Annabel Watson

Addressing literacy and disadvantage requires high-quality teaching, first and foremost: there are no quick fixes, simplistic solutions or silver bullets. Both research and professional evidence from schools have revealed a strong association between social disadvantage and achievement in literacy: in fact, it has been a concern for over 70 years. Yet, many trainee teachers, and teachers in general, feel ill-equipped to deal with the issue. This book supports trainee teachers to explore the complex relationships between literacy achievement and social background. It offers practical strategies for teaching and supports trainee teachers to understand that: *children’s individual backgrounds need to be valued and drawn upon; *deficit descriptions of disadvantaged children and low expectations must be avoided and challenged; *schools, teachers and classrooms must provider rich literacy environments for learning.

Addressing literacy and disadvantage requires high-quality teaching, first and foremost: there are no quick fixes, simplistic solutions or silver bullets. Both research and professional evidence from schools have revealed a strong association between social disadvantage and achievement in literacy: in fact, it has been a concern for over 70 years. Yet, many trainee teachers, and teachers in general, feel ill-equipped to deal with the issue. This book supports trainee teachers to explore the complex relationships between literacy achievement and social background. It offers practical strategies for teaching and supports trainee teachers to understand that: *children’s individual backgrounds need to be valued and drawn upon; *deficit descriptions of disadvantaged children and low expectations must be avoided and challenged; *schools, teachers and classrooms must provider rich literacy environments for learning.

Essential Primary Grammar is an invaluable resource to ensure that you are firmly equipped to teach grammar. It helps you get to grips with your knowledge of grammar for the national curriculum - including the spelling, punctuation and grammar test - as well as providing you with some tried and tested ways to teach grammar. Underpinned by a series of research studies which have investigated the teaching of grammar, it will support you in how to teach grammar in creative and meaningful ways whilst supporting you in developing your own fundamental knowledge of grammar. Uniquely, the book takes a systematic step-by-step approach to explain the grammatical terminology specified in the national curriculum. It also illustrates how you might develop children’s grammatical knowledge by offering a range of practical activities which are rich, meaningful and support children’s development as confident and curious language investigators.Key features include:• Easy-to-read chapters which systematically focus on grammatical subject knowledge at word, phrase and clause level• Guidance in each chapter addressing typical grammar problems or misconceptions, and some grammar jokes• Inspiring suggestions for teaching activities to help children develop grammatical knowledge in meaningful learning contexts• Reference to authentic children’s books to illuminate the grammatical explanations and suggested teaching activities• Ideas on how high quality talk about grammar and texts can be fostered in the classroom“This book gives an excellent research evidence based approach that puts the teaching of grammar firmly onto a book rich curriculum that not only enhances subject knowledge but also awakens an interest in the grammar.”Jo Tregenza, Senior Teaching Fellow and head of initial teacher training at The University of Sussex, UK“Myhill et al manage to tackle some of the trickiest aspects of grammar with clarity and a lightness of touch that ensures the reader never feels they have been taken too far into the depths of linguistics. Every primary teacher needs a copy in their bag!”Rebecca Cosgrave: Primary English Adviser Babcock LDP“This is extremely practical, explaining grammatical concepts in clear and helpful terms, and offering a range of engaging teaching activities for the classroom.”Marcello Giovanelli, Assistant Professor in English Education, University of Nottingham, UK