Talking Points: Discussion Activities in the Primary Classroom encourages and supports classroom discussion on a range of topics, enabling children to develop the important life-skill of effective group communication. Children who can explain their own ideas and take account of the points of view and reasons of others are in the process of becoming truly educated. This book offers a straightforward way of teaching children discussion skills within the framework of a creative curriculum.

The book provides an introduction on how to help children learn the skills of group discussion, offering six essential Talk Lessons to use in the classroom, alongside suggestions on how teachers can plan their lessons with a talk focus, set learning outcomes and create their own Talking Points to suit topics they are teaching. The main body of the book contains the Talking Points resources which are an excellent, tried and tested way of stimulating and supporting extended talk about a topic. The Talking Points in this book offer model for teachers to create further Talking Points for their own classes. The Talking Points included here offer discussion in several curriculum areas including: -

• Science
• Literacy
• Philosophy and creativity for children
• History
• Mathematics
• Art and Music

This invaluable book offers engaging, stimulating and thought provoking ideas for children to pit their wits against, promoting skills in discussion, analysis, reasoning and interaction. It is highly beneficial reading for teachers working in Key Stage 2, head teachers and those responsible for staff development, as well as students on teacher training courses and graduate training programmes.

This fully updated third edition brings science subject knowledge and pedagogy together to support, inform and inspire those training to teach primary science. Written in a clear and accessible way, Teaching Primary Science provides comprehensive coverage of a wide range of science themes. With a brand new chapter on STEM education, additional guidance on where to find the best resources, and increased emphasis on assessment, story-telling and problem-solving, this book shows how science can offer children pleasure and intellectual satisfaction and help them to develop sound scientific minds. Key features include: Ideas for practice exemplify how you can help children to acquire and use scientific knowledge to satisfy their curiosity about how the natural world works. Something to think about scenarios help to extend and develop your own understanding of key ideas. Examples of classroom situations, dialogues and stories help you see how theory is applied to practice and support you in reflecting on the best methods for teaching. Global Dimension sections offer starting points for discussion and research into how scientific ideas can be positively applied and used to evaluate the impact of human activity on the natural world. Talk Skills and Science Discussion sections enable you to develop children's scientific knowledge and verbal reasoning skills.

Talk Box supports teachers implementing the new curriculum, who are looking for fresh ideas with a focus on teaching talk skills, encouraging discussion and developing articulate children. It sets out different types of teaching involving children learning collaboratively through discussion with peers and centres on step-by-step lesson plans to develop hidden potential across the entire classroom. At the heart of the lesson plans is the 'talk box' - a collection of interesting objects which provide a focus for class discussion and where the activities are based on these linked ideas: * Young children need their teachers to help them make sense of the world; * The most effective medium for explaining, discussing, describing with children, is talk; * Children learn very well from one another when taught how to do so, and are a good resource for one another in the classroom; * Children may be able to talk, but they are not often aware what sort of talk can help them to get the best from their education; * Direct teaching of essential talk skills and understanding is straightforward and should be undertaken in school classrooms. The numerous lesson plans included in this book are each built around specific learning objectives for speaking and listening and cover subjects such as literacy, numeracy, science, citizenship, ICT and Computing. Each lesson includes a resources list and photocopiable worksheets and range from whole class to small group work. This book will help you teach children to engage in the educationally effective kind of discussion known as Exploratory Talk, where everyone's viewpoint is considered, opinions are justified with reasons, and decisions are made together. This new edition includes updated curriculum links, new research findings, a home-school link section and contain additional EAL and SEN materials.

Speaking and listening, along with reading and writing, are essential components of literacy and learning development within the National Primary Strategy. This best-selling introductory text updates teachers on national developments and best practice in speaking and listening in the classroom through: speaking and listening issues: a review story-telling and drama oral and popular culture and media planning for talk across the curriculum the impact of ICT: software, email, internet, computer games.

Providing children with opportunities to talk about their learning enables teachers to hear what children are thinking. Talking with one another allows children to question, elaborate, and reflect on a range of ideas. Classroom talk can be motivating and involving, and helps children to think and learn. And yet it is difficult to organise such talk in a classroom. Children unaware of the importance of talk for learning may think of talk as just chat and learning falls away as they slip into social talk. This book provides teachers with strategies and resources to enable whole classes to work together through the medium of talk.

Creating a Speaking and Listening Classroom provides timely professional development for teachers. Based on a theoretical approach underpinned by classroom research, this book offers classroom-tested strategies for engaging children in their own learning. Such strategies involve the direct teaching of speaking and listening. Activities in the book can ensure that children know how and why to support one another s learning in whole-class and group work. The approach enables teachers to ensure that personalised learning programs are based on what children already think and know. The suggested strategies for teaching speaking and listening can enable children to use one another s minds as a rich resource.

This stimulating book will be of interest to professionals in primary education, literacy co-ordinators, and trainee primary teachers.

Talk is the medium through which children learn; and yet children may not realise why their contributions to classroom talk are so important. This book provides teachers with resources for developing children's understanding of speaking and listening, and their skills in using talk for learning. The Essential Speaking and Listening will: help children to become more aware of how talk is valuable for learning raise their awareness of how and why to listen attentively and to speak with confidence encourage dialogue and promote effective group discussion integrate speaking and listening into all curriculum areas help every child make the most of learning opportunities in whole class and group work contexts The inclusive and accessible activities are designed to increase children's engagement and motivation and help raise their achievement. Children will be guided to make the links between speaking, listening, thinking and learning and through the activities they will also be learning important skills for future life. Teachers, education students and teacher educators will find a tried-and-tested approach that makes a difference to children's understanding of talk and how to use it to learn.

Primary teachers need to incorporate the use of computers in their daily lesson plans, but how can this be done most effectively to promote learning skills in the classroom? In this fascinating book, Lyn Dawes and Rupert Wegerif outline a strategy for enhancing the effectiveness of computers for teaching and learning with an emphasis on: * raising pupil achievement in the core subject areas * developing collaborative learning in small groups * using group discussions as a way of improving general communication, as well as thinking and reasoning skills. The approach is to use computers as a support for collaborative learning in small groups and this book presents ways to prepare pupils for talking, learning and thinking together around computers. Excerpts from pupils' discussions illustrate the main issues and guidance on lesson planning and developing and choosing appropriate software is also provided. Thinking and Learning with ICT will be a valuable resource for primary teachers and student teachers.

Primary teachers need to incorporate the use of computers in their daily lesson plans, but how can this be done most effectively to promote learning skills in the classroom? In this fascinating book, Lyn Dawes and Rupert Wegerif outline a strategy for enhancing the effectiveness of computers for teaching and learning with an emphasis on: * raising pupil achievement in the core subject areas * developing collaborative learning in small groups * using group discussions as a way of improving general communication, as well as thinking and reasoning skills. The approach is to use computers as a support for collaborative learning in small groups and this book presents ways to prepare pupils for talking, learning and thinking together around computers. Excerpts from pupils' discussions illustrate the main issues and guidance on lesson planning and developing and choosing appropriate software is also provided. Thinking and Learning with ICT will be a valuable resource for primary teachers and student teachers.

Talk is the medium through which children learn; and yet children may not realise why their contributions to classroom talk are so important. This book provides teachers with resources for developing children's understanding of speaking and listening, and their skills in using talk for learning. The Essential Speaking and Listening will: help children to become more aware of how talk is valuable for learning raise their awareness of how and why to listen attentively and to speak with confidence encourage dialogue and promote effective group discussion integrate speaking and listening into all curriculum areas help every child make the most of learning opportunities in whole class and group work contexts The inclusive and accessible activities are designed to increase children's engagement and motivation and help raise their achievement. Children will be guided to make the links between speaking, listening, thinking and learning and through the activities they will also be learning important skills for future life. Teachers, education students and teacher educators will find a tried-and-tested approach that makes a difference to children's understanding of talk and how to use it to learn.

Providing children with opportunities to talk about their learning enables teachers to hear what children are thinking. Talking with one another allows children to question, elaborate, and reflect on a range of ideas. Classroom talk can be motivating and involving, and helps children to think and learn. And yet it is difficult to organise such talk in a classroom. Children unaware of the importance of talk for learning may think of talk as just chat and learning falls away as they slip into social talk. This book provides teachers with strategies and resources to enable whole classes to work together through the medium of talk. Creating a Speaking and Listening Classroom provides timely professional development for teachers. Based on a theoretical approach underpinned by classroom research, this book offers classroom-tested strategies for engaging children in their own learning. Such strategies involve the direct teaching of speaking and listening. Activities in the book can ensure that children know how and why to support one another s learning in whole-class and group work. The approach enables teachers to ensure that personalised learning programs are based on what children already think and know. The suggested strategies for teaching speaking and listening can enable children to use one another s minds as a rich resource. This stimulating book will be of interest to professionals in primary education, literacy co-ordinators, and trainee primary teachers.

Talk Box supports teachers implementing the new curriculum, who are looking for fresh ideas with a focus on teaching talk skills, encouraging discussion and developing articulate children. It sets out different types of teaching involving children learning collaboratively through discussion with peers and centres on step-by-step lesson plans to develop hidden potential across the entire classroom. At the heart of the lesson plans is the 'talk box' - a collection of interesting objects which provide a focus for class discussion and where the activities are based on these linked ideas: * Young children need their teachers to help them make sense of the world; * The most effective medium for explaining, discussing, describing with children, is talk; * Children learn very well from one another when taught how to do so, and are a good resource for one another in the classroom; * Children may be able to talk, but they are not often aware what sort of talk can help them to get the best from their education; * Direct teaching of essential talk skills and understanding is straightforward and should be undertaken in school classrooms. The numerous lesson plans included in this book are each built around specific learning objectives for speaking and listening and cover subjects such as literacy, numeracy, science, citizenship, ICT and Computing. Each lesson includes a resources list and photocopiable worksheets and range from whole class to small group work. This book will help you teach children to engage in the educationally effective kind of discussion known as Exploratory Talk, where everyone's viewpoint is considered, opinions are justified with reasons, and decisions are made together. This new edition includes updated curriculum links, new research findings, a home-school link section and contain additional EAL and SEN materials.

What do students think about Shakespeare? Classic, timeless and full of rich ideas; or difficult, impenetrable and completely uninteresting? We want young people to develop a real interest in Shakespeare, based on their understanding and engagement with the texts. A meaningful classroom discussion that enables every individual to contribute and covers a range of viewpoints, can help students' understanding of Shakespeare's plays, consolidate their learning, and increase their motivation. This highly practical book enables teachers to organise, stimulate and support group discussions that will help students to relate to the characters, and develop their own ideas about the language and meaning. Drawing on four of the most commonly taught Shakespeare plays, the book provides a broad range of exciting tried and tested resources, taking the reader through key parts of the text, along with suggestions for further activities involving writing, drama and electronic media. Features include: -Scene by scene Talking Points for each play -'Thinking Together' extension activities for group work -Guidance on developing your own Talking Points -Talking Points focusing on Shakespeare's language use Offering an accessible, thought-provoking and above all enjoyable way for students to engage with Shakespeare's plays, this book will be highly beneficial reading for English teachers and trainees.

This fully updated third edition brings science subject knowledge and pedagogy together to support, inform and inspire those training to teach primary science. Written in a clear and accessible way, Teaching Primary Science provides comprehensive coverage of a wide range of science themes. With a brand new chapter on STEM education, additional guidance on where to find the best resources, and increased emphasis on assessment, story-telling and problem-solving, this book shows how science can offer children pleasure and intellectual satisfaction and help them to develop sound scientific minds. Key features include: Ideas for practice exemplify how you can help children to acquire and use scientific knowledge to satisfy their curiosity about how the natural world works. Something to think about scenarios help to extend and develop your own understanding of key ideas. Examples of classroom situations, dialogues and stories help you see how theory is applied to practice and support you in reflecting on the best methods for teaching. Global Dimension sections offer starting points for discussion and research into how scientific ideas can be positively applied and used to evaluate the impact of human activity on the natural world. Talk Skills and Science Discussion sections enable you to develop children's scientific knowledge and verbal reasoning skills.

Jumpstart! Talk for Learning presents a collection of multi-sensory games and activities that will jumpstart children's use of effective talk in the classroom. This book offers practical and engaging ideas ranging from brief games to extended lesson suggestions. It offers a basis for creating your own spoken language activities to match topics you are teaching and individual needs of your class. Specifically written to help teachers with the direct teaching of talk skills required by the National Curriculum, activities in the book encourage children to: * participate in group and class discussions * use exploratory talk and share a range of points of view * use talk imaginatively to develop understanding * develop individual presentational talk * take part in active drama sessions Jumpstart! Talk for Learning includes a range of classroom activities that can be used in literacy lessons and integrated across the curriculum. This essential resource will help teachers develop children's use of talk to understand one another and get things done together.

What do students think about Shakespeare? Classic, timeless and full of rich ideas; or difficult, impenetrable and completely uninteresting? We want young people to develop a real interest in Shakespeare, based on their understanding and engagement with the texts. A meaningful classroom discussion that enables every individual to contribute and covers a range of viewpoints, can help students' understanding of Shakespeare's plays, consolidate their learning, and increase their motivation. This highly practical book enables teachers to organise, stimulate and support group discussions that will help students to relate to the characters, and develop their own ideas about the language and meaning. Drawing on four of the most commonly taught Shakespeare plays, the book provides a broad range of exciting tried and tested resources, taking the reader through key parts of the text, along with suggestions for further activities involving writing, drama and electronic media. Features include: -Scene by scene Talking Points for each play -'Thinking Together' extension activities for group work -Guidance on developing your own Talking Points -Talking Points focusing on Shakespeare's language use Offering an accessible, thought-provoking and above all enjoyable way for students to engage with Shakespeare's plays, this book will be highly beneficial reading for English teachers and trainees.

Talking Points: Discussion Activities in the Primary Classroom encourages and supports classroom discussion on a range of topics, enabling children to develop the important life-skill of effective group communication. Children who can explain their own ideas and take account of the points of view and reasons of others are in the process of becoming truly educated. This book offers a straightforward way of teaching children discussion skills within the framework of a creative curriculum.

The book provides an introduction on how to help children learn the skills of group discussion, offering six essential Talk Lessons to use in the classroom, alongside suggestions on how teachers can plan their lessons with a talk focus, set learning outcomes and create their own Talking Points to suit topics they are teaching. The main body of the book contains the Talking Points resources which are an excellent, tried and tested way of stimulating and supporting extended talk about a topic. The Talking Points in this book offer model for teachers to create further Talking Points for their own classes. The Talking Points included here offer discussion in several curriculum areas including: -

• Science
• Literacy
• Philosophy and creativity for children
• History
• Mathematics
• Art and Music

This invaluable book offers engaging, stimulating and thought provoking ideas for children to pit their wits against, promoting skills in discussion, analysis, reasoning and interaction. It is highly beneficial reading for teachers working in Key Stage 2, head teachers and those responsible for staff development, as well as students on teacher training courses and graduate training programmes.

Aimed at students on primary teaching teacher training courses this practical handbook looks at how to develop children's abilities in speaking and listening, as required by the National Curriculum. Speaking and listening, along with reading and writing, are essential components of literacy and learning development within the National Primary Strategy. This best-selling introductory text updates teachers on national developments and best practice in speaking and listening in the classroom through: Speaking and listening issues: a review Story-telling and drama Oral and popular culture and media Planning for talk across the curriculum The impact of ICT: software, email, internet, computer games

Jumpstart! Talk for Learning presents a collection of multi-sensory games and activities that will jumpstart children's use of effective talk in the classroom. This book offers practical and engaging ideas ranging from brief games to extended lesson suggestions. It offers a basis for creating your own spoken language activities to match topics you are teaching and individual needs of your class. Specifically written to help teachers with the direct teaching of talk skills required by the National Curriculum, activities in the book encourage children to: * participate in group and class discussions * use exploratory talk and share a range of points of view * use talk imaginatively to develop understanding * develop individual presentational talk * take part in active drama sessions Jumpstart! Talk for Learning includes a range of classroom activities that can be used in literacy lessons and integrated across the curriculum. This essential resource will help teachers develop children's use of talk to understand one another and get things done together.

'An essential read for trainee and newly qualified teachers covering all key areas of the primary curriculum. There is a real sense of experienced and enthusiastic practitioners writing about "what makes good" and why, with lots of clear practical examples of how to put ideas into practice.' - Jackie Keith, Deputy Head and Programme Leader for School Direct, London East Teacher Training Alliance To be a successful teacher in primary schools you need to have an informed understanding of a wide range of subjects. This book provides clear guidance of good practice teaching different subjects in primary education, informed by current curriculum directions, and full of practical advice for the classroom. Key features: Clear links to the 2014 National Curriculum in England 'In the classroom' examples from schools demonstrate intelligent and engaging ways to teach different subjects Reflective questions challenge you to critically engage with what you have read and apply it to your own teaching This is essential reading for students on primary initial teacher education courses, including university-based (PGCE, BA QTS, BEd), school-based (SCITT, School Direct) and employment-based routes into teaching.