Series Information:
Leverhulme Primary Project - Classroom Skills

Primary teachers have always been required to master a wealth of knowledge and professional skills and recent debate has led to pressure for ever higher levels of competence. Ted Wragg's book aims to provide a comprehensive guide to the skills needed by today's primary teachers. Separate chapters cover such central demands of the job as explaining new topics, asking stimulating questions and settling down with a new class, and one chapter is devoted to the particular problems of supply teachers. Based on extensive research in classrooms over a number of years, "Primary Teaching Skills" is designed for both student and novice teachers, as well as their more experienced colleagues at any stage of their professional development.

Assessment is now regarded as a 'high stakes' issue: schools, teachers, and individual pupils are often judged by the results of national tests and public examinations. This book addresses both formal and informal ways of assessing children's work and progress. Pupils' learning is often neglected in the debate, so this book puts what children actually learn right at its centre and involves them sensibly and appropriately in the improvement of teaching and learning. The book is divided into six units where Ted Wragg address topics such as: principles and purposes of assessment written, oral and practical evaluation self-assessment the 'whole school' approach staff development and appraisal. The inclusion of tried and tested practical activities, discussion topics, photographs, cartoons and case examples makes this a very user-friendly book for both trainee and experienced teachers in secondary schools. This is one of a set of eight innovative yet practical resource books for teachers, focussing on the classroom and covering vital skills for primary and secondary teachers. The books are strongly influenced by the findings of numerous research projects during which hundreds of teachers were observed at work. The first editions of the series were bestsellers, and these revised second editions will be equally welcomed by teachers eager to improve their teaching skills.

This book explores strategies for building up a repertoire of ideas, approaches and techniques that allow teachers to develop effective explanatory skills. It covers issues such as the use of an appropriate language register and analogies for handling topics with which teachers might be unfamiliar.

Contents:
1. Skilful Class Management 2. Different Views 3. First Encounters 4. The Two Rs - Rules and Relationships 5. Skills, Strategies and Decision-making 6. Developing and Enhancing Competence

The pace of change in education has continued to accelerate since the 1988 Education Act, and even experienced school governors are often bewildered about their duties and responsibilities, as well as what is actually happening in primary and secondary classrooms nowadays. What do school governors do? How can they manage their role most effectively? The School Governors Handbook has been the most definitive and widely read book on the subject since it was first published in 1980. Written by Ted Wragg and John Partington, two of the most respected experts in the field, one of its' great strengths has always been its mixture of up-to-date authoritative information and humour. In this third edition, all sections of the book have been substantially revised to take account of the many changes in governors' duties that have been brought about by recent legislation. As governors rarely receive any specific training for their important role, this book is an essential guide to the legal and practical aspects of governorship. Sections cover: recent legislative changes in funding and school management opting out governors responsibilities, including budgets, staffing and drawing up whole school policies how to run effective governors meetings curriculum and assessment issues school inspections how to manage difficult situations, including child abuse, discipline, equal opportunities and pupil exclusions

This book describes research undertaken during the Teaching Competence project, a two-year research project which looked at five main areas surrounding this subject.

This book describes research undertaken during the Teaching Competence project, a two-year research project which looked at five main areas surrounding this subject.

This book is one of a set of eight innovative yet practical resource books for teachers, focussing on the classroom and covering vital skills for primary and secondary teachers. The books are strongly influenced by the findings of numerous research projects during which hundreds of teachers were observed at work. The first editions of the series were best sellers, and these revised second editions of the series will be equally welcomed by teachers eager to improve their teaching skills. Successful secondary teachers operate in many different ways, but they have one thing in common - an ability to manage their classrooms effectively. Without the skills required to do this, the most inspiring and knowledgeable teacher will fail. In Class Management in the Secondary School, Ted Wragg helps teachers to clarify their own aims and to find the strategies which will work for them. Topics covered include: *first encounters *the establishment of rules *relationships *management of time and space *specific discipline problems There are certain skills that teachers possess that are of paramount importance - class management is one of those areas. Effective classroom management can be the single most influential factor in getting it right and is a core teaching skill that both trainee and experienced teachers should constantly be improving on.

One of the most important challenges teachers face is making sure children can read. It is an absolutely crucial skill, and current educational policy is giving it a very high priority. Based on one of the largest studies ever undertaken of what primary schools do to improve literacy, this book reports what Professor Ted Wragg and his research team found. The importance placed on literacy has never been greater. When children learn to read, they are laying the foundations for their entire educational future. Effective teachers can make a huge difference, as a poor start can hinder children throughout their schooling and beyond. By looking at what actually goes on in classrooms, this volume provides an invaluable insight into what happens to children and how their reading progresses. It shows how particular teachers manage the improvement of their pupils' reading levels, and also follows individual pupils through a school year. This is a very readbale account of a fascinating and crucial area of research that is highly topical. Every class teacher should read it.

The ability to ask intelligent and searching questions, to use questioning for different purposes and to know what to do with the answers is crucial to teachers of all subjects and age groups. Sometimes a whole lesson can be built around one or two key questions. Ted Wragg and George Brown explore the wide range of questions that teachers can ask, from those requiring simple recall of information right up to those that stimulate complex reasoning, imagination and speculation. The book explores the various strategies open to teachers and, through a combination of activities and discussion points, helps them to: reflect upon their use of questions develop their approaches to preparing, using and evaluating questions explore ways to encourage pupils to ask questions. This book is one of a set of eight innovative yet practical resource books for teachers, focussing on the classroom and covering vital skills for primary and secondary teachers. The books are strongly influenced by the findings of numerous research projects during which hundreds of teachers were observed at work. The first editions of the series were bestsellers and these revised second editions will be equally welcomed by teachers eager to improve their teaching skills.

Systems for the appraisal of teachers have been in place since 1992, bringing with them considerable controversy. How effective are they? What does this mean for the classroom teacher? This study, led by Ted Wragg, tackles these and many other questions. It uses as its basis information gathered from all 109 Local Education authorities, 658 primary and secondary teachers and 479 appraisers. Teacher appraisal is examined from the perspectives of all those concerned and at all levels. The main focus of the study is on teacher competence in the classroom, which lies at the heart of school effectiveness and improving pupils' achievement. Through the use of a variety of methods, including intensive case studies, the book provides an insight into the quality of classroom practice and teacher appraisal today, what it means for those involved and how to use this knowledge to move on from this point.

The pace of change in education has continued to accelerate since the 1988 Education Act, and even experienced school governors are often bewildered about their duties and responsibilities, as well as what is actually happening in primary and secondary classrooms nowadays. What do school governors do? How can they manage their role most effectively? The School Governors Handbook has been the most definitive and widely read book on the subject since it was first published in 1980. Written by Ted Wragg and John Partington, two of the most respected experts in the field, one of its' great strengths has always been its mixture of up-to-date authoritative information and humour. In this third edition, all sections of the book have been substantially revised to take account of the many changes in governors' duties that have been brought about by recent legislation. As governors rarely receive any specific training for their important role, this book is an essential guide to the legal and practical aspects of governorship. Sections cover: * recent legislative changes in funding and school management * opting out * governors responsibilities, including budgets, staffing and drawing up whole school policies * how to run effective governors meetings * curriculum and assessment issues * school inspections * how to manage difficult situations, including child abuse, discipline, equal opportunities and pupil exclusions

Primary teachers have always been required to master a wealth of knowledge and professional skills and recent debate has led to pressure for even higher levels of competence. E. C. Wragg's book provides a comprehensive guide to the skills needed by today's primary teachers. Separate chapters cover such central demands of the job as explaining new topics, asking stimulating questions and working with a new class. There is also a chapter devoted to the particular problems of supply teachers.
Based on extensive research in classrooms over the past three years, " Primary Teaching Skills" will enlighten and entertain both student and novice teachers and their more experienced colleagues at all stages of their professional development. It is a valuable text for undergraduates, academics and professionals in primary education, as well as school officials and policy workers.

This book is one of a set of eight innovative yet practical resource books for teachers, focussing on the classroom and covering vital skills for primary and secondary teachers. The books are strongly influenced by the findings of numerous research projects during which hundreds of teachers were observed at work. The first editions of the series were best sellers, and these revised second editions will be equally welcomed by teachers eager to improve their teaching skills. Assessment is now regarded as a 'high stakes' issue: schools, teachers, and individual pupils are often judged by the results of national tests and public examinations.
This book addresses both formal and informal ways of assessing children's work and progress. Pupils' learning is often neglected in the debate, so this book puts what children actually learn right at its centre, for mechanical assessment without due regard for the wider issues about learning would be sterile. The book is divided into six units which address topics such as:
*principles and purposes of assessment
*written, oral and practical evaluation
*self-assessment the 'whole school' approach
*staff development and appraisal.
The inclusion of practical activities, discussion topics, photographs, cartoons and case examples makes this a very user-friendly book for both trainee and experienced teachers in secondary schools.

eBook available with sample pages: 0203164210

This book is one of a set of eight innovative yet practical resource books for teachers, focussing on the classroom and covering vital skills for primary and secondary teachers. The books are strongly influenced by the findings of numerous research projects during which hundreds of teachers were observed at work. The first editions of the series were best sellers and these revised second editions will be equally welcomed by teachers eager to improve their teaching skills.
_ The ability to ask intelligent and searching questions, to use questioning for different purposes and to know what to do with the answers is crucial to teachers of all subjects and age groups. Sometimes a whole lesson can be built around one or two key questions.
In Questioning in the Secondary School, Ted Wragg and George Brown explore the wide range of questions that teachers can ask, from those requiring simple recall of information right up to those that stimulate complex reasoning, imagination and speculation. The book explores the various strategies open to teachers and, through a combination of activities and discussion points, helps them to;
*reflect upon their uses of questions
*develop their approaches to preparing, using and evaluating questions
*explore ways to encourage pupils to ask questions

eBook available with sample pages: 0203164172

One of the most important challenges teachers face is making sure children can read. It is an absolutely crucial skill, and current educational policy is giving it a very high priority. Based on one of the largest studies ever undertaken of what primary schools do to improve literacy, this book reports what Professor Ted Wragg and his research team found. The importance placed on literacy has never been greater. When children learn to read, they are laying the foundations for their entire educational future. Effective teachers can make a huge difference, as a poor start can hinder children throughout their schooling and beyond. By looking at what actually goes on in classrooms, this volume provides an invaluable insight into what happens to children and how their reading progresses. It shows how particular teachers manage the improvement of their pupils' reading levels, and also follows individual pupils through a school year. This is a very readbale account of a fascinating and crucial area of research that is highly topical. Every class teacher should read it.

Contents:
1. What is Explaining? 2. Strategies of Explanation 3. Analysing Explanations 4. Knowing the Subject Matter 5. Effective Explaining 6. Feedback