussions designed to learn more about secondary subjects and their possible interdisciplinary links with English. My intrigue in doing these is to see whether there are possibilities for connections across subjects that are at least shared in passing during class or actually and more excitingly, the basis of complex interdisciplinary units.
We discuss:
- The products, processes or texts that are at the heart of studying Science
- The deep concepts that an expert in Science uses to make meaning from these phenomena
- The potential links that Science and English share from a conceptual or disciplinary point of view
- And lastly, possible projects that students could work on to better understand both subjects, simultaneously.
Thanks so much to Gina for explaining the organising principles of Science in such a clear and concise way as well as offering numerous ways in which our two subjects intersect.
If you’d like to be kept up to date on when chat like this happens, feel free to subscribe to the podcast and follow me on LinkedIn @chrisjordanhk or X @chrisjordanhk
Additionally, if you would like a head start on learning how to prioritise your middle years English curriculum, head to the bottom of this podcast’s show notes or top of my stream on X to find a beta copy of my forthcoming book: Make Middle Years English Matter. You can read as much as you want and even highlight elements that you like, dislike or find confusing to help make it better.
Links:
Beta version of Make Middle Years English Matter
In this episode, I’m speaking with Li Bin. Bin is a Deputy Head of School here in Hong Kong and formerly Asia-Pacific Regional Manager for the International Baccalaureate’s Middle Years Programme. On top of that, she is a deeply experienced teacher of Chinese and has worked with many schools that offer bilingual instruction.
Our chat is the fourth conversation in a series of discussions designed to learn more about secondary subjects and their possible interdisciplinary links with English. My intrigue in doing these is to see whether there are possibilities for connections across subjects that are at least shared in passing during class or actually and more excitingly, the basis of complex interdisciplinary units.
We discuss:
- The products, processes or texts that are at the heart of studying Chinese Language and Literature
- The deep concepts that an expert in Chinese uses to make meaning from these phenomena
- The potential links that Chinese and English share from a conceptual or disciplinary point of view
- And lastly, possible projects that students could work on to better understand both languages, simultaneously.
Thanks so much to Bin for providing me with incredibly substantial but eloquent answers that did so much to enlighten my understanding of Chinese and the similarities it might share with English teaching.
If you’d like to be kept up to date on when chat like this happens, feel free to subscribe to the podcast and follow me on LinkedIn @chrisjordanhk or X @chrisjordanhk
Additionally, if you would like a head start on learning how to prioritise your middle years English curriculum, head to the bottom of this podcast’s show notes or top of my stream on X to find a beta copy of my forthcoming book: Make Middle Years English Matter. You can read as much as you want and even highlight elements that you like, dislike or find confusing to help make it better.
Links:
Beta version of Make Middle Years English Matter
In this episode, I’m speaking with Shanice Welsh. Shanice is a director of Teaching, Learning and Curriculum here in Hong Kong and an active sharer of good teaching practice on the likes of X where she posts under the handle @Edu_byCreation. She is an experienced Middle Years Programme teacher and has done lots of work to integrate the framework into her own department’s output but also across the school as a whole.
My chat with her is the third conversation in a series of discussions designed to learn more about secondary subjects and their possible interdisciplinary links with English.
My intrigue in having these chats is seeing whether there are possibilities for connections across subjects that are at least shared in passing during class or actually and more excitingly, the basis of complex interdisciplinary units.
We discuss:
- The products, processes or texts that are at the heart of studying Design
- The deep concepts that an expert in Design uses to make meaning from these phenomena
- The potential links that Design and English share from a conceptual or disciplinary point of view
- And lastly, possible projects that students could work on to better understand both subjects, simultaneously.
Thanks so much to Shanice who speaks with an excellent clarity, which speaks to both experience with interdisciplinary planning as well as a deep expertise in her subject.
If you’d like to be kept up to date on when chat like this happens, feel free to subscribe to the podcast and follow me on LinkedIn @chrisjordanhk or X @chrisjordanhk
Additionally, if you would like a head start on learning how to prioritise your middle years English curriculum, head to the bottom of this podcast’s show notes or top of my stream on X to find a beta copy of my forthcoming book: Make Middle Years English Matter. You can read as much as you want and even highlight elements that you like, dislike or find confusing to help make it better.
Links:
Beta version of Make Middle Years English Matter
In this episode, I’m talking to Eoin MacCarthaigh. This is the latest in a running series of conversations between Eoin and I, where we share 3 things each from the world of education that have been causing us some consideration.
We discuss:
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Eoin’s pedagogical priorities for the new year
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Why everything is downstream from a concept-led curriculum
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How schools should approach the challenge of inclusion
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Why ‘Read Alouds’ are a great gauge of text suitability
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The role of homework in English
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And finally, why teachers benefit from learning things that are cognitively demanding
If you want to be kept up to date on when educational chat like this happens, then be sure to subscribe to the podcast and/or follow me on X @chrisjordanhk and Eoin @EMCTeach
Additionally, if you would like a head start on learning how to prioritise your middle years English curriculum, head to the bottom of this podcast’s show notes or top of my stream on X to find a beta copy of my forthcoming book: Make Middle Years English Matter. You can read as much as you want and even highlight elements that you like, dislike or find confusing to help make it better.
Links:
Beta version of Make Middle Years English Matter
In this episode, I am talking to Tama Karena. Tama is a Director of Music at an international school here in Hong Kong and has 30 years of experience in the classroom, twenty of which have been spent in international schools. My chat with him is the second conversation in a series of discussions designed to learn more about secondary subjects and their possible interdisciplinary links with English.
My intrigue in having these chats is seeing whether there is possibilities for connections across subjects that are at least shared in passing during class or actually and more excitingly, the basis of complex interdisciplinary units.
We discuss:
- The products, processes or texts that are at the heart of studying Music
- The deep concepts that an expert in Music uses to make meaning from these experiences
- The potential links that Music and English share from a conceptual or disciplinary point of view
- And lastly, possible projects that students could work on to better understand both subjects, simultaneously.
Thanks so much to Tama for speaking with his customary soul and passion for the subject and allowing me to consider the less obvious connections that are two subjects share.
If you’d like to be kept up to date on when chat like this happens, feel free to subscribe to the podcast and follow me on LinkedIn @chrisjordanhk or X @chrisjordanhk
Additionally, if you would like a head start on learning how to prioritise your middle years English curriculum, head to the bottom of this podcast’s show notes or top of my stream on X to find a beta copy of my forthcoming book: Make Middle Years English Matter. You can read as much as you want and even highlight elements that you like, dislike or find confusing to help make it better.
Links:
Beta version of Make Middle Years English Matter
In this episode, I am talking to Louis Wong. Louis is a STEM Coordinator, DP Physics teacher, IB Examiner, author and speaker. My chat with him is the first conversation in a series of discussions designed to learn more about secondary subjects and their possible interdisciplinary links with English.
My intrigue in having these chats is seeing whether there is possibilities for connections across subjects that are at least shared in passing during class or actually and more excitingly, the basis of complex interdisciplinary units.
We discuss:
- The products, processes or texts that are at the heart of studying STEM
- The deep concepts that an expert in STEM uses to make meaning from these phenomena
- The potential links that STEM and English share from a conceptual or disciplinary point of view
- And lastly, possible projects that students could work on to better understand both subjects, simultaneously.
Thanks so much to Louis, who is nothing short of a local legend in STEM circles. I was somewhat nervous going into the conversation given my limited appreciation of the field but he does an incredible job of explaining his field in a clear and accessible way.
If you’d like to be kept up to date on when chat like this happens, feel free to subscribe to the podcast and follow me on LinkedIn @chrisjordanhk or X @chrisjordanhk
Additionally, if you would like a head start on learning how to prioritise your middle years English curriculum, head to the bottom of this podcast’s show notes or top of my stream on X to find a beta copy of my forthcoming book: Make Middle Years English Matter. You can read as much as you want and even highlight elements that you like, dislike or find confusing to help make it better.
Links:
Beta version of Make Middle Years English Matter
In this episode, I’m speaking with Richard Bustin. Richard is a Geography teacher as well as being Director of Pedagogy, Innovation and Staff Development at Lancing College in the UK. Most recently, he has authored a book entitled: What Are We Teaching? Powerful Knowledge and a Capabilities Curriculum.
It was an interview I’d heard between Richard and James Mannion that led me to Richard’s work and reading his book was of great interest to me as someone who works within the IB framework. Although nominally a Geography teacher, Richard’s book takes a broad look at the way we approach subjects in the secondary curriculum and considers where our priorities lie and what this means for what students actually learn.
We discuss:
- How self-aware teachers are about their priorities when designing and teaching the curriculum
- What Richard understands ‘powerful knowledge to be’ and how it should be implemented in the curriculum
- What the term ‘capabilities’ covers for students’ education
- And finally, whether there is a way to overcome the binaries of traditional progressive pedagogies in the age of social media
Thanks so much to Richard for taking the time to chat to me about striking a balance between the rigorous drive to provide students with empowering subject knowledge at the same time as recognising the role that interdisciplinary ideas and collectively achieved academic capabilties.
If you’d like to be kept up to date on when chat like this happens, feel free to subscribe to the podcast and follow me on LinkedIn or X @chrisjordanhk
Additionally, if you would like a head start on how to prioritise your middle years English curriculum, head to the bottom of this podcast’s show notes or the top of my stream on X to find a beta copy of my forthcoming book: Make Middle Years English Matter. You can read as much as you want and even highlight elements that you like, dislike or find confusing.
Links:
Richard’s book What Are We Teaching?
Richard’s conversation with James Mannion for the the Rethinking Education podcast
Beta version of Make Middle Years English Matter
In this episode, I’m talking with Morgan Whitfield. Morgan is an author, consultant, CPD trainer and senior leader. Her recent book, Gifted?, advocates for challenging all students through an inclusive approach to teaching, whereby every student is given the opportunities to reach mastery.
I really wanted to chat with Morgan having read her book, which is possibly the most robustly researched piece of writing I’ve ever come across, as well as the global trend towards personalised learning through technology.
We discuss:
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Why terms like 'most able' and their devoted interventions are so problematic
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Morgan’s experience in teaching and why it led her to this topic
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What ‘Challenge for All’ is theoretically and what it looks like practically
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Oracy, the Harkness model and PBL’s part in challenge for all, respectively
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And finally, what Morgan makes of Alpha Schools and their apparent attempts to challenge all students through AI driven instruction?
Thank you so much to Morgan for speaking with me as well as leading the way on an issue that has its roots in centuries old problems around equity and social justice.
If you’d like to be kept up to date on when chat like this happens, feel free to subscribe to the podcast and follow me on X @chrisjordanhk
Additionally, if you would like a head start on how to prioritise your middle years English curriculum, head to the bottom of this podcast’s show notes or the top of my stream on X to find a beta copy of my forthcoming book: Make Middle Years English Matter. You can read as much as you want and even highlight elements that you like, dislike or find confusing.
Links:
Morgan’s book: Gifted?
Beta version of Make Middle Years English Matter
In this episode, I’m talking with Mary Myatt. Mary is nothing short of a patron saint of curriculum design in the uk, with her books including The Curriculum: Gallimaufry to Coherence, Huh: Curriculum Conversations Between Subject and Senior Leaders and Back on Track: Fewer Things, Greater Depth.
I find myself quoting things Mary has said in discussions with colleagues on a regular basis and was elated with the chance to speak with her. Particularly of interest was her focus in middle school and her insistence that with the right planning, it can become the ‘intellectual powerhouse’ of secondary schooling.
We discuss:
- The extent to which schools have taken the advice of a 2015 paper entitled ‘KS3: the wasted years?’
- Why as a profession we were getting curriculum coherence wrong for so many years
- The advice Mary typically gives to identify the powerful knowledge a curriculum should be organized around
- What she feels are the strengths and weaknesses of units or assessments that are planned with authenticity or a real audience in mind.
- Her work with the University of Sussex's Just Reading strategies
- And finally, where does Mary stand on interdisciplinary learning?
Thanks again to Mary for her indefatigable online presence, her writing and taking the time to talk to me today.
If you want to be kept up to date on when educational chat like this happens, then be sure to subscribe to the podcast and/or follow me on Twitter @chrisjordanhk
Links
Mary’s books
Ofsted’s ‘KS3: the wasted years?’
In this episode, I’m talking to Eoin MacCarthaigh. This is the latest in a running series of conversations between Eoin and I, where we share 3 things each from the world of education that have been causing us some consideration.
We discuss:
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The challenges of instructional coaching
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The challenges of achieving improvement in education
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Handbooks versus playbooks and what this means for professional development
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Whether themes can be considered hinterland in English curriculum design
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The relationship between direct instruction and English
If you want to be kept up to date on when educational chat like this happens, then be sure to subscribe to the podcast and/or follow me on Twitter @chrisjordanhk and Eoin @EMCTeach
Links:
Carl Hendrick’s X post regarding coaching
Craig Barton’s podcast with Adam Boxer
Claudia Lewis’ blogpost on playbooks and handbooks
In this episode I’m talking with Sam Gibbs. Sam is a former English teacher and curriculum / development leader for a school trust in Manchester. Additionally, she co-authored the brilliant The Trouble with English and How to Address It: A Practical Guide to Designing and Delivering a Concept-Led Curriculum.
As we go onto discuss, making the shift to concept-led curriculum in English is a paradigm shift that ensures deeper learning for students. Consequently, Sam and Zoe’s book offers an excellent introduction to this change as well as practical advice for how to go about doing it.
We discuss:
- How Sam advises on starting the shift to a concept-led curriculum
- Whether she suggests teachers start by exploring foundation concepts initially before then bringing in second-order ideas over time
- Examples of how schools have taken on the concept-led curriculum and subsequently tried to build in assessment
- Whether 'argument' is a foundational concept of English
- And finally, the difference between 'structure' and 'pattern' as concepts
Thanks again to Sam for giving up her time today as well as the amazing work she and Zoe Helman have done in bringing this book to the subject.
If you want to be kept up to date on when educational chat like this happens, then be sure to subscribe to the podcast and/or follow me on Twitter @chrisjordanhk
Links:
Sam and Zoe’s book: The Trouble with English and How to Address It
In this episode I’m talking to Dr James Mannion. James is co-author of Fear is the Mind Killer a book designed to guide, implement and evaluate a Learning Skills curriculum in schools. More recently he has written Making Change Stick, a book that brilliantly synthesises research on school improvement so that is can be practically implemented in a sustainable way. James is also a fellow podcaster, hosting the Rethinking Education podcast and is director at Rethinking Education.
I was really happy to be able to speak with James after following his work on Learning to Learn for a long time and wanting to know his interpretation of the International Baccalaureate’s approach to this. Additionally, his more recent writing on implementation science is incredibly useful in providing pragmatic approaches for new and existing leaders of change.
We discuss:
- What the distinction is between cognition, metacognition, self-regulation and self-regulated learning
- What James makes of the IB's Approaches to Learning framework
- How his Learning to Learn programme was sequenced
- Whether Learning to Learn should be tailored to respective subjects or taught through a bespoke class
- How much of the Making Change Stick programme would be relevant to middle leaders
- And finally, whilst compiling a fantastic collection of implementation strategies, who are James’ 3 or 4 pillars of the field in terms of researchers or texts that proved seminal
Thanks again to James for doing the hard yards in condensing a decade’s work of research down into an eminently readable books on two separate occasions.
If you want to be kept up to date on when educational chat like this happens, then be sure to subscribe to the podcast and/or follow me on Twitter @chrisjordanhk
Links:
James blog post on metacognition and self-regulation
James’ books
Rethinking Education Podcast
Viviane Robinson’s Reduce Change to Increase Improvement
Diffusion of Innovations by Everett Rogers
The Concerns Based Adoption Model (CBAM)
In this episode, I’m explaining What I Learnt From: Reduce Change to Increase Improvement by Viviane Robinson. This is the third episode that sees me go through my annotations and notes for a book that explores an area of English teaching or leadership.
This time, it’s a text that I was actually assigned as part of a Masters I did a few years ago. Amidst all the theoretical reading, Viviane Robinson’s writing jumped out as instantly practical and so resonant when considering my own experience with leadership. I subsequently listened to a brilliant episode she did with Ollie Lovell for the ERRR, which brought all of its ideas to life.
As always with these books, I really recommend you take a look by purchasing for your department or self but particularly if you’re someone with middle leadership or management aspirations or responsibilities.
Expect to hear:
- What the bypass and engagement approach to improvement are
- What a theory of action is
- How to have constructive problem talk
- How to respectfully inquire into others’ theory of action
- And finally, the four phases of theory engagement that lead to lasting change
If you want to be kept up to date on when educational chat like this happens, then be sure to subscribe to the podcast and/or follow me on Twitter @chrisjordanhk
Links:
Reduce Change to Increase Improvement by Viviane Robsinson
Ollie Lovell’s interview with Viviane Robinson on the ERRR
In this episode, I’m taking to Chris Youles. Chris has experience being an assistant head, english lead, writing moderator, and a specialist leader in primary education. He is also a published author having penned: Sentence models for creative writing: A practical resource for teaching writing and more recently Teaching Story Writing in Primary: Curriculum-aligned, classroom-ready resources and strategies.
It was regarding this latter book that i reached out to Chris for a chat, knowing that just like his first book, the more recent one would be packed full with practical insights that I could go about implementing in class as soon as possible.
We discuss:
-
Given that the vast majority of the book would be pertinent for my Y10 and 11 IGCSE cohorts, why did Chris go with 'Primary' in the title
-
What does he make of Joe Nutt's observation that there is a vanishingly small number of students who will actually go on to be writers and therefore, time spent in the English classroom might be better spent on more practical or relevant modes of communication
-
What are the constituent concepts that we can break story down to and introduce across the curriculum
-
Why plotting is described as the most difficult aspect of planning or writing a story
-
When Chris thinks classes or students can embark on truly independent writing
-
And finally, Chris’ advice for best practice around student sourced ambitious vocabulary
Thanks a lot to Chris for the taking the time to talk with me as well as writing yet another excellent book about not just the how of expressing yourself through writing, but the why too. Keep an eye out for his next publication too: Sentence models for non-fiction writing
If you want to be kept up to date on when educational chat like this happens, then be sure to subscribe to the podcast and/or follow me on Twitter @chrisjordanhk
Links:
Chris’ books
In this episode I’m speaking to David Didau. David is a well-known and well-respected consultant in the world of English teaching and teaching more broadly. He has authored numerous books about education and the subject of English more specifically. Most recently, his book Bringing the English Curriculum to Life: A Field Guide for Making Meaning in English, withcontributions from Claire Woozley, James Hibbert, Emma Levins, Kate Moloney, Tom Pinkstone, Amy Rose and Daniel Blackburn, has helped to outline how cognitive science and a concept-led English curriculum can be implemented in secondary schools.
David is an educational hero of mine and as such it was a great privilege to speak with him again, this time on the topic of assessment in middle school English.
We discuss:
-
Whether discussing themes is more suited to PSHE (personal, social, health and economic education)as opposed to the English curriculum
-
How mastery assessment works and the way it shifts focus onto good teaching and learning
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The amount of question level analysis needed and conditions assessments are done in
-
Whether there needs to be opportunities for kids to ‘play the whole game’ in English
-
What the data collected reflects about students’ learning through the external summatives done
-
And since writing Making Meaning in English, is there anything David has changed his mind about
Thanks again to David for taking the time to talk with me as well as his continued work within the subject. For me, all of this has helped English teachers better understand how the curriculum could look and how best to enact it in truly practical ways.
If you want to be kept up to date on when educational chat like this happens, then be sure to subscribe to the podcast and/or follow me on Twitter @chrisjordanhk
Links:
David’s interview with EduPulse
David’s books
In this episode, I’m talking to Eoin MacCarthaigh. This is the latest in a running series of conversations between Eoin and I, where we share 3 things each from the world of education that have been causing us some consideration.
We discuss:
-
The purposes for teaching English and what this subsequently means for writing instruction
-
My attempts at suggesting the core concepts at the heart of English curriculum
-
The semantics of ‘knowledge’, direct instruction’, ‘inquiry’ and whether conversations about teaching approaches can overcome the biases associated with such terms
-
Whether questioning and planning for misconceptions is worthwhile in English classroom preparation
-
And finally, the necessity of teaching hip hop as way for students to more deeply appreciate poetry’s evolution
If you want to be kept up to date on when educational chat like this happens, then be sure to subscribe to the podcast and/or follow me on Twitter @chrisjordanhk and Eoin @EMCTeach
In this episode, I’m talking to Tom Sherrington. Tom is a former headteacher, current education consultant and author. He writes the popular blog teacherhead.com and his books include The Learning Rainforest and best-seller Rosenshine’s Principles in Action. He also co-authors the Teaching WalkThrus series with Oliver Caviglioli and edits the In Action series of education books.
I was really excited to talk to Tom after Eoin MacCarthaigh reminded me of his Mode A and Mode B teaching advice in the book The Learning Rainforest. I subsequently reread this and was immediately struck by how such a distinction and reframing of supposedly conflicting pedagogies could help with ongoing debates in IB education and beyond.
We discuss:
-
The distinction between Mode A and Mode B
-
Whether The Learning Rainforest and the Mode A / Mode B distinction was informed by Tom’s experience of teaching abroad
-
His recommendations for the amount of time spent on Mode B teaching as well as when this occurs in a scheme of learning
-
Tom’s view on Mode B style assessments in the curriculum
-
And finally, any recommendations Tom has for other writers who have explored the Mode B approach
Thanks again to Tom for giving up his time to chat as well as for the fact that his insights and the semantic solution of Mode A and Mode B could be incredibly valuable to departments seeking to have productive conversations about designing student learning.
If you want to be kept up to date on when educational chat like this happens, then be sure to subscribe to the podcast and/or follow me on Twitter @chrisjordanhk
Links:
The Learning Rainforest by Tom Sherrington
Tom’s other books
Tom’s blogs
Trivium 21c by Martin Robinson
Hywel Roberts’ books
In this episode I’m speaking to Anthony Cockerill. Anthony is the new director of NATE, which is the National Association for the Teaching of English. NATE is an independent, non-funded, not-for-profit educational charity that provides publications and training for English teachers at all key stages that has helping English teachers from around the world since 1963.
I wanted to talk to Anthony following a flashback I had to reading one of his articles 5 of so years ago about constructing a thematic based curriculum. Since then, we’ve seen the rise of a concept based curriculum gain traction and I wanted his take on how such a development factored into his planning.
We discuss:
-
The original themes Anthony chose for his curriculum, the reason behind them and who was involved in the decision
-
Whether themes always need to be closely tied to common ideas in literature
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If a set selection of disciplinary concepts was chosen for every unit in his school’s curriculum too
-
How texts are selected, taught and how assessment is done in this setup
-
And finally, from its inception to when he left the post, what were the main changes Anthony made to the thematic curriculum approach
Thanks again to Anthony for giving up his time to speak to me and good luck to him in his new post at NATE. If you’re interested in gaining a NATE membership I can attest that it is more than worth it and will only cost you a couple of pounds per month for some outstanding ongoing CPD.
If you want to be kept up to date on when educational chat like this happens, then be sure to subscribe to the podcast and/or follow me on Twitter @chrisjordanhk
Links:
Anthony’s original blog post
NATE official website
Anthony’s subsequent blogs about the curriculum
In this episode I’m talking to Dr Jo Castelino. Jo is is a curriculum leader for Science at a school in the UK and author of The Homework Conundrum, a guide for how a successful homework culture can be built in a school and within the classroom.
I was so keen to speak with Jo after reading this brilliant book and as a result of always feeling a little insecure about the quality and quantity of homework I set with my own classes.
We discuss:
-
How to broach the purpose of homework with a class at the beginning of the year
-
When, if ever, is asking students to read chapters of a class reader or fiction book appropriate?
-
What many teachers do not understand about students' home life that might impede them benefitting from the homework
-
How schools could communicate with parents to maintain a consistent message about homework
-
Practical ways in which teachers can react to homework that has been done but with a number of significant gaps in students knowledge
-
And finally, how to make it explicit that what has been done for homework is actively related or aiding what happens in the classroom during lessons
Thanks again to Jo for taking her time to speak to me today as well as writing what might be the most succinct, well-researched and practical guide to approaching homework for school’s all around the world.
If you want to be kept up to date on when educational chat like this happens, then be sure to subscribe to the podcast and/or follow me on Twitter @chrisjordanhk
Links:
Dr Castelino’s book
In this episode, I’m explaining What I Learnt From: Adam Bradley’s ‘Book of Rhymes - The Poetics of Hip Hop’. This is the second episode that sees me go through my annotations and notes for a book that explores an area of English teaching or leadership. This time, it is the first part of the eye-opening and eminently readable ‘Book of Rhymes’ by Adam Bradley. As a teacher of the IB’s DP Language and Literature course, one of the texts I cover is the 2017 album DAMN. by Kendrick Lamar. Having struggled to find reliable and accessible work written about the art of hip hop as a genre, I was elated to find this book as useful and applicable as it was
Expect to hear:
-
How hip hop is more faithful to traditional poetry than free verse poetry is
-
Where rhythm comes from in hip hop
-
The different types and functions of rhyme in the genre
-
And finally, the ways in which wordplay cross over from more traditional literature into this medium
If you want to be kept up to date on when educational chat like this happens, then be sure to subscribe to the podcast and/or follow me on Twitter @chrisjordanhk
Links:
Adam Bradley’s Book of Rhymes - The Poetics of Hip Hop
In this episode, I’m talking to Joanna Kolota. Joanna is the Curriculum Leader for Multilingual Learners at Trinity Academy Leeds, in the UK. She has written, spoken and worked to support multilingual students in primary, secondary and tertiary education and is now a published author after completing the brilliant Empowering EAL Learners in Secondary Schools.
As someone who works in an international setting and with a student body who are by and large all multilingual learners, the book was a fantastic resource for me and I was really keen to chat with Joanna as a result.
We discuss:
-
Whether schools should always having a bespoke EAL dept and if so, how do they work with other subject domains to ensure that content and language is developing respectively
-
The difference between simplification and easification in regard to multilingual learners
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Whether it is helpful to think that much of good preparation for multilingual learners is simply good planning and intentional teaching in general
-
What subtractive bilingualism is and how can schools guard against it
-
And finally, does Joanna think a language or grammar concept also needs embedding in the humanities, arts and other departments’ curriculum
Thanks again to Joanna for giving up her time to talk to me about her work and elements of the book that is a must read for anyone who has students of diverse linguistic backgrounds.
If you want to be kept up to date on when educational chat like this happens, then be sure to subscribe to the podcast and/or follow me on Twitter @chrisjordanhk
Links:
Joanna’s book - Empowering EAL Learners in Secondary Schools.
In this episode, I’m talking to Alison Yang. Alison is MYP coordinator here in Hong Kong and prolific blogger of all things MYP at https://alisonyang.com. It was due to this prodigious output that I became aware of Alison’s work and reached out with a few questions that I have always harboured about the framework in the hope that I can improve these aspects of my practice.
We discuss:
- How to support students in posing questions about new material or topics
- The best ways to support teachers who are new to teaching with inquiry
- Offering students choice with a structured framework
- How data is collected within the MYP currently
- And finally, one thing that Alison would like to see changed in the next iteration of the course
Thanks again to Alison for this chat which proved to be one of the most productive and thought provoking conversations I’ve had about the MYp and in such a short amount of time! If you don’t already, I would encourage you to follow Alison on the likes of LinkedIn to gain regular insights on what can be a challenging yet rewarding curriculum.
If you want to be kept up to date on when educational chat like this happens, then be sure to subscribe to the podcast and/or follow me on Twitter @chrisjordanhk
Links
Alison’s website
In this episode, I’m explaining What I Learnt From: Mary Oliver’s ‘A Poetry Handbook’. This is the first in a hopefully long list of shows that sees me go through my annotations and notes for a book that explores an area of English teaching or leadership. This time, it is the unsurprisingly beautiful writing of Mary Oliver who shares with the reader her thoughts and considerations after a lifetime of writing and teaching poetry.
Expect to hear:
-
What is the best way to begin reading and writing poetry
-
The distinctions between free verse and metrical poems
-
The function of sound in poetry
-
The functions of a line in poetry
-
Wider considerations of structure such as the stanza and its function
-
How tone and content have changed in poetry
-
The role of imagery or figurative language in poetry
If you want to be kept up to date on when educational chat like this happens, then be sure to subscribe to the podcast and/or follow me on Twitter @chrisjordanhk
Links:
Mary Oliver - A Poetry Handbook
In this episode, I’m talking to Eoin MacCarthaigh. This is the latest in a running series of conversations between Eoin and I, where we share 3 things each from the world of education that have been causing us some consideration.
We discuss:
- Why ‘white tables’ are better than ‘white boards’ in English
- How we can better address issues with reading fluency in the English classroom
- The different stages necessary for students to access Macbeth or other Shakespeare texts
- Lesson observations and what we should be looking out for when conducting them
- Whether direct instruction and inquiry can be likened to a child learning and then loving to read
- And finally, the need for more PD within English departments around our subject content
If you want to be kept up to date on when educational chat like this happens, then be sure to subscribe to the podcast and/or follow me on Twitter @chrisjordanhk and Eoin @EMCTeach
Links:
Links:
Questioning the Author by Beck et al
Ollie Lovell’s interview with Margaret McKeown
RSC’s Whoosh script
Rob Coe’s Poor Proxies for Learning
Tom Sherrington’s 3 checks for teachers and observers
Responsive Coaching by Josh Goodrich
In this episode I’m speaking to Jennifer Webb. Jenny is nothing short of a legend in English teaching after writing a number of hugely beneficial books ranging from how to teach reading and writing to metacognition as well as grammar instruction for secondary professionals. On top of this, she is a constant source of insight via her in person and virtual CPD events, which encompass advice on almost every element of secondary academic life imaginable.
Following what has been an incredible couple of years for English teachers around curriculum development, I wanted to ask Jenny a number of questions about how she, the schools she works with and the departments she advises have interpreted these new ideas.
We discuss:
- What Jenny thinks of organising the curriculum by concept as opposed to earlier approaches through theme or task type.
- How Jenny feels about the government’s pledge to improve oracy in schools
- The extent to which kids need to learn to learn or be more meta-cognitively aware
- When considering text choices through an unapologetically ambitious lens, does Jenny mean more full texts, extracts or something else?
- And finally, Teach like a Writer offers insights into how English happens in an authentic context. To what extent does Jenny think kids need to be assessed by producing a text that resembles the ‘real thing’ in English.
Thanks again to Jenny for offering so much insight about many of the most popular topics for discussion around at the moment. In addition to this, I hope she realises the massively positive impact she has had on the profession as well as the many ideas she she has shared that make the job all the more effective and therefore enjoyable on a daily basis.
If you want to be kept up to date on when educational chat like this happens, then be sure to subscribe to the podcast and/or follow me on Twitter @chrisjordanhk
Links:
Jenny’s books
Jenny’s (free) CPD
In this episode, I’m talking to Eoin MacCarthaigh. This is the second in what we hope will be a long line of episodes focused on issues in and around English teaching. For anyone who hasn’t listened before, we bring forth 3 unknown issues to be discussed each, relating to things that we’ve thought, learnt or considered lately.
We discuss:
- Uncertainty around the purpose of grammar and language teaching
- Giving students ‘choice’ x Organising English concepts
- The role of modelling in English
- The stratification of English skills x research and reflection
- SEND students’ or routines in class
- Authenticity and oracy in English
If you want to be kept up to date on when educational chat like this happens, then be sure to subscribe to the podcast and/or follow me on Twitter @chrisjordanhk and Eoin @EMCTeach
Links:
Essential Grammar by Jenny Webb and Marcello Giovanelli
Crafting Brilliant Sentences by Lindsay Skinner
Ausubel's Meaningful Learning in Action by Sarah Cottingham
Explicit English Teaching by Tom Needham
The Complete Guide to Service Learning by Cathryn Berger Kaye
In this episode I am speaking to Shane Leaning. Shane is an organisational Coach, international educator, author and podcaster. As a prolific creator in a number of different spaces, I was keen to get Shane on to discuss what it takes and what it’s like to make the switch from teaching students to advising schools around the world.
We discuss:
-
What made Shane transition from the classroom to consultant in the first place
-
His process for making contact with potential school partners
-
Shane’s go to texts to inspire and inform him on the job
-
The current state of the private education sector in China
-
And finally the original intention for his podcast and how that has evolved over time
Thanks again to Shane for his generosity in terms of time spent chatting as well as all the content he produces via the podcast and beyond.
If you want to be kept up to date on when educational chat like this happens, then be sure to subscribe to the podcast and/or follow me on Twitter @chrisjordanhk
Links:
Putting Staff First by John Tomsett and Jonny Uttley
Change Starts Here
Global Ed Leaders podcast
The Online Marketing Made Easy Podcast
Two Weeks Notice by Amy Porterfield
In this episode, I’m talking to Eoin MacCarthaigh. This is the first in what we hope will be a long line of episodes focused on issues in and around international English teaching. It’s important at the outset to explain that this is an unapologetic rip off another podcast that I personally love, namely Craig Barton and Ollie Lovell’s Tips and Tools for Teachers. For anyone who hasn’t heard this show, first of all it is a fantastic listen for professionals of any discipline. Specifically, the regular format is that both speakers bring forth 3 unknown issues to be discussed each, relating to things that they’ve thought, learnt or considered lately. So, here is me and Eoin’s effort at doing the same with an international English bent.
We discuss
-
AI
-
Oracy
-
Inquiry
-
Gapless instruction
-
Infographics
-
And lastly, whether English sits outside the insights of cognitive research
If you want to be kept up to date on when educational chat like this happens, then be sure to subscribe to the podcast and/or follow me on Twitter @chrisjordanhk and Eoin @EMCTeach
Links:
Meanings and practices of inquiry-based teaching and learning in the International Baccalaureate (2022) Joseph L. Polman and Karla Scornavacco
Drew Perkins’ interview with Dylan Wiliam
Craig Barton’s interview with Adam Boxer
Bringing the English Curriculum to Life by David Didau
In this episode I’m speaking with Professor Guy Claxton. Guy is a cognitive scientist, author and one of education’s foremost experts on practical ways of expanding young people's relationship with and capacity for learning. His most recent book, The Future of Teaching, And the Myths that Hold it Back, a work that seeks to reclaim the nuanced middle ground of teaching that develops both rigorous knowledge and ‘character’, and lay the foundations for a 21st-century education worthy of the name.
We discuss:
-
What 'good thinking' is and why there is a dearth of it in schools
-
What teachers, departments and schools can do to better attend to students' attitudes and dispositions
-
What 'expert amateurism' is and how it would challenge the current paradigm
-
Guy’s 'third way' for education or 'guided discovery’
-
How we go about convincing state schools that academic outcomes aren't everything
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And finally, whether Guy would advocate for a move away from traditional subjects and move towards a more responsive curriculum
Thanks again to Guy for giving up time in his busy schedule to talking so broadly, passionately and practically about the experiences of students and the changes we need to make to respond to a changing world.
If you want to be kept up to date on when educational chat like this happens, then be sure to subscribe to the podcast and/or follow me on Twitter @chrisjordanhk
Links:
Guy’s River of Learning and Teaching visual
Future Wise by David Perkins
How We Learn by Stanislas Dehaene
The Gardner and The Carpenter by Alison Gopnik
Education Outrage by Roger Schank
Teaching Minds by Roger Schank
In this episode I’m talking to Professor Nutsa Kobakhidze. Nutsa is a Director at the Comparative Education Research Centre and Assistant Professor at Hong Kong University. Her areas of expertise include comparative education; privatization of education; globalization and education and large-scale international assessments. I wanted to speak to Nutsa particularly in regard to the privatization of education and more specifically, private tutoring.
Having read an interview with the professor in Youth Hong Kong, a quarterly magazine published by the Hong Kong Federation of Youth Groups, I was instantly struck by how much academia and research there was around so called ‘Shadow Education’ that largely goes undiscussed in the day to day practice of classroom teachers.
We discuss:
-
Why the term ‘Shadow Education’ is used in academia and what services it covers
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How or why shadow education benefits from Hong Kong’s education system
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Whether there is a consensus on why students get tutoring in secondary schools
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What students are missing out on during an evening filled with tutoring
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Why it is so difficult to gain a consensus on whether private tutoring contributes to students' academic achievement
-
How schools, students and parents can work together to better understand the need or not for a private tutor
-
And finally, the ways AI technology might impact the shadow education industry in the future
Thanks so much to Professor Kobakhidze on her research and advocacy for better understanding around private tutoring and the impact it has on young people and their families as well as offering up her time to talk to me for the podcast.
If you want to be kept up to date on when educational chat like this happens, then be sure to subscribe to the podcast and/or follow me on Twitter @chrisjordanhk
Links
Youth Hong Kong - the magazine for which Nutsa was recently interviewed.
In this episode I’m talking to Sarah Cottingham. Sarah is Associate Dean at Ambition Institute, author of Ausubel's Meaningful Learning In Action, a Professional Development Consultant and former English teacher.
I was really eager to speak with Sarah after reading her work about Ausubel’s theory and applying it to recent discussions about how English can be approached in a more conceptual manner. Added to this is the requirement that every subject be approached conceptually within the IB framework but with limited practical guidance about how to implement such a curriculum.
We discuss:
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What a subsumer is and how secondary departments should plan with them in mind
-
What the subsumers Sarah believes we should teach Secondary school English students are
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What Sarah thinks of the IB MYP 'Key Concepts', 'Related Concepts' and ‘Global Contexts’
-
How an English subsumer could be fed with detail over the course of a secondary education
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What an advance organiser is
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And finally, how subsumers interact with retrieval practice
Thanks so much to Sarah for giving up her time to discuss this brilliantly written book in more detail as well as her wider contribution to the conceptual teaching discussion.
If you want to be kept up to date on when educational chat like this happens, then be sure to subscribe to the podcast and/or follow me on Twitter @chrisjordanhk
Links:
Ausubel’s Meaningful Learning in Action Book
Sam Gibbs and Zoe Hellman’s The Trouble with English and how to Address It
David Didau’s Making Meaning in English
In this episode I’m talking with Drew Perkins. Drew is Director of Thought Stretchers Education and host of the ThoughtStretchersEducation Podcast. I wanted to speak to Drew as I continue my exploration of what inquiry looks like in the classroom and particularly how it applies to English. Drew is an active advocate for implementing inquiry in a meaningful manner within education and has helped thousands of individual teachers to do so.
We discuss:
- The difference between inquiry, project-based and other constructivist approaches to teaching
- What inquiry is for and what it offers students that other approaches do not
- How we know when to give students the level of autonomy they can handle
- How we can best aid students in generating their own questions
- What Drew means by ‘order of operations’ and how it is practically applied
- And finally, whether Drew thinks there's a difference between inquiry in elementary and middle-school and between different subject disciplines.
Thanks again to Drew for discussing inquiry approaches with his customary enthusiasm and expertise.
If you want to be kept up to date on when educational chat like this happens, then be sure to subscribe to the podcast and/or follow me on Twitter @chrisjordanhk
This week I’m talking to Zach Groshell. Zach is an instructional coach, teacher in the American school system, has a PhD in instructional design and hosts the Progressively Incorrect Podcast.
I have listened and loved Zach’s podcast for a long time now, particularly as the first season deals with the tension of progressive ideas and ideologies around inquiry based teaching as well as direct instruction as a pedagogy. For me, these are two approaches that a teacher delivering the PYP, MYP or DP for IB has to wrestle with on a daily basis as well as any teacher operating in any school where competing pedagogies are prevalent.
We discuss:
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What direct instruction and inquiry based teaching mean in practice
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Whether there’s scope for inquiry to play some part in a unit given that topics such as: the information age, masculinity, travel, ways of life, love of literature can be explored according to students' standing interests, experiences or passions
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How Zach feels about suggestions that relying solely on direct instruction and not “culturally responsive education” is narrowly Western, Eurocentric and racist
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If there's a disconnect in international and state schooling with regard to improving teaching and learning
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If seeking guidance as an international teacher about how to improve teaching, what Zach would suggest teachers start with
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And lastly, when implementing an instructional coaching culture in a school, what are the most important things to consider and prioritize at the outset?
Thanks so much to Zach for weighing in on what I believe is hugely important set of topics for international teachers or teachers of IB curriculum more specifically. His podcast is linked to in the show notes below and is well worth a listen for people working in any walk of education.
If you want to be kept up to date on when educational chat like this happens, then be sure to subscribe to the podcast and/or follow me on Twitter @chrisjordanhk
Links:
Zach’s podcast
Zach’s blog
Roshenshine’s Principles of Instruction
THAT Kirschner, Sweller and Clark paper
Zach’s conversation with Gene Tavernetti
In this episode I’m speaking with Sarah Donarski. Sarah is a Head Of English Department, PGCE & NQT mentor, speaker, blogger, researcher and author of The researchED Guide to Assessment. I recently relistened to an episode of Craig Barton’s Tips for Teachers with Sarah and immediately jotted down a number of questions and I had about assessment in English, which she has been kind enough to come on and answer.
We discuss:
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What final or summative assessments should look like in a KS3 department
-
Whether teachers should ever give grades and if so, when and why?
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What should feedback look like at KS3?
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How should students follow up on feedback?
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The 'novice / rote / inflexible / flexible' spectrum of knowledge
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And finally, Sarah’s favorite things about having studied in Australia and formerly working in an IB school.
Thanks again to Sarah for not only contributing to the online discussions around assessment but also evidence informed professional development more broadly.
If you want to be kept up to date on when educational chat like this happens, then be sure to subscribe to the podcast and/or follow me on Twitter @chrisjordanhk
Links:
Sarah’s book, edited for ResearchED
In this episode I’m talking with Kirun Goy. Kirun is the co-founder and co-host of the BrainTools podcast, a show dedicated to sharing practical brain science for everyday people. Additionally, he is a Leadership Facilitator with Harvard Business Publishing.
I was lucky enough to have Kirun run a workshop for teachers at my school recently and after looking up his podcast, I realised it was rare to have someone with so much actionable insight on neuroscience also be well versed on students and school.
We discuss what teachers might need to consider when it comes to the following in and out of the classroom:
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Habit formation and maintenance
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Focus on the task in hand
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Memory and what is learnt
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Anxiety and self-esteem
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Students’ sense of resilience
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Teamwork when interacting with peers
Thanks again to Kirun who not only offers consistently excellent and concise insights here but also via his regular podcast that you will find linked to in the show notes below.
If you want to be kept up to date on when educational chat like this happens, then be sure to subscribe to the podcast and/or follow me on Twitter @chrisjordanhk
Links:
BrainTools - Kirun’s podcast
Atomic Habits by James Clear
Ali Abdaal on YouTube
In this episode I’m speaking with Andrew and Dave of the IB English Guys. 2023 saw the first roll out of the IBDP English A course’s Paper 2. As such, teachers across the world rallied to prepare students for a comparative literature essay that featured unseen prompts and the opportunity to select any of the studied texts from across their two years of study.
I was keen to chat with Andrew and Dave as they have been a fantastic point of contact on relevant IB teaching forums and of course across all their content on YouTube. Additionally, both of the guys were examiners for Paper 2 this year and had access to extended conversations with the principle examiner regarding expectations for students’ responses.
We discuss:
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Since the last time we spoke, something new Dave and Andrew have taught or would like to teach in the coming year.
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Whether this year’s Paper 2 and its focus on thematic prompts is a sign of things to come
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The observation that students fared better if they stayed out of sentence-level analysis and instead aimed at broad authorial choices.
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How to write conclusions in a meaningful manner.
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What the tell-tale signs are that an essay has been learnt and therefore forced onto a question provided
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And finally, what we should all be doing more of on a formative assessment level to prepare students for this paper
Thanks again to the guys for being so generous with their time as well as the practical advice gleaned from reading hundreds of responses and consolidating what they believe to be best practice for a demanding exam.
If you want to be kept up to date on when educational chat like this happens, then be sure to subscribe to the podcast and/or follow me on Twitter @chrisjordanhk
Links:
The IB English Guys YouTube Channel
In this episode, I’m speaking to Chris Youles. Chris is a Classroom Teacher at Taipei European School and author of Sentence models for creative writing: A practical resource for teaching writing.
Chris’ book is one of the most instantly applicable teaching books that I’ve come across in recent years and coupled with a robust grammatical understanding for students, it can really help students to understand how and why writers make certain choices in their sentence structures as well as how they can go about applying some of these techniques themselves.
We discuss:
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The best text Chris has ever read, taught or been taught
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How he went about amassing all of the different sentence types in the book
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What the prerequisite grammar knowledge he would advise teaching before or alongside such structures
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The extent to which certain sentence structures genuinely create a tone, mood or impression of some sort versus purely serving as a way to add variety in expression
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How teachers might arrange such structures in a horizontal and vertical curriculum
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Where teachers should go if they want to approach the sentence construction of rhetorical, discursive or analytical writing in the same way
Thanks again to Chris for researching and producing a brilliantly replete resource for teachers in Primary and Secondary alike as well as giving up some time to talk with me.
If you want to be kept up to date on when educational chat like this happens, then be sure to subscribe to the podcast and/or follow me on Twitter @chrisjordanhk
Links:
Chris’ book - Sentence models for creative writing: A practical resource for teaching writing.The Arrival - Shaun Tan
The Writing Revolution - Natalie Wexler and Judith Hochman
On Writing - Stephen King
The Elements of Eloquence - Mark Forsyth
The Art of the Sentence - Greg Keast
First You Write a Sentence - Joe Moran
How to Write a Sentence: And How to Read One - Stanley Fish
In this episode, I’m speaking with Craig Barton. Craig is an author, maths consultant, former Secondary Maths Adviser to TES and OG podcaster who originally hosted a TES podcast before going on to produce the Mr Barton Maths Podcast and Tips for Teachers podcast.
For me this was an enormous highlight of my own podcasting experience so far given that Craig’s was the first teaching focused show I ever listened to many years ago and was responsible for my discovery and interest in the likes of Dylan Wiliam, Adam Boxer, Daisy Christodoulou and many more who have ultimately enhanced my teaching to a better and better standard.
We discuss:
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A brief summary of Craig’s transition from teacher to podcaster to author to consultant
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What his typical working day and week looks like now that he’s doing a variety of roles
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Whether the fantastic amount of publications, podcasts and other media we now have access to can lead to a sense of professional dysmorphia
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How Craig has managed to juggle his many ventures with kids
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Craig’s advice for someone who sees teaching as their passion, wants to help as many people as possible and wants to work hard at establishing themselves as a writer, consultant or podcaster
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And finally, what’s motivating him to keep creating such brilliant resources and what has he got planned for the future
Thanks again to Craig for finding a time in his busy schedule and being so candid and insightful with his responses. All of his writing, broadcasting and other services can be found in the show notes and I would strongly encourage you to check them out.
If you want to be kept up to date on when educational chat like this happens, then be sure to subscribe to the podcast and/or follow me on Twitter @chrisjordanhk
Links:
Craig’s books
Mr Barton Maths Podcast
Tips for Teachers podcast and YouTube channel
Craig’s CPD services
In this episode I’m speaking with Carly Leung and Vinci Tam. Carly and Vinci are Development Director and Business Executive respectively at V’air, Hong Kong. V’air is a youth-initiated environmental education organization with the mission to promote low-carbon local tourism as a means to mitigate climate change. V’air uses its digital platforms, ecotours and public education events to recommend less conventional travel destinations in Hong Kong.
I wanted to talk to Carly and Vinci as part of an ongoing interest in how Service or Action can play a larger role in the taught curriculum of the MYP.
We discuss:
- Carly’s role as a youth delegate at COP27 - what this required and what the conference was designed to achieve
- Carly and Vinci’s experience with learning about climate change or other environmental matters at school and university and whether this topic deserves greater exposure in Hong Kong schools?
- How teachers should approach the idea that young people can make a difference to what is a united, global effort
- What can we be done at a local level in Hong Kong specifically to aid in environmental preservation
- V'air’s services or experiences for students living in Hong Kong
- And finally, other than V'air, alternative organisations that schools should look to work with in Hong Kong to build meaningful experiences for students
Thanks again to Carly and Vinci for giving up their time to talk to me as well as the fantastic work done by V’air more broadly in promoting sustainable local tourism and nature conservation as well as youth empowerment.
If you want to be kept up to date on when educational chat like this happens, then be sure to subscribe to the podcast and/or follow me on Twitter @chrisjordanhk
Links:
V’air’s website
COP28’s website
WWF Hong Kong
Green Hub Hong Kong
O Park 1
O Park 2
Local Conference of Hong Kong Youth
In this episode I’m speaking with Kate Beatty. Kate is the first returning guest I’ve had on the podcast and one I’m always very pleased to speak with about all things MYP. Kate is an IB Consultant, workshop leader, IB school accreditation team leader and programme leader, executive coach and author of educational resources including the INTHINKING MYP English Language and Literature website.
For this episode, I wanted Kate to guide me through her thoughts on an MYP unit I had constructed with any of the salient strengths and weaknesses that she could see. Additionally I wanted to pose a few questions based on the work she’s done for the INTHINKING MYP site to better broaden my knowledge of English Language and Literature in the MYP.
We discuss:
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How she feels about the suitability of the Statement of Inquiry, Questions and GRASPS in the unit
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The fact that a number of different facts or skills are taught in a direct and teacher led manner and whether this is okay given that they will go onto produce something that is also borne out of inquiries
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What Kate thinks of the ATLs and the way they have been implemented in the unit
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Kate’s general opinion of PPTs and other materials being used to communicate the course's knowledge, skills and tasks
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On the MYP InThinking site, Kate’s decision to offer units that fall into Key Concepts outside the typical Creativity/Communication/Connection/Perspective associated with Language and Literature and why this was
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And staying with the site, given that Kate has offered units on some classic topics of English study, how does she ensure that such a unit has a conceptual lens, connects to global contexts and has an authentic assessment?
Thanks again to Kate for guiding a way through the rewarding but challenging experience of MYP curriculum construction. All of the materials mentioned in the episode will be linked to in the show notes for anyone who wants to refer to them.
If you want to be kept up to date on when educational chat like this happens, then be sure to subscribe to the podcast and/or follow me on Twitter @chrisjordanhk
Links:
Unit plan discussed in the episode
INTHINKING for MYP Language and Literature
Kate’s website
In this episode, I’m speaking with Leon Furze. Leon is an international consultant, author, and speaker with years of experience as an teacher in the UK and Australia. Leon is currently studying his PhD in the implications of Artificial Intelligence on writing instruction and education and as an English teacher is very well placed to advise how recent innovations in AI may affect the subject.
We discuss:
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In laymans terms what is a chatbot? What can it do and not do?
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Why the likes of Elon Musk have called for a halt on AI development.
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What Leon would advise schools and departments to consider in terms of the way in which they work with the a technology that has certain ethical and environmental impacts.
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The ways in which AI should and shouldn't be used to aid students' writing.
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Whether chatbots are useful in terms of planning individual lessons or a sequence of learning.
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What this technology does for the likes of coursework and written examinations
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And Lastly, what does this do for certain jobs? How does Leon see the creative, informative and rhetorical professions evolving in the coming decades?
Thanks again to Leon for providing answers to a number of burning questions that I’ve had ever since Chat GPT came into the educational scene. His writing is an excellent way to ease your way into this new landscape of technology and you’ll be able to access it via the show notes
If you want to be kept up to date on when educational chat like this happens, then be sure to subscribe to the podcast and/or follow me on Twitter @chrisjordanhk
Links:
Leon’s blog
Atlas of AI by Kate Crawford
On the Dangers of Stochastic Parrots by Emily Bender and Timnit Gebru
Tom Barrett’s CREATE advice of using AI
In this episode I’m speaking with Julie Stern. Julie is a four-time, best selling author with titles that include: Learning that Transfers, Visible Learning for Social Studies, The On-Your-Feet Guide to Learning Transfer and Tools for Teaching Conceptual Understanding.
She is an advocate for sustainability, equity and well being in education and has spoken internationally to help facilitate this in many schools around the world.
We discuss:
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How conceptual learning and transfer compliment each other
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How teachers or schools can accurately assess that transfer has taken place
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Julie’s stratification of different kinds of concepts and how this might apply to English
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David Perkin's book, Future Wise, and where his 'lifeworthy knowledge' would they fit in this conceptual stratification
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Whether Julie thinks the current paradigm of dividing schools up into: Math, Social Studies, English etc is an appropriate model looking into the future
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When designing the closest thing to a perfect assessment, what she thinks it should entail for students
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And lastly - when, if ever, is a good time to do project based learning with a class?
Thanks so much to Julie for being a passionate and engaging voice on the topic of conceptual learning and offering a framework that better allows IB educators and beyond to crystallize their teaching approaches.
If you want to be kept up to date on when educational chat like this happens, then be sure to subscribe to the podcast and/or follow me on Twitter @chrisjordanhk
In this episode, I’m speaking to Ben Walker. Ben is an English and TOK teacher here in Hong Kong as well as the current CAS coordinator. Next year he will be taking up the Head of Secondary English role at his current school.
We discuss:
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The best book he’s ever read, taught or been taught
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The advantages and disadvantages of running the 5 year MYP course all the way up to the DP
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His perspective on inquiry and authentic assessment and whether they look different in Year 7 v.s. Year 11
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How much Ben’s current school implement the element of service within the curriculum and the directions he’s considering moving forward
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The feasibility of CAS playing a part in the academic curriculum
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And finally, a somewhat insular one but HK v.s. Singapore. What's the difference and what's Ben’s advice if considering a move from one to the other
Thanks again to Ben for his eloquence and insights across the CAS and English curriculum.
If you want to be kept up to date on when educational chat like this happens, then be sure to subscribe to the podcast and/or follow me on Twitter @chrisjordanhk
Links:
Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel
Go Went Gone by Jenny Erpenbeck
At Night All Blood is Black by David Diop
Black Boy by Richard Wright
The Memory Police by Yoko Ogawa
In this episode I’m talking with Cathryn Berger Kaye. Cathy is president of CBK Associates, ABCD Books and travels globally to provide professional development on the likes of service learning, 21st century competencies and environmental sustainability.
She is the author of 'The Complete Guide to Service Learning', 'Going Blue' and 'Make a Splash!', which are student guides to Protecting Our Oceans, Lakes, Rivers, & Wetlands. In addition she has also authored a range of books for the ‘How to Take Action’ series, which is aimed at guiding students through the issues of hunger, homelessness and climate change to name but a few.
We discuss:
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How Cathy reflects in her own practice and to what extent can we expect students to follow our example when it comes to reflecting well
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The MISO method and elements of it which younger students typically need more guidance
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How and why to combine units and work towards a service goal at some stage within the curriculum
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Direct, indirect, research and advocacy service styles and the advice Cathy would give in terms of the practicalities of establishing direct opportunities for service
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The dangers of 'voluntourism' and how to develop an asset based mindset in students doing service
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Whether schools need to see the way they interact with local service and international service on a sliding scale in terms of age or experience
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And finally, what advice Cathy would give educators who aren't sure where to start when it comes to adapting the curriculum to integrate service
Thanks again to Cathy who is nothing short of a legend in this field for speaking to me today. I was overjoyed to have some time to pose the questions, which you may pick up on through my sometimes overzealous phrasing of the questions. All of Cathy’s books mentioned will of course be linked in the show notes and I’d strongly encourage you to consider these first when developing your knowledge of service in the curriculum.
Find out more about the online course "Getting Started: Service Learning and Global Citizenship Foundations" here. Designed by Cathy and two of her associates, Shei Ascencio and LeeAnne Lavender, this is a dynamic way to advance your understanding and turn ideas into action!
If you want to be kept up to date on when educational chat like this happens, then be sure to subscribe to the podcast and/or follow me on Twitter @chrisjordanhk
Links:
Cathy’s email
Cathy’s books
The Purpose and Process of Reflection: Helping students write meaningful CAS reflections (article)
In this episode, I’m talking to Benita Chick. Benita is the CEO and Founder of Encompass, a social enterprise in Hong Kong,which supports different social causes and NGOs financially as well as advocating for how Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) can be better implemented in businesses and schools. Benita is also a Board Member at KELY Support Group and Youth Arch Foundation, Education Director of Pink Alliance, Mentor for HKUST HeadStart Fellows and a mentor at the RESOLVE Foundation, here in Hong Kong.
I was lucky enough to hear Benita speak earlier this year and was overjoyed to gain a conversation with her in light of the constant desire to make MYP English as authentic as possible, by integrating and exploring the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals.
We discuss:
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The extent to which Hong Kong people are aware or unaware of the SDGs
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Benita’s opinion regarding whether there is a hierarchy in the city in terms of which SDGs need to be addressed more often or immediately
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How schools can go about reviewing or auditing the way in which they are engaging with the SDGs
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Any lesser known but pressing issues that the city is facing in relation to a few of the SDGs that schools might be able to highlight in their curriculum
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Routes young people can take to become involved in service that aids some of the SDGs
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And finally, after the 2030 deadline set by the UN, where do Benita feels the world will go from there
This was a succinct and in-depth discussion for someone like me who is on talking terms with the SDGs but would really benefit from speaking to those who work with or advise on the SDG targets on a regular basis. Thank you to Benita providing just as well as plenty of resources or extra reading that I will link to in the show notes.
If you want to be kept up to date on when educational chat like this happens, then be sure to subscribe to the podcast and/or follow me on Twitter @chrisjordanhk
Links:
Encompass, Hong Kong
SDSN Hong Kong Commissions Youth Survey on SDGs
The Times Higher Education Impact Rankings
Hong Kong is diverse, but far from inclusive; here’s how we can change that
Learning to transform the world: key competencies in education for sustainable development (p43)
Kids for Kids (Hong Kong)
Become A Young Leader for the SDGs Fellowship (International)
In this episode I’m speaking with Nadia Abdallah. Nadia is a former Head of Department for English, Director of Teaching and Learning and MYP Principal in Jordan. She has also worked as a workshop leader for the IB and is currently Chief Education and Development Officer for Junior Achievement Worldwide, a nonprofit organisation providing hands on learning in financial literacy, work readiness and entrepreneurship skills
I wanted to speak to Nadia about the IB’s MYP and more specifically the Inter Disciplinary Unit that is expected in each year of the course. Nadia recently ran an excellent 2 day training seminar that I attended and was kind enough to share more of her time discussing it for the podcast.
We discuss:
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A quick introduction to her career to date
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Some of the common misconceptions or mistakes teachers make in respect of the IDU and what the most important things to remember as a school attempting to implement it are
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How and when Nadia sees the assessment criteria of evaluation, synthesis and reflection actually taking place in a unit
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Examples of the ways in which different subjects can come together to form an IDU
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Advice on the mechanics of actually timetabling IDUs
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What constitutes action or service in an IDU and examples from Nadia’s own practice
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And final advice for Heads of faculty, coordinators and teachers in respective departments embarking on their first forays into an IDU
Thanks again to Nadia for an extensive and firsthand account of considerations that are needed when approaching the Interdisciplinary Unit. Despite the time, resources and collaboration required, it is an undertaking that can massively benefit students and their appreciation of the respective subjects.
If you want to be kept up to date on when educational chat like this happens, then be sure to subscribe to the podcast and/or follow me on Twitter @chrisjordanhk
In this episode I am talking to Amber Rhinehart. Amber is an MYP Coordinator in an international school in Accra, an MYP Workshop Leader, an IB Site Visitor, MYP Personal Project Examiner and teaches Language and Literature as well as individuals and Societies. I was really keen to speak to someone as experienced and knowledgable as Amber owing to the many valuable but demanding aspects that the MYP framework has to offer.
We discuss:
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A short introduction to Amber’s career to date
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Whether Amber recommends combining the likes of analytical and producing texts strands from the outset of MYP or waiting until these respective skills have been developed and therefore consolidated
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How to marry GRASPS with the assessment strands when aiming for valid and reliable assessments
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How teachers can ensure they are covering global contexts in the same depth as they would the related or disciplinary concepts
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My school’s recent struggles with Criterion Biii and the need to assess formatting and/or referencing twice a year in the curriculum.
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And finally, what Amber thinks is the best approach to implementing ATLs in individual units and the curriculum holistically
Thank you again to Amber who speaks with a fantastic degree of balance, nuance and passion about the curriculum as well as her ongoing contribution to IB’s online community of teachers.
If you want to be kept up to date on when educational chat like this happens, then be sure to subscribe to the podcast and/or follow me on Twitter @chrisjordanhk
In this episode I’m talking with Tanay Naik. Tanay is Secondary School Deputy Principal for Teaching and Learning at United Nations International School of Hanoi. He has recently co-authored an article in The International Educator and is a contributor and advocate for the Association of International Educators and Leaders of Color.
In the show we discuss:
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A quick introduction to Tanay’s career in education to date
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As a school, why and how UNIS Hanoi recently decided to gather staff demographic data
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What unconscious bias training is and what Tanay took away from it personally
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What a UNIS Hanoi interview looks and sounds like
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The most common advice Tanay had for people who wanted to join the school but weren’t yet suitable
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And finally, advice Tanay would give to teachers or Heads of Department that want to move into whole school teaching and learning roles in the future
Thank you again to Tanay for sharing some excellent best practice, plenty of management insight and his school’s ongoing commitment to DEIJ approaches.
If you want to be kept up to date on when educational chat like this happens, then be sure to subscribe to the podcast and/or follow me on Twitter @chrisjordanhk
Links:
Tanay’s co-authored article for The International Educator
Tanay’s presentation on behalf of AIELOC
Overview of common hiring biases
In this episode, I’m talking with Dr Daniel Rosen. Dan is currently Head of Secondary at St George's Düsseldorf. He also writes a brilliant blog entitled Musings of a Dr and more recently hosted the International version of TeachMeet Icons. Over the course of the conversation, we discuss:
- A quick introduction to Dan’s career in teaching
- How recruitment for schools in Germany has been affected by the pandemic and Brexit
- The extent to which international schools struggle to keep pace with teaching and learning improvement seen in the UK state sector
- What granting teachers more autonomy means in practical terms
- What schools need to establish in order to be ready to roll learning communities out as an initiative
- Good and bad proxies for promotion when appointing new members of middle or senior leadership
- And finally, advice Dan would give to teachers or Heads of Department that want to move into whole school teaching and learning roles in the future
Thanks again to Dan for giving up part of his weekend to elaborate on some of his excellent blog posts that I’ll link to in the show notes as well as practical advice on how to approach any ambitions people may have about accessing middle or senior management.
If you want to be kept up to date on when educational chat like this happens, then be sure to subscribe to the podcast and/or follow me on Twitter @chrisjordanhk
Links:
Dan’s blog - musingsofadr
TeachMeet International Icons recording
Drive by Daniel Pink
Nick Hart’s blog
In the episode I’m talking with Dr Rick Smith. Rick is a former teacher and now provides individual counselling for students working with stress and anxiety. He specialises in ADHD and attention-related disorders and has helped a great many students from his https://rick-smith.com/?gclid=CjwKCAjw2OiaBhBSEiwAh2ZSP4hHn3zQsyOHXBjZitSgp1BkbJyRECGmAaLpSoJDwbs2tAeNZkY_9RoCRyUQAvD_BwE (practice in Hong Kong) and beyond. The conversation with Rick came about due to watching him in a fantastic seminar he did earlier this year and also a longstanding sense that despite my efforts, I may never have been doing enough to support some students who struggle to adapt to the demands of school. We discuss: 1. A quick introduction to Rick’s career in education 2. Whether there is a recurring need or concern that families often bring to his practice regarding school and schoolwork 3. How teachers can prepare for a new academic year with regard to implementing: regular breaks, written instructions or task checklists for some students. 4. How to manage the balance between tailoring lessons for a student and not alienating them through different treatment 5. How a form tutor and/or teacher should deal with the likes of unfinished homework or incomplete class work 6. And finally, the role that the rest of the class play in accommodating students with certain learning needs I found this conversation and Rick’s advice to be revelatory. Some of what is said goes against what I have been taught to believe about certain students in my classes and yet reflecting on my experience and reference to research, I found myself nodding to everything that Rick had to offer. Thanks again to him for giving up some of his valuable time to make this information more readily available. If you want to be kept up to date on when educational chat like this happens, then be sure to subscribe to the podcast and/or follow me on Twitter https://twitter.com/chrisjordanhk (@chrisjordanhk)
This is the latest in a series of podcasts where I focus on a particular part of English instruction or English related matters in detail. In this episode I’m talking with Trevor MacKenzie. Trevor is a world-renowned speaker and author and is best known for his work with inquiry based teaching approaches. As an IB educator, inquiry is a word, strategy or concept that comes up on a daily basis with students and colleagues. Given its fundamental role within the MYP and DP, getting Trevor on to ask him questions and learn from his experience was a massive privilege. We discuss, 1. What is the best literary text he’s ever read, taught or been taught? 2. What does an inquiry classroom look like and sound like in Trevor’s experience? 3. Typically what would be the ratio between need-to-know or non-negotiable skills/knowledge and the inquiry process time wise? 4. How do teachers strike a balance between non-negotiable exam / coursework specification in English and student passion? 5. What are the difficulties or challenges Trevor’s faced with asking students to design their own assessment in middle-school? 6. What Trevor thinks of statements of inquiry and real world assessment in MYP unit planning. 7. And finally, what Trevor thinks of the increasingly popular explicit instruction over the inquiry approach. From beginning to end, this conversation continually clarified things I’d heard about the inquiry approach and left me with plenty of considerations for how to enhance my own approach to the classroom. Thanks again to Trevor who spoke concisely, passionately and transparently throughout. If you want to be kept up to date on when educational chat like this happens, then be sure to subscribe to the podcast and/or follow me on Twitter https://twitter.com/chrisjordanhk (@chrisjordanhk) Links: https://www.amazon.com/Seven-Fallen-Feathers-Racism-Northern/dp/1487002262 (Seven Fallen Feathers: Racism, Death, and Hard Truths in a Northern City) by https://www.amazon.com/Tanya-Talaga/e/B0881Z3SKN/ref=dp_byline_cont_book_1 (Tanya Talaga) Trevor’s https://www.amazon.com/s?i=audible&k=Trevor%20MacKenzie&ref=dp_byline_sr_audible_1 (books) Kath Murdoch’s https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCVOj5Szd2ZD3rHMcOZOcGgQ (YouTube Channel)
In this episode I’m speaking with https://twitter.com/edu_feminist (Rosie Georgiou). Rosie is an English teacher, KS5 Lead and PhD student living in London. She first came to my attention during the most recent TeachMeetEnglishIcons event, in which she discussed the process and benefits of creative writing in English. During our conversation we discuss: The best text Rosie’s ever read, taught or been taught? The ways in which creative writing can be metacognitive The relationship between creative writing and pastoral matters The advantages of journaling and free writing and how they play a part in Rosie’s practice How she has led students to legitimately reflect on the creative process and why And lastly, how often does Rosie’s dept explore creative writing in a year level or across KS3
It was real pleasure to speak to Rosie at length about the creative process as well as how that translates into teaching practice, feedback and assessment. For those of you who haven’t seen it, I’d really recommend her presentation for TeachMeets too. If you want to be kept up to date on when educational chat like this happens, then be sure to subscribe to the podcast and/or follow me on Twitter https://twitter.com/chrisjordanhk (@chrisjordanhk) Links: https://youtu.be/-TJRkCOWRdA?t=2508 (Rosie’s TeachMeetEnglishIcons Appearance) https://www.claphamfringe.com/colloquium.html (Colloquium) by Katherine Stockton
In this episode I’m talking to Natalie Obiko Pearson. Natalie is a journalist and bureau chief at Bloomberg Vancouver. Natalie’s work came to the attention of lots of International educators this year after writing an article entitled: https://www.bloomberg.com/news/features/2022-03-04/elite-international-school-education-runs-on-systemic-racism (Elite International Schools Have a Racism Problem). This provoked a lot of discussion online as well as amongst my colleagues and friends in the industry. Having spent time at an international school herself, Natalie’s incredibly well informed and wide ranging investigation confirmed a number of growing doubts that people within international schooling may have had as well as introducing a variety of other issues within the system that were yet to come to light. We discuss: Natalie’s observation that ‘The more elite the school, the less diverse the staff’ and whether it can be said of any global hub’s international schools Whether the efforts of the International Baccalaureate or other curricula designed to produce world citizens are undermined by a lack of cultural diversity in recruitment The role of parental expectations and how they influence or validate decisions made by school management teams What the appeal of working in an international school is for those who would be deemed a ‘local hire’ Natalie’s opinion on what would be a truly fair or meaningful way to approach recruitment for schools in future And finally, whether staff professional development can ever deliver on the promise of ensuring a more diverse approach to international schooling.
For anyone who is yet to read Natalie’s article it is an essential piece of journalism for those of us who have made a life abroad or plan to in the future. It explores the role of parents, students, teachers and school management in terms of the questions we should be asking of ourselves and the sense of self-identity we’re guiding our young people towards. If you want to be kept up to date on when educational chat like this happens, then be sure to subscribe to the podcast and/or follow me on Twitter https://twitter.com/chrisjordanhk (@chrisjordanhk) Links: Article: https://www.bloomberg.com/news/features/2022-03-04/elite-international-school-education-runs-on-systemic-racism (Elite International Schools Have a Racism Problem).
In this episode I’m speaking to The IB English Guys, otherwise known as Andrew Cohen and David Giles. Andrew and Dave are both English teachers at the International School of Bangkok and https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCEZHU9lVH7h2p60KI-rEbDA (moonlight as YouTubers) in their spare time. Andrew and Dave’s channel has grown far and wide in such a small amount of time, in no small part thanks to their engaging manner on camera and concise, practical advice for students. We discuss: 1. The best text they’ve ever read, taught or been taught 2. Their background in international teaching and what made them start a YouTube channel 3. Which of the videos have garnered the biggest views and why they you think that is 4. Focusing on the Individual Oral specifically, what Andrew and Dave think are the most important aspects to prepare students for 5. Whether they feel Paper 1 is more challenging in Lang/Lit or Literature and why 6. What makes a good HL essay in their opinion 7. How their department approaches formative assessment given the need to offer students agency in terms of the texts used in respective examinations 8. And finally, a selection of the texts they currently use for the respective courses This was easily one of the most engaging conversations I’ve had about the IBDP for some time and it was hard not to be buoyed by Andrew and Dave’s positivity and clear love for the subject. If you want to be kept up to date on when educational chat like this happens, then be sure to subscribe to the podcast and/or follow me on Twitter https://twitter.com/chrisjordanhk (@chrisjordanhk) Links: Andrew and Dave’s https://ibenglishguys.com (website) and https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCEZHU9lVH7h2p60KI-rEbDA/featured (channel) https://www.amazon.com/Sing-Unburied-Novel-Jesmyn-Ward/dp/1501126067 (Sing, Unburied, Sing) by Jesmyn Ward https://www.netflix.com/hk-en/title/81336476 (Breaking Boundaries: The Science Of Our Planet) Mary Oliver https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poets/mary-oliver (poetry)
In this episode I’m speaking with Elaine McNally. Elaine is an English Head of Department and enthusiastic presence on Twitter, where she she tweets https://twitter.com/mrsmacteach33 (@mrsmacteach33). I reached out for a chat with Elaine after seeing her speak at the TeachMeetEnglishIcons event earlier this year. Her presentation - ‘Powerful Voices: A Year 8 Curriculum’, tackled the topic of how she had tried to deliver diversity within her department’s curriculum thinking. Although an important and timely endeavour, what stood out about the way Elaine navigated the discussion was her observation that she had felt out of her depth at times. This was due to ‘the thorny nature of diversity as a term,’ which is me quoting Elaine, who was quoting Bennie Kara. Needless to say, this was a fantastic exploration of the consequences for planning and teaching around the concept of diversity and something that I wanted to be able to talk about in more detail. We discuss: The best text Elaine’s ever read, taught or learnt herself What diversity actually means when leading a curriculum rethink The canonical or classic texts that have been kept in Elaine’s KS3 curriculum and how she approaches them with diverse interpretations in mind The texts her department have introduced or kept that have a more diverse point of view at their core And finally, the substantive and disciplinary concepts that Elaine and her team chose to include after their KS3 review
At a time when my own school foundation is considering its output in relation to empire, imperialism and inclusion, this was a conversation I hugely benefitted from thinking forwards into the future so thanks again to Elaine for that. If you want to be kept up to date on when educational chat like this happens, then be sure to subscribe to the podcast and/or follow me on Twitter https://twitter.com/chrisjordanhk (@chrisjordanhk) Links: https://www.teachmeeticons.com/recordings (TeachMeet English Icons Recordings) https://mrsmacteach33.wordpress.com/2022/03/08/powerful-voices-diversity-and-a-year-8-curriculum/ (Slides from Elaine’s presentation) https://www.amazon.co.uk/Little-Guide-Teachers-Diversity-Schools-ebook/dp/B0895XHTW1 (A Little Guide for Teachers: Diversity in Schools) by Bennie Kara https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01ARXVT5O/ref=dp-kindle-redirect?_encoding=UTF8&btkr=1 (The Bone Sparrow) by Zana Fraillon http://www.raymondantrobus.com (Raymond Antrobus) - poet https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christine_Sun_Kim (Christine Sun Kim) - poet
In this episode I’m talking with Sarah Davies. Sarah is, amongst other things, an Assistant Headteacher, Early Career Teacher Mentor and Author of https://www.johncattbookshop.com/talking-about-oracy-developing-communication-beyond-the-classroom (Talking about Oracy). After a conversation I had with Donal Hale a few months ago, I began searching for resources or guidance on how best to implement oracy in my own practice. Sarah’s was the first and best book I came across in a field that seems shockingly under considered. We discuss: 1. What secondary teachers need to know about the transition between Primary into Y7 in terms of student’s oracy 2. How teachers can embed oracy instruction on a daily / weekly basis 3. What the most important types of talk we need to foster in secondary schools are 4. Strategies we can use for particularly reluctant speakers in class 5. Whether we need to consider preparation for how students use apps or meeting software as opposed to purely presenting in person 6. And finally, the best resources for teachers keen to instruct oracy techniques and non-verbal communication techniques such as body language Thanks very much to Sarah for giving up her time for a chat as well as continuing to be a vocal presence on Twitter and beyond when it comes to English and oracy matters respectively! If you want to be kept up to date on when educational chat like this happens, then be sure to subscribe to the podcast and/or follow me on Twitter https://twitter.com/chrisjordanhk (@chrisjordanhk) Links: https://www.johncattbookshop.com/talking-about-oracy-developing-communication-beyond-the-classroom (Talking about Oracy: Developing communication beyond the classroom) https://voice21.org/who-we-are/ (Voice 21) https://oracycambridge.org (Oracy Cambridge)
In this episode I’m talking to Kate Anderson. Kate is the Head of the EAL department at The British School in the Netherlands and as such leads on English as an Additional Language provision across the secondary phase. I was looking to talk with someone like Kate after giving a lot of thought to how I work with EAL teachers in my own school and the obvious deficits in regard to my understanding and ability when doing so. Kate offers lots of fantastic insight and advice surrounding what it means to have EAL students in the classroom and school as well as how best to support them within the school community. We discuss: - The best book she’s ever read, taught or learnt at school herself - How or what to review in terms of EAL provision each year - What the EAL department does at The British School in The Netherlands - The ways in which Kate’s department spend time building relationships both with prospective students and their family online - What is the one thing EAL teachers would like to say to teachers of other subjects if they had the chance? - The possibility that being assisted by the EAL department may lead to some self-consciousness and whether or not this can be overcome - And finally, where teachers can look for resources or training with regard to better connections and teamwork with the EAL department Thanks again to Kate for a clear understanding of the type of conversations and considerations that go on within the EAL department. With some hardworking and attention to detail I hope that what I’ve heard from Kate can inform my own planning and work alongside her counterparts in my own school. If you want to be kept up to date on when educational chat like this happens, then be sure to subscribe to the podcast and/or follow me on Twitter https://twitter.com/chrisjordanhk (@chrisjordanhk) Links: https://www.amazon.com/Breaking-Through-Language-Barrier-Strategies/dp/1908095725 (Breaking Through The Language Barrier )by Patricia Mertin https://www.amazon.com/Scaffolding-Language-Learning-Second-Mainstream/dp/0325056641 (Scaffolding Language, Scaffolding Learning) by Pauline Gibbons https://www.amazon.com/Educating-Second-Language-Children-Curriculum/dp/0521457971 (Educating Second Language Children) by Fred Genesee
In this episode, I’m talking with Chris Shaw. Chris is Assistant Headteacher and Head of English at a Welsh-medium school in Swansea. In addition to that he is a regional advocate for https://twitter.com/LitdriveUK (@LitdriveUK) and a vocal presence on Twitter, where he tweets under the handle - https://twitter.com/athrosaesneg (Athro Saesneg. ) We discuss: 1. The best text he’s ever read, taught or been taught 2. The teaching and learning initiatives he’s been part of that makes him proud to do the job 3. The fact that it's a changing time for the Curriculum in Wales and what this has meant in English 4. Experiences Chris has had in attempts to improve students' home learning 5. An element of his approach or practice he would like to improve on in the coming year 6. And finally, how Key Stage 3 is structured in Chris’ school and an explanation for the choices made Thanks again to Chris for sharing his time and passion for the subject and being candid about all the ways in which he’s looking to improve alongside the elements of the job in which he clearly excels. If you want to be kept up to date on when educational chat like this happens, then be sure to subscribe to the podcast and/or follow me on Twitter https://twitter.com/chrisjordanhk (@chrisjordanhk )
In this episode I am speaking with Brad Philpot. Brad is an English teacher in Frankfurt but is best known for his brilliant range of textbooks and instructional courses for teaching the IBDP. Brad is someone who has worked within IB education for a long time, holding numerous roles, affording him a massive amount of experience and knowhow when it comes to English instruction and curriculum design. We discuss: The best book he’s ever read, taught or learnt whilst at school How Brad feels about the most recent changes to the DP course, and the IO or HLE in particular Why he chose to set up the most recent textbook s thematically The texts he teaches in the new course When and how the likes of Areas of Exploration, Key Concepts and Global Issues play a part in his curriculum How the Learner Portfolio been implemented in Brad’s classes And finally, the element of the English A course he enjoys most and one thing he’d change if he could
Brad offered up a variety of insights in this conversation that I’m already looking to implement into my own practice. This was really a refreshing blend of pragmatism and idealism around the many demands made of teachers by the IB. If you want to be kept up to date on when educational chat like this happens, then be sure to subscribe to the podcast and/or follow me on Twitter @chrisjordanhk Links: Brad’s IB education consultancy services - https://philpot.education (Philpot Education) https://www.amazon.com/Books-Brad-Philpot/s?rh=n%3A283155%2Cp_27%3ABrad%20Philpot (Brad’s textbook range) https://www.amazon.com/Barefoot-Gen-Vol-Cartoon-Hiroshima/dp/0867196025 (Barefoot Gen) by Keiji Nakazawa https://www.amazon.com/Best-We-Could-Do-Illustrated/dp/1419718789/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr= (The Best We Could Do) by Thi Bui https://www.amazon.com/Belonging-German-Reckons-History-Home/dp/1476796637/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr= (Belonging) by Nora Krug https://www.amazon.com/White-Tiger-Novel-Aravind-Adiga/dp/1416562605 (The White Tiger) by Aravind Adiga https://www.amazon.com/Land-Green-Plums-Novel/dp/0312429940/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1DZNSMFO95DWM&keywords=land%20of%20green%20plums&qid=1646743717&s=books&sprefix=the%20land%20of%20green%20%2Cstripbooks-intl-ship%2C305&sr=1-1 (The Land of Green Plums) by Herta Muller
In this episode I’m speaking with https://twitter.com/teachals (Amy Staniforth). Amy is an Acting Head of Department, Assistant Principal and co-author of the amazing https://www.amazon.com/Ready-Teach-compendium-knowledge-resources/dp/1912906910 (Ready to Teach Macbeth. ) We discuss: 1. The best text Amy’s ever read, taught or been taught 2. What kind of timescale and process goes into planning the books in her ‘Ready to teach…’ series 3. What made Amy and Stuart choose Macbeth and A Christmas Carol and whether the guides are written with any particular Key Stage in mind 4. How Amy approaches a significant extract of a play or novel with her students 5. One area of practice she’d like to improve on 6. The texts Amy’s department covers at Key Stage 3 and why 7. And lastly, when we can expect Ready to Teach A Christmas Carol to be ready With Twitter always ready to offer an incredibly diverse and insightful amount of reading material, I hope I managed to convey to Amy the outstanding effect that Ready to Teach Macbeth has had on my teaching and its place as an outstanding resource for English teachers around the world. I imagine that my anticipation for Ready to Teach A Christmas Carol is also shared by all those who are lucky enough to be familiar with Amy and Stuart’s work and are looking forward to reading it later this year. If you want to be kept up to date on when educational chat like this happens, then be sure to subscribe to the podcast and/or follow me on Twitter https://twitter.com/chrisjordanhk (@chrisjordanhk ) Links: https://www.theguardian.com/teacher-network/teacher-blog/2013/oct/24/teaching-questions-improve-pupil-learning (Guardian article )on teacher questioning https://teacherhead.com/2018/08/24/great-teaching-the-power-of-questioning/ (Say it Again Better) strategy (halfway down the post) https://www.amazon.com/Fire-Eaters-David-Almond/dp/0375857516 (The Fire Eaters) by David Almond https://www.amazon.com/Clap-When-Land-Elizabeth-Acevedo/dp/0062882767 (Clap When You Land) by Elizabeth Acevedo
In this episode I’m speaking with https://twitter.com/VersatileVocab1 (Josie Sacks) and https://twitter.com/bridiemcpherson (Bridie McPherson.) Bridie is Head of Department at Oasis South Bank Academy and Josie is National Curriculum Lead for Oasis Community Learning. This interview came off the back of me watching Josie and Bridie talk as part of a ‘We are in Beta’ presentation. The ideas and insights offered around the likes of whole class feedback and standards within English teaching more broadly were fantastically concise and a brilliant indication of the work being done in the UK around curriculum and feedback. In this episode we discuss: - The best text Josie and Bridie have ever read, taught or been taught? - The KS3 curriculum at Oasis South Bank and the specific ideas that Bridie and Josie have chosen to construct the learning around - The kind of conversations or debates that led to textual choices in the scheme of learning - An example of one unit and the type of specific vocabulary and sentence structures that are introduced that then leads to whole class feedback in subsequent tasks -Specifically, what are the things teachers cover in whole class feedback - How misconceptions are reviewed in the long term - And lastly, why models, exemplars or live writing are not entirely effective in guiding students’ understanding of a task Thanks a lot to Bridie and Josie for giving up time on the last Friday of term to chat about these things with such a massive amount of passion and investment. If you want to be kept up to date on when educational chat like this happens, then be sure to subscribe to the podcast and/or follow me on Twitter @chrisjordanhk Links: https://www.weareinbeta.community/feed (We Are in Beta) - a network of practicing teachers and leaders learning from each other and growing together.
In this episode I’m speaking with Alethea Bleyburg. Alethea is the https://www.the-learning-curve-hk.com/ (Director of Learning Curve Education Consulting Ltd) and an IBDP Core Consultant. I was particularly keen to talk to Thea about the IBDP Extended Essay, about which she has extensive knowledge. We discuss: Her experience with international schooling and the EE specifically The ways in which an English EE differs in difficulty or challenge from other subjects and why students choose an EE in English What the first mistake is that students or schools often make when beginning the EE process What Thea’s advised process for planning, drafting and writing an EE in English is The ideal types of text or text(s) to choose in Literature or Language EEs and whether students best advised to stay away from the classics From a teacher’s perspective, the main things that students tend to struggle with that we might not spot And lastly, the best resources for students or teachers during the EE process
As I state in the episode, I was bowled over by not only Thea’s knowledge but also her personal connection to the project and process of writing an EE. Her advice would serve any IBDP teacher well during what can be a demanding assignment and would also be a valuable listen for the students tasked with writing it. If you want to be kept up to date on when educational chat like this happens, then be sure to subscribe to the podcast and/or follow me on Twitter https://twitter.com/chrisjordanhk (@chrisjordanhk)
This is the third in a series of podcasts where I focus on a particular part of English instruction or English related matters in detail. In this episode I’m talking to Kathrine Mortimore. Kathrine is the Associate Assistant Principal at a secondary school in Torquay and author of the book: Disciplinary Literacy and Explicit Vocabulary Teaching: A whole school approach to closing the attainment gap. We discuss: The most effective or important approaches to establishing an accurate reading age for students Whether targeted vocabulary instruction in every subject looks different depending on the subject How can using PowerPoints vs Booklets make a difference for students who struggle to read If there is any noticeable correlation between behaviour and literacy levels How knowledge organisers and retrieval practice aid student literacy On tutor reading programmes: how to do them well when tutors aren’t necessarily English teachers And if Kathrine had to recommend 3 cornerstones of an effective literacy programme in a school, what would they be?
I’m extremely grateful to be able to talk to people like Kathrine, who are clearly experts in their field and are ready with a litany of practical examples and strategies to go away with. If you want to be kept up to date on when educational chat like this happens, then be sure to subscribe to the podcast and/or follow me on Twitter @chrisjordanhk Links: https://www.gl-education.com/assessments/products/new-group-reading-test/ (New Group Reading Test) https://www.amazon.com/Bringing-Words-Life-Second-Instruction/dp/1462508162 (Bringing Words to Life) by Isabel Beck et al https://www.amazon.com/Closing-the-Reading-Gap/dp/B08S7NF8BF/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=Alex%20Quigley&qid=1643201833&s=audible&sr=1-1 (Closing the Reading Gap) by Alex Quigley https://www.amazon.com/Reading-Reconsidered-Practical-Rigorous-Instruction/dp/1119104246/ref=sr_1_1?crid=RNSY4TBHTPTR&keywords=reading%20reconsidered%20by%20doug%20lemov&qid=1643201888&sprefix=reading%20reconsidered%2Caps%2C268&sr=8-1 (Reading Reconsidered: A Practical Guide to Rigorous Literacy Instruction) by Doug Lemov et al https://www.amazon.co.uk/Writing-Game-Evidence-Informed-Activities-Level/dp/1913622916 (The Writing Game) by Robin Hardman https://d2tic4wvo1iusb.cloudfront.net/eef-guidance-reports/literacy-ks3-ks4/EEF_KS3_KS4_LITERACY_POSTER.pdf (The EEF’s advice) on disciplinary literacy Scarborough’s https://www.researchgate.net/figure/The-Reading-Rope-Scarborough-2001_fig1_350670013 (Reading Rope) Alice Visser-Furay - https://twitter.com/AVisserFuray (@AVisserFuray)
In this episode I’m talking to Donal Hale. Donal is an English Head of Department at a secondary school in York and respected voice in English teaching on Twitter and beyond. We discuss: The best book he’s ever read, taught or learnt whilst at school
Where Donal and his department stand on planning the curriculum according to concepts, texts or skills
How formative feedback, summatives and marking works in Donal’s department and if there is anything they’re looking to change
The one area of the job he’d like to improve
What reading and/or writing initiatives Donal has within the department to ensure that students are getting rigorous practice in these areas
Whether Donal has allowed for any provision in the curriculum for teaching how to speak publicly
And lastly, (aside from Twitter) what’s the best resource he’s come across for English teaching that might help others
Thanks again to Donal for crossing the timezone divide and offering a frank and fantastic lowdown on how he sees English instruction in its many forms.
If you want to be kept up to date on when educational chat like this happens, then be sure to subscribe to the podcast and/or follow me on Twitter @chrisjordanhk
Links:
Donal on Twitter - https://twitter.com/HaleDonal (@HaleDonal) https://www.amazon.com/Know-This-Much-True-Novel/dp/0061469084 (I Know this Much is True) by Wally Lamb https://www.amazon.com/Beowulf-Michael-Morpurgo/dp/0763672971 (Beowulf) translated by Michael Morpurgo https://www.amazon.com/Odyssey-Homer/dp/0393356256/ref=sr_1_1?crid=6PR29K2TQA7I&keywords=emily%20odyssey&qid=1642777404&s=books&sprefix=emily%20child%20odyssey%2Cstripbooks-intl-ship%2C348&sr=1-1 (The Odyssey) translated by Emily Wilson https://www.amazon.com/Writing-Revolution-Advancing-Thinking-Subjects/dp/1119364914/ref=sr_1_1?crid=36MZ5E7K6X24V&keywords=the%20writing%20revolution&qid=1642777534&s=books&sprefix=the%20writing%20revolution%2Cstripbooks-intl-ship%2C281&sr=1-1 (The Writing Revolution) https://www.amazon.com/Reading-Reconsidered-Practical-Rigorous-Instruction/dp/1119104246/ref=sr_1_1?crid=18CVENOZ65BJ3&keywords=Reading%20reconsidered&qid=1642777575&s=books&sprefix=reading%20reconsidere%2Cstripbooks-intl-ship%2C268&sr=1-1 (Reading Reconsidered) https://collins.co.uk/products/9780008315887 (Crafting Brilliant Sentences) by Lindsay Skinner https://www.amazon.com/Jennifer-Webb/e/B07VLGPF3G?qid=1642777685&ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_8&sr=1-8 (Jennifer Webb books) https://www.amazon.com/How-Teach-English-non-fiction-navigation-ebook/dp/B07TB176FM/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2LNE84HAYKF7Y&keywords=chris%20curtis&qid=1642777733&s=digital-text&sprefix=chris%20curtis%2Cdigital-text%2C274&sr=1-1 (How to Teach English) by Chris Curtis
In this episode I’m talking to Alice Gibbons. Alice is the IBDP Coordinator for English at West Island School Hong Kong and also one of 3 contributors to a 2019 textbook for the IBDP Language and Literature course. We discuss: - The best book she’s ever read, taught or been taught - Alice’s experience as a teacher at home in the UK and abroad - How the opportunity to write a textbook come about and what she gained from the process - Alice’s thoughts on the new iteration of the IBDP English A course and what she likes and dislikes about it - Her interpretation of what intertextuality means in practice and how she implements it in the classroom - The best 3 Language or Non-literary Bodies of Work Alice has come across or taught and the Lit texts they work well with - And finally, the best resources for people looking to continually improve within the DP Thanks again to Alice for finding time to discuss English at IBDP level and offering so many useful ideas for those building or reviewing a curriculum. If you want to be kept up to date on when educational chat like this happens, then be sure to subscribe to the podcast and/or follow me on Twitter @chrisjordanhk Links: Alice’s co-authored https://www.hoddereducation.co.uk/subjects/english/products/16-18/english-language-and-literature-for-the-ib-diploma (textbook) Barbie Savior https://www.instagram.com/barbiesavior/?hl=en (Instagram Account) https://www.bookdepository.com/Burmese-Days-George-Orwell/9781529032680 (Burmese Days) by George Orwell https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/600633/on-earth-were-briefly-gorgeous-by-ocean-vuong/ (On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous) By Ocean Vuong
This week I’m talking to Kate Beatty. Kate is a former Head of Department in English and now spends her time communicating with people around the world as an MYP English Language and Literature consultant. Having recently made the move into an IB world school that teaches the MYP I was really keen to ask someone like Kate a number of burning questions regarding planning a sequenced curriculum. Thankfully she offered lots of clarification and excellent ideas throughout the chat. We discussed: - The best book she’s ever read, taught or been taught - Her experience in international teaching and why did she made the move into consultancy - How the MYP is a different opportunity for those more used to a British curriculum - Where the MYP fits into recent discussions regarding a knowledge rich curriculum - Effective strategies to implement inquiry within the English classroom - How coordinators / teachers can accommodate the need to teach literary analysis, which is something of a niche pursuit given the MYP’s prioritisation of global contexts - Kate’s advice on how to build ATLs into the planning of a unit or make them more meaningful to students - And finally, examples of units that she’s taught or seen that best encapsulate the mission of IB and support English learning in equal measure Thanks again to Kate for guiding me and anyone else who cares to listen in the ways of the MYP. If you’d like to be made aware of when more education chat like this happens then be sure to subscribe to the podcast and/or follow me on Twitter https://twitter.com/chrisjordanhk (@chrisjordanhk ) Links: https://www.amazon.com/Girl-Woman-Other-Bernardine-Evaristo/dp/0241364906 (Girl, Woman, Other - Bernadine Evaristo ) https://www.bookdepository.com/Childrens-Bible-Lydia-Millet/9781324005032?gclid=Cj0KCQiAhf2MBhDNARIsAKXU5GQhUjJ0yQ1Bm9MT1eSBRAReQI-bx4kKYTzzFnNVRdTSaFJilbfocHMaAqsaEALw_wcB (A Children’s Bible - Lydia Millet) https://www.amazon.com/Glass-Castle-Memoir-Jeannette-Walls/dp/074324754X (The Glass Castle - Jeannette Walls) https://www.kathmurdoch.com.au (Kath Murdoch - Education Consultant) https://www.amazon.com/Trevor-MacKenzie/e/B01L8G93JI%3Fref=dbs_a_mng_rwt_scns_share (Trevor Mackenzie - Inquiry Guidance Books) http://www.pz.harvard.edu/thinking-routines (Harvard’s Thinking Routine’s Toolbox)
This is the second in a series of podcasts where I focus on a specific area of English instruction. In this episode I’m delighted to be talking to Zoe Enser about how generative learning can be implemented in the English classroom. Zoe and her partner Mark have offered the education world a number of fantastic publications, including their most recent book The CPD curriculum. But it is their book released earlier this year, which takes a teachers-eye view of Fiorella and Mayer’s Generative learning theories, that I am discussing with her today. For anyone who hasn’t read it yet, I can’t recommend it highly enough as a source for formative assessment and consolidation of learning in the classroom. We discuss: - The best book Zoe’s ever read, taught or learnt at school - Who are Fiorella and Mayer and how she came across their work? - As an English teacher by trade, can Zoe see some of the activities lending themselves more to the subject or does each one offer an equal opportunity for consolidation of learning? - What kind of transaction cost would Zoe associate with the respective activities, as some seem more intuitive to students than others? - Are some of the strategies more effective at certain moments in an English scheme of work, i.e. at the end of a lesson v.s. homework. - And lastly, in her own experience, which of the activities do you more naturally gravitate towards and why? Thanks so much again to Zoe for finding time in her busy schedule to speak to me about this brilliant resource. If you’d like to be made aware of when more education chat like this happens then be sure to subscribe to the podcast and/or follow me on Twitter https://twitter.com/chrisjordanhk (@chrisjordanhk ) Links to Zoe’s books: https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B08MPQK7BW/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_hsch_vapi_tkin_p1_i0 (Fiorella & Mayer's Generative Learning in Action) https://www.amazon.com/CPD-Curriculum-Creating-conditions-growth/dp/1785835696 (The CPD Curriculum: Creating conditions for growth)
This week I’m talking to Dr. Liana Silva. Liana is an English teacher in Houston Texas, Chair of the https://www.mla.org/About-Us/Governance/Committees/Committee-Listings/Professional-Issues/Committee-on-K-16-Alliances (Modern Language Association’s Committee on K-16 Alliances) and Managing Editor of https://soundstudiesblog.com (Sounding Out blog). We discuss: The best book she’s ever read, taught or learnt A brief introduction to her career to date and her school’s recent switch to IB Liana’s initial impressions of the IB curriculum and how staff and students are taking to it. The ways in which the school have had to amend the previous curriculum to meet the expectations of IB Where Liana stands on teaching traditional texts that ensure cultural capital for students v.s using texts that are more representative of global identities How the MLA Committee on K-16 Alliances better informs the work she does in the English classroom The best resource Liana has come across recently that has improved her teaching practice And if she could help change one thing in the U.S. for teachers, what it would be
Thanks so much to Liana for bridging the massive time difference between Houston and Hong Kong in order to offer her ideas and advice on teaching. There is a passage of audio in the recording where it sounds as if the microphone is muffled or playing up in some way but in actual fact this just a curious cat, purring at the superb observations made by Dr. Silva. It does pass quickly and doesn’t obscure the dialogue too much so please bear with it! If you’d like to be made aware of when more education chat like this happens then be sure to subscribe to the podcast and/or follow me on Twitter https://twitter.com/chrisjordanhk (@chrisjordanhk ) Links: https://www.amazon.com/Writing-Rich-High-School-Classroom-Engaging/dp/1606230239 (The Writing-Rich High School Classroom) by Jennifer Berne
This is the first in a series of podcasts where I focus on a specific area of English instruction. In this episode I’m delighted to be talking to https://twitter.com/DavidDidau (David Didau) about how to construct a knowledge rich curriculum. David has authored numerous books on a wide range of school topics, including literacy, accountability and psychology. But his most recent publication, https://www.routledge.com/Making-Meaning-in-English-Exploring-the-Role-of-Knowledge-in-the-English/Didau/p/book/9780367611118 (Making Meaning in English) is the one that I was most keen to question him on. The book’s ideas and further reading recommendations have fundamentally altered the way I see the subject moving forwards and as such it was a pleasure to have David on to discuss aspects of it in more detail. We cover: The best book David’s ever read, taught or been taught His reaction to the assertion from some teachers who claim that they are already applying curriculum guidance that has come about in the past few years Texts he has included in the Key Stage 3 curriculum as part of his role in a Lead Practitioners team for English How ambitious David thinks we can be in the younger years in terms of book choice and whether the only thing limiting our aspirations is age appropriate content The thought process behind his choice of disciplinary lenses in the book. The way in which these 6 disciplinary lenses can be structured or layered to ensure they have the desired effect And finally, what this looks like in a spiral curriculum across Key Stage 3.
A massive thanks again to David for offering up some time to discuss the book. If you haven’t read it already then I strongly suggest you do, particularly if you’re in a position requiring curriculum design and review. If you’d like to be made aware of when more education chat like this happens then be sure to subscribe to the podcast and/or follow me on Twitter https://twitter.com/chrisjordanhk (@chrisjordanhk )
In this episode I’m talking to Rebekah Ricketts. Rebekah is Head of the English Department at Safa British School in Dubai. In addition to that, she hosts The Drive Home show for https://www.ttradio.org (Teachers Talk Radio) every Monday. We discuss: - The best book Rebekah’s ever taught, read or learnt in school and why - A text or unit that she’s been keen to introduce to the classroom but isn’t quite ready to do so yet - An introduction to her career to date and why she took the opportunity to host a show on Teachers Talk Radio - Rebekah’s opinion on how best to give feedback during formative or summative assessment - The most challenging part of being a Head of Department in Rebekah’s experience - The best advice she’s ever been given or come across in terms of teaching - And finally, resources that she’d recommend for teachers seeking to improve. Thanks again to Rebekah for giving up part of her weekend to offer up lots of fantastic ideas and advice for people working or looking to work abroad. If you’d like to be kept abreast of chats like this then be sure to subscribe to the podcast or simply follow me on Twitter, @chrisjordanhk. Links: https://open.spotify.com/episode/5lIyoKlqh7zDPmzbrnSAHz (Rebekah’s interview with Chris Curtis) https://collins.co.uk/products/9780008315887 (Crafting Brilliant Sentences by Lindsay Skinner) https://www.amazon.com/Retrieval-Practice-Resources-research-classroom/dp/1912906589 (Retrieval Practice by Kate Jones) https://litdrive.org.uk (litdrive.org.uk)
In this episode I’m talking to Fiona Mulholland. Fiona is Head of the English Department at West Island School in Hong Kong. We discuss: - The best book Fiona’s ever taught, read or learnt in school and why - A text or unit that she’s been keen to introduce to the classroom but isn’t quite ready to do so yet - An introduction to her career to date and why she took the opportunity to teach abroad - The best and worst things about living and working in Hong Kong - The challenges brought about when West Island switched to the MYP - The most challenging part of being a Head of Department in Fiona’s experience - And finally, the best advice she’s ever been given or come across in terms of teaching Thanks again to Fiona for giving up her valuable time to offer up lots of fantastic ideas and advice for people working or looking to work abroad. If you’d like to be kept abreast of chats like this then be sure to subscribe to the podcast or simply follow me on Twitter, @chrisjordanhk. Links: https://www.amazon.com/Translations-Faber-Drama-Brian-Friel/dp/0571117422 (Translations by Brian Friel) https://www.amazon.com/Sweat-TCG-Lynn-Nottage/dp/1559365323 (Sweat by Lynn Nottage) https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/602453/patron-saints-of-nothing-by-randy-ribay/ (Patron Saints of Nothing by Randy Ribay) https://www.amazon.com/Go-Went-Gone-Jenny-Erpenbeck/dp/0811225941 (Go, Went, Gone by Jenny Erpenbeck) https://www.amazon.com/Ecopoetry-Anthology-Ann-Fisher-Wirth/dp/1595341463 (The Ecopoetry Anthology ) https://www.amazon.com/That-Winter-Wolf-Juliana-Spahr/dp/1934639176 (The Winter the Wolf Came by Juliana Spahr) https://www.amazon.com/Earth-Were-Briefly-Gorgeous-Novel/dp/0525562028 (On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous by Ocean Vuong)
In this episode I’m talking to Art and English teacher, Ethan Lester. Ethan is a multidisciplinary artist from Toronto, Canada. He holds a BFA from the University of Western Ontario and an MFA from the University of Victoria, where he taught photography and drawing. He currently teaches Secondary Visual Art and English in Hong Kong. We discuss: The best book he’s ever read or been taught Ethan’s background in photography and the extent it plays a part in his teaching career to date. Who he considers are the pillar stones of photography that everyone either learns about or knows of in the industry? Whether a set of integral terminology that newcomers need to know exists in order to analyse the photographer's message How Ethan feels photography is different from any other art from in terms of communicating its message And finally, for English / language teachers looking to teach photography for the first time, some key resources to look at.
Thanks again to Ethan for taking the time to enlighten me on a portion of the new IB Language and Literature course that I feel relatively insecure about. Be sure to check out all of his suggestions in the show links below as they make for excellent consideration if you fancy teaching photography in the future. If you’d like to be kept abreast of when educational chat such as this becomes available in the future, then please subscribe using whichever podcast platform you use. Alternatively you can follow me on Twitter @chrisjordanhk. Links: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alfred_Stieglitz (Alfred Stieglitz) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Man_Ray (Man Ray ) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ansel_Adams (Ansel Adams) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cindy_Sherman (Cindy Sherman) https://www.andreasgursky.com/en/works/2017/pyongyang-vi-vii/pyongyang (Andreas Gursky) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vikky_Alexander (Vikky Alexander) https://gagosian.com/artists/jeff-wall/ (Jeff Wall) https://www.amazon.com/Photograph-Contemporary-Art-World/dp/0500204187 (The Photograph as Contemporary Art by Charlotte Cotton) https://www.amazon.com/How-Write-About-Contemporary-Art/dp/0500291578/ref=sr_1_1?crid=29L3K7W71QVE3&dchild=1&keywords=gilda+williams+how+to+write+about+contemporary+art&qid=1631799757&sr=8-1 (How to Write About Contemporary Art by Gilda Williams )
In this episode I’m speaking with Jennifer Browne. Jennifer is Head of the English Department and TOK coordinator at Stonehill International School, Bangalore. We discuss: The best book she’s ever taught, read or learnt in school. A text or unit that Jenni’s been keen to introduce to the classroom but isn’t quite ready to do so yet An introduction to her career to date The best and worst things about living in Bangalore Jenni’s opinion on how best to give feedback on formative or summative assessments How to enhance students TOK experience through English teaching The most challenging part of being a HoD in her opinion The best advice she’s ever been given or come across in terms of teaching And finally, resources that she would recommend for teachers seeking to improve.
Thanks a lot to Jennifer for agreeing to chat at a time when India continues to toil with pandemic based problems. If you haven’t already, be sure to subscribe to the podcast wherever you usually get them and/or give me a follow on Twitter @chrisjordanhk if you’d like to be kept abreast of this kind of education chat. Links: https://www.amazon.com/Reader-Bernhard-Schlink/dp/0375707972 (The Reader) by Bernard Schlink http://www.pz.harvard.edu/thinking-routines (Project Zero) - Harvard University
In this episode I’m talking with Nick Webber. Nick is a Head of English and IBDP Coordinator at Carmel school in Hong Kong as well as being a PhD graduate in Literature. We discuss: the best text Nick’s ever read, studied or taught a quick introduction to Nick’s career to date and current role at Carmel. his take on the most recent round of global IB results his department’s attempts at balancing canonized writers with new or local voices in the IB curriculum specific challenges his students face in English and how the department combats this The successes or challenges he’s noticed with the need to enshrine inquiry at the heart of each teacher's IB approach And finally, Nick’s thoughts on how to approach language at DP English level given the new course’s changes.
If you haven’t already, subscribe via Spotify, Apple or wherever you get your podcasts if you’d like to be made aware of when more educational chat like this becomes available! Alternatively, you can follow me on Twitter by searching for @chrisjordanhk Thanks again to Nick for finding time around his IBDP summer admin and offering a wide variety of insights and ideas for new writers. Links: The poetry of https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poets/wisaawa-szymborska (Wisława Szymborska) https://www.bookdepository.com/Visit-Friedrich-Drrenmatt/9780802144263?gclid=CjwKCAjw1JeJBhB9EiwAV612y870DgDHL312Cj15EZ010-QfEsU13gIjUzU9LVUnPG1TTdiQZvh8KhoCqxkQAvD_BwE&redirected=true&selectCurrency=HKD&utm_campaign=Base2&utm_content=Visit&utm_medium=Google&utm_source=HK&w=AFF1AU9SB0212LA8V9F7 (The Visit) by Friedrich Durrenmatt
In this episode I had the great pleasure of speaking to Amanda Bostock. Amanda is an English teacher and IB Extended Essay coordinator out in Europe’s sunniest capital, Lisbon, working at St. Julians School. We discuss: The best text Amanda’s ever read, studied or taught and why An Introduction to her career to date and current position in Portugal How the IB’s expectation for inquiry learning translates into English teaching at her school How planning and materials are organised or developed between the department How Amanda’s approached the need to balance canonised writers with new or local voices in the curriculum Specific challenges her students face in English and how her department combat this? The part technology plays in delivering the English curriculum at Amanda’s school? And finally, recommendations for resources for those who would like to continue improving
Thanks again to Amanda for offering up a portion of her Summer holiday to speak with me as well as the many insights she offers regarding her approach to English instruction. If you haven’t already, be sure to subscribe to the podcast wherever you usually get them and/or give me a follow on Twitter @chrisjordanhk if you’d like to be kept abreast of this kind of education chat. Links: https://www.amazon.com/Bone-Talk-Candy-Gourlay/dp/1788450183/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2Y3LK27Q6OSK3&dchild=1&keywords=bone%20talk%20candy%20gourlay&qid=1628955940&sprefix=bone%20talk%20candy%20gourlay%2Cstripbooks-intl-ship%2C1055&sr=8-1 (Bone Talk) by Candy Gourlay https://www.massolit.io/ (MASSOLIT)
In this episode I’m talking with Harm-Jan Langelaar. Harm is an English teacher and coordinator of his school’s bilingual programme in Sassenheim, The Netherlands. In addition he’s a marker for the IBDP English A course. We discuss: The best text he’s ever read, studied or taught and why An Introduction to his career to date and current position at Rijnlands Lyceum. Harm’s approach to balancing canonised writers with new or Dutch voices in the IBDP curriculum The specific challenges Rijnlands students face in English and how the English department combats this The part technology plays in delivering the English curriculum at Harm’s school Harm’s work/life balance and how living in Sassenheim or The Netherlands affects this? And finally, recommendations for resources teachers can use to improve.
Thanks again to Harm for giving up a portion of his Summer, very early in the morning, to chat with me about education in The Netherlands and the IB more broadly. If you haven’t already, be sure to subscribe to the podcast wherever you usually get them and/or give me a follow on Twitter @chrisjordanhk if you’d like to be kept abreast of this kind of education chat. Links: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fiela%27s_Child (Fiela’s Child) by Dalene Matthee Dutch writers: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harry_Mulisch (Harry Mulisch ) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tim_Krabb%C3%A9 (Tim Krabbe) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marga_Minco (Marga Minco) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Herman_Koch (Herman Koch) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ilja_Leonard_Pfeijffer (Ilja Leonard Pfeijffer ) https://www.lessonup.com/site/en (Lesson Up) - Create your own online lessons, add interactive elements to your lessons like polls, clickable hotspots, mind maps and many more https://www.test-correct.nl (Test Correct )- a Dutch, independent specialist in digital testing and CO-Learning, founded by teachers, for teachers. https://www.thinkib.net/englishalanglit (InThinking )- IB English course support https://philpot.education (Brad Philpot) - IB English course support
In this episode I’m talking with Shannon Kavanagh. Shannon is Head of Senior School English at King George V school in Hong Kong. In the episode we discuss One of the best texts she’s recently read, studied or taught An Introduction to her career to date and current position at KGV The recent review of diversity and inclusion at the school How planning is organised within the department and school as a whole The specific challenges KGV students face in English and how the department combats this The extent to which technology plays a part in delivering the English curriculum at KGV Shannon and the department’s approach to marking and what the school’s expectation is with frequency, turnaround time and nature of feedback And lastly, recommendations for resources that English teacher may find useful.
If you haven’t already, subscribe via Spotify, Apple or wherever you get your podcasts if you’d like to be made aware of when more educational chat like this becomes available! Alternatively, you can follow me on Twitter by searching for @chrisjordanhk Thanks again to Shannon for discussing life at KGV with me and for the variety of recommendations she makes around pedagogy and literature respectively. https://www.amazon.com/Memory-Police-Novel-Yoko-Ogawa/dp/1101870605 (The Memory Police) by Yoko Ogawa https://www.ixl.com?adGroup=123455075002&campaign=12967812196&gclid=CjwKCAjw0qOIBhBhEiwAyvVcfyaGrI_T-CEkHM6LDO0PCbtb_DyEFf6rOcr7LwXTghGi_Mb4ZjA9HxoCnskQAvD_BwE&partner=google (IXL) - Grammar and Language Skills Platform https://www.amazon.com/Body-Keeps-Score-Healing-Trauma/dp/0143127748 (The Body Keeps the Score) by Bessel van der Kolk M.D. Jared Horvath’s https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCypIIZtJ1JOJ8VdED2L360Q (YouTube Channel) https://chartered.college (The Chartered College of Teaching) - Research, resources and insight to enable excellent teaching.
In this episode, I had the great privilege of speaking to Paul Farley. Paul is a poet originally from Liverpool who has won multiple awards for his work, including the Sunday Times Young Writer of Year, is a member of the Royal Society of Literature and also had the esteemed honour of teaching me creative writing in his post as professor at Lancaster University. We discuss: Poets he believes are most worthy of study in state educated classrooms The inspiration he takes from the Northamptonshire ‘peasant poet’, John Clare. The IB’s decision to include musicians in their prescribed reading list as poets and whether this suggests poetry has a waning influence on newer generations. Paul’s views on the changing face of form in poetry. His relationship with Liverpool now and the ways in which he includes the city or cadence of the accent in his work. And finally, advice he would give to students who find it difficult to access poetry as an art form.
Thanks again to Paul for putting up with my questions so early in the morning and providing ideas that I’ve been considering ever since. If you haven’t already, subscribe via Spotify, Apple or wherever you get your podcasts if you’d like to be made aware of when more educational chat like this becomes available! Alternatively, you can follow me on Twitter by searching for @chrisjordanhk Links https://www.amazon.com/Paul-Farley/e/B001HD3K4C?qid=1627019169&ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_4&sr=8-4 (Paul’s publications) on Amazon
In this episode I’m talking to Jamie Walker. Jamie is Head of English at St Nicholas’ international school in Sao Paolo. We discuss: the best text he’s ever read, studied or taught an introduction to his career to date and current position in Sao Paolo. the role of inquiry learning at St Nicholas’ his approach to balancing canonised writers with new or local voices in the curriculum the specific challenges Jamie’s students face in English how technology plays a part in delivering the English curriculum at his school and finally, recommendations for resources English teachers may find useful
Thanks a lot to Jamie for taking the time to talk with me as well as working around the enormous time difference between him and Hong Kong! If you haven’t already please subscribe via Apple podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher or wherever you get your podcasts. Links: https://www.amazon.com/Land-Green-Plums-Novel/dp/0312429940 (The Land of Green Plums) by Herta Muller https://www.amazon.com/Blindness-1st-first-Text-Only/dp/B004Q76WUU/ref=sr_1_3?crid=2V9P7GVWQT4NW&dchild=1&keywords=blindness%20by%20jose%20saramago&qid=1626916216&sprefix=blindness%20%2Caps%2C375&sr=8-3 (Blindness) by Jose Saramago https://www.amazon.co.uk/Blasted-Modern-Plays-Sarah-Kane/dp/0413766209 (Blasted) by Sarah Kane https://www.amazon.com/Memory-Police-Novel-Yoko-Ogawa/dp/1101870605 (The Memory Police) by Yoko Ogawa https://www.amazon.com/Daytripper-Gabriel-Ba/dp/1401229697 (Daytripper) by Gabriel Ba, and Fabio Moon https://www.amazon.com/Captains-Sands-Penguin-Classics-Jorge/dp/014310635X (Captains of the Sands) by Jorge Amado
Guillermo is Curriculum Manager for Language A in the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme and is based in The Hague. Today’s episode was released slightly earlier in the week as I believe that what Guillermo has to offer may help with any Language A teachers currently reviewing the course for next term. We discuss: The one literary text or writer that continues to provide Guillermo with a passion for education. The Language A curriculum’s recent shift from designated Parts to greater school autonomy and its success thus far. The possibility of a ‘Bodies of Work’, Prescribed Reading List for language in the same way we have one for literature. The types of language text that are better suited to Bodies of Work in Guillermo’s opinion. The reason why the Individual Oral asks for students to focus on ‘Global Issues’ whilst the HL Essay is concerned with the course’s ‘Key Concepts’. The inclusion of rhetoric in the final delivery of the Individual oral and how far students are expected to go with this. And finally, the Learner Portfolio and how Guillermo sees its role in the course.
Many thanks to Guillermo for speaking so passionately and in-depth about topics hotly debated on forums and in English department staff rooms around the world! I wish him well with his continued leading of the course.
In this episode I’m speaking with Head of School Improvement at Raha International school, Luci Willis. Luci has worked in London, Japan and now Abu Dhabi, serving a whole host of roles that support students and teachers alike. In the interview we discuss: - A brief introduction to her teaching career and what recently led her to the UAE; - What the post 'Head of School Improvement' entails and what a day in Luci’s shoes looks like; - Examples of strategies she has tried to implement within the school and their levels of success; - Whether improvement can actually be gauged after an intervention has been rolled out; - The government inspection teachers can expect in Abu Dhabi; - And what the work life / balance is like in Abu Dhabi compared to previous places Luci has lived. Thanks again to Luci for sparing some time to discuss her new role and I hope that all goes well for Raha, Abu Dhabi and the Emirati’s working through their lockdown.
In this episode I’m speaking with Head of English at the International School of Brussels, Matt Fron. It’s always fantastic to speak to a fellow English teacher about the choices, challenges and joys of teaching the subject so thanks a lot to Matt for offering up his time to chat! We discuss: Matt’s favourite text he’s ever read, studied or taught; His career to date and current position in Brussels; How the IB’s expectation for inquiry learning translates into English teaching at his school; How planning and new materials are organised or developed within the department; How Matt and his team approach the need to balance canonised writers with new or Belgian voices in the curriculum; The part technology plays in delivering the English curriculum at ISB; Matt’s work/life balance like and how Brussels affects this; And finally, recommendations for resources English teachers who would like to continue improving can use.
I hope all my fellow Heads of Departments and English teachers out there find something that resonates with them in the show as well as new ideas to help them through our international curricula. Links: Matt’s https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCm7ASn5TvL9sn-oxnDVPQvA (Youtube) and https://twitter.com/themrfron (Twitter) accounts
Chris is a social media marketing expert operating out of Los Angeles. He runs highly strategic Facebook and Instagram ad campaigns for small and big businesses alike and was someone I was seeking to interview after considering my current approach to teaching advertising somewhat out of date. I was also keen to learn about how the marketing industry has evolved and what this means for our students’ futures and privacy whilst online. We discuss: Chris’ experience in the job to date; Whether social media advertising has eclipsed TV or other forms of mass media advertising; Which brands or companies are most innovative or considered industry leaders when it comes to their campaigns; New techniques or considerations that have evolved with the proliferation of social media advertising; Whether rumours about big data and its relationship with advertising is something kids should learn about in school; And finally, what Chris thinks the future holds for advertising.
Thanks again to Chris for giving up his time to discuss the ever changing landscape of marketing and the impact it will inevitably have on future generations. If you’d like to stay up to date on the latest podcast, feel free to subscribe via Apple or Spotify or follow me on Twitter (@chrisjordanhk) Links: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w9ogzVyTtcw (Guinness advert (1999)) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hq2SlCja3zo (Old Spice x Terry Crews ads) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iX8GxLP1FHo (The Great Hack documentary)
Emilia is a journalist working for the Liverpool Echo, a daily print and online newspaper back in the UK. I was eager to speak to someone with expertise in the media after questioning whether or not my teaching of this specific type of mass communication was as effective or even relevant as it could be. In addition, I also thought it was good opportunity to learn more about how to advise students with an interest in the media about their career prospects and how best to approach the industry. We discuss: - How Emilia came to work at the Echo and whether it was something that she’d always aimed for as a career; - How journalism has changed from the time she initially trained to the present day; - The extent to which the Echo is written with social media in mind; - Whether 'clickbait' is a necessary evil in the industry nowadays; - How the Echo's relationship with its readership has changed in recent years; - And finally, the kind of conversations editors are having about the future of the profession. Thanks again to Emilia for offering up her time to discuss the state of the media landscape as well as offering advice on how aspiring journalists can get started. If you’d like to stay up to date on the latest podcast, feel free to subscribe via Apple or Spotify or follow me on Twitter (https://twitter.com/chrisjordanhk (@chrisjordanhk))
Andy is CEO of Shmoop. Shmoop is an online platform that offers mental health tools, study guides and test prep to over 8 million middle and high school students across the U.S. and beyond. We discuss: Andy’s role at Shmoop and what a typical day entails for him as CEO; the way in which Shmoop envisions interaction between teachers and the site; the need to democratise education and the part that edtech has to play in this; who creates the content on Shmoop and what kind of educational refinement is in place; and finally, Andy’s aspirations for the company and what 2022 holds for them.
Thanks a lot to Andy for finding time in his busy schedule to talk to me and I hope that some of Shmoop’s many functions can offer support to your and your students in the near future. If you’d like to stay up to date on the latest podcast, feel free to subscribe via Apple or Spotify or follow me on Twitter (https://twitter.com/chrisjordanhk (@chrisjordanhk)) Links: https://www.shmoop.com/ (Shmoop) https://www.shmoop.com/heartbeat (Heartbeat by Shmoop)
Craig is host of the brilliant https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/ignite-edtech-podcast/id1509709331 (Ignite Edtech podcast), which has recently hit the 50 episode mark. He is also digital consultant to schools around the world as well as being a former teacher and expert speaker for educational innovation. We discuss: A background to Craig’s career and relationship with edtech so far; inspiring vision statements he has come across in terms of schools and their relationship with technology; the diffusion of innovation model and why Craig starts with it in many of his presentations; platforms that best support student creativity for the likes of video, design or audio production from an English or language learning standpoint, tools Craig likes that can supplement students’ reading and writing at primary or secondary level; And finally his feelings about equitable access to learning across the world
A massive thanks to Craig for both his consistent insights via his own podcast as well as the one he shares with me. All of his suggestions can be found below: Links: https://www.igniteedtech.com/ (Ignite Edtech Consultancy) https://www.edutopia.org/article/powerful-model-understanding-good-tech-integration (The SAMR model) https://www.weforum.org/reports/the-future-of-jobs-report-2020 (WEF future of jobs report) https://web.stanford.edu/class/symbsys205/Diffusion%20of%20Innovations.htm (Everett Rogers’ diffusion of innovation model) https://web.seesaw.me/ (Seesaw) - student platform for creativity and feedback https://spacesedu.com/ (Spaces) - student platform for creativity and feedback https://www.loom.com/ (Loom) - video creation platform https://www.peardeck.com/googleslides (Peardeck) - add on for Google slides https://app.edu.buncee.com/ (Buncee) - creativity tool for students to demonstrate their understanding https://www.grammarly.com/ (Grammarly) - AI-powered writing assistant https://boomwriter.com/ (Boom writer) - writing platform https://bookcreator.com/ (Book creator) - platform for students to create their own interactive books https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?hl=en_IE&id=com.accrosoft.weducmoat (Moat) - enhances communication and provides parents with an insight into school activities. https://www.commonlit.org/ (Common Lit) - reading platform to develop students literacy https://uk.babbel.com/ (Babel) - foreign language learning app https://www.duolingo.com/ (Duolingo) - foreign language learning app https://www.educationperfect.com/ (Education perfect) - digital teaching and learning toolkit designed for differentiation, student engagement, feedback, and assessment. https://www.onenote.com/learningtools (Immersive reader) - a free tool that uses proven techniques to improve reading for people regardless of their age or ability.
In this show I’m speaking with Dominic Salles, aka Mr. Salles Teaches English. Dominic is a former teacher, current consultant on teaching and learning, published author and YouTuber. We discuss: an introduction to his early career all the way up to his dabbles with Youtube. the evolution of his channel and the success he’s had with it. plans with regard to maintaining this part of his career and advice on seeking alternative revenue streams whilst teaching
Many thanks again to Dominic for giving up his time to give me some thorough advice on what has been a long term ambition of mine. Links: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCEB4IwW-eVk9SxHBIGhrY3w (Mr Salles Teaches English Channel) https://www.amazon.com/Visible-Learning-Teachers-Maximizing-Impact/dp/0415690153/ref=pd_lpo_14_img_0/138-5521855-6851615?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=0415690153&pd_rd_r=ae78b050-31ee-446b-8a88-7d1a39021c6d&pd_rd_w=flqg8&pd_rd_wg=5NZDa&pf_rd_p=a0d6e967-6561-454c-84f8-2ce2c92b79a6&pf_rd_r=KG85P9CNVZB4NGHQDZ6B&psc=1&refRID=KG85P9CNVZB4NGHQDZ6B (John Hattie’s Visible Learning) https://www.amazon.com/Dominic-Salles/e/B076H3847P?qid=1621679271&ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_4&sr=1-4 (Dominic’s books) https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC8i0XOJ7CpUjUkUpfggBe1Q (Jen Chan’s YouTube channel) https://trends.google.com.hk/trends/?geo=HK (Google Trends)
Dr. Sadie Hollins is the Head of the 6th form at Lanna international school, Chiang Mai, as well as being founder and blogger of the brilliant WISEducation. Having started the site’s online magazine in the middle of last year, Sadie has now overseen 4 consistently compelling editions that offer advice on all things Wellbeing-within-International-School-Education We discuss: An introduction to her career to date one or two articles from the magazine that have challenged Sadie’s preconceptions The need for international schools to offer ‘holistic development’ of the students and staff how different cultures see mental health with regard to South East Asia How to establish a wellbeing policy in new schools, or if one is currently lacking practical methods of evaluating the success or prevalence of a wellbeing culture in an educational institution And finally, recommendations or simple strategies for students’ and teachers’ wellbeing that can be implemented in the short term
Thanks again to Sadie who raised some really important talking points that perhaps don’t get discussed enough in schools by staff or students respectively. Everything we mention in the podcast as well as the magazine itself can be reached in the show notes below. Links from the show: https://wiseducationblog.com/ (WISEducation blog) and https://wiseducationblog.com/wiseducation-magazine/ (magazine ) https://www.thecabinchiangmai.com/ (The Cabin, Chiang Mai ) https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=krista%20scott%20dixon%20precision%20nutrition (Krista Scott Dixon interviews ) Sadie on twitter: @_WISEducation
Freya is an English teacher at St. George’s International School in Rome. Freya is a former Head of Department, Literacy lead and current member of the Twitter glitterati, loving life in the Eternal city. It was a fantastic opportunity to speak with Freya, who is the first English Head of Department I’ve had on the podcast, despite the fact she is now enjoying her time focusing purely on classroom instruction and letting someone else do the leading. Thanks again to Freya for sharing her insights and myriad suggestions for texts, pedagogy as well as twitter people worth following! We discuss: Freya’s favourite texts to teach an introduction to her career to date how the school’s core values translate into the English curriculum how planning and materials are organised between the department the need to balance canonised writers with new voices in the curriculum the specific challenges Freya’s students face in English the part technology plays in delivering the English curriculum Rome’s approach to work/life balance resources for English teachers who would like to continue improving
Mark is Principal and CEO of Kellett school, in Hong Kong. He is a regular speaker at the likes of the COBIS conference, has multiple articles published in TES and remains a go to voice for podcasters looking to discuss innovation for international teaching. I would like to say a huge thank you to Mark for offering his time and insights, which ultimately led to an extremely enlightening conversation. Anyone who has plans to teach or lead abroad will hopefully find what he had to say, very useful indeed. We discuss: Competitiveness in international teaching recruitment Why teachers or leaders may need to reconsider their application approach Technological innovation inside and outside the classroom the difference between British private schools and those found in Hong Kong And advice for anyone looking to write more about the profession, whilst maintaining a healthy work/life balance.
Many, many thanks again to Mark for giving me the opportunity to talk with him today and I wish him well steering Kellett further into future. Links to texts and events mentioned: The Alliance by Reid Hoffman https://www.amazon.com/Alliance-Managing-Talent-Networked-Age/dp/1625275773 (https://www.amazon.com/Alliance-Managing-Talent-Networked-Age/dp/1625275773) Mark’s TES articles: https://www.tes.com/author/mark-steed (https://www.tes.com/author/mark-steed) COBIS conference 2021 https://www.cobis.org.uk/professional-learning/annual-conference (https://www.cobis.org.uk/professional-learning/annual-conference) Flourish by Martin Seligman https://www.amazon.com/Flourish-Visionary-Understanding-Happiness-Well-being/dp/1439190763 (https://www.amazon.com/Flourish-Visionary-Understanding-Happiness-Well-being/dp/1439190763)
Mark is Secondary Assistant Principal at the ISF Academy in Hong Kong. He is a trained History teacher who has also dabbled in Maths and is looking forward to starting a new Leadership role with the English Schools Foundation in Hong Kong, later this year. We discuss: his training in the UK and subsequent move to Asia; his step up into senior leadership at the ISF academy; potential differences between staff and parental attitudes when working in a multi-cultural environment; his favourite era of history to teach and thoughts on whether or not a knowledge rich curriculum is something to focus on within history as a subject; Lastly, I ask Mark about his mission statement, ethos or central values should he one day open a school of his own abroad.