Teaching Assistant - Teaching Expertise

What impact will Every Child Matters have on CPD in schools? According to Steven Coombs and Mike Calvert, it will be huge; and schools need to be ready read more

Are schools rising to the challenge of CPD for the whole workforce; including teaching assistants? Elizabeth Holmes investigates what schools need to do to ensure that everyone receives professional development

To allow full use of teaching assistants, curriculum managers need to ensure both TAs and teachers have the support they need. This involves quality line management and a clear understanding of how to plan for effective learning, Lynn Maidment explains

How can the process of developing thinking skills be put into practice? A glimpse into the environment within a day nursery in south-east England shows how read more

Early Years Update focuses on the importance of the personal and physical safety of babies, toddlers and three- to five-year-old children. This is part of a range of practical ideas to underpin the information in the Early Years Foundation Stage Principles into Practice cards

With increasing pressure to deliver personalised learning, John Blanchard offers strategies for putting it into practice where it counts: the classroom

Early Years Update focuses on the importance of inclusion with babies, toddlers and three- to five-year-old children. This is part ofa range of practical ideas to underpin the information in the Early Years Foundation Stage Principles into Practice cards

Early years practitioners have used ICT to support young children’s learning in diverse ways, writes Julie Steer

Crispin Andrews looks at how staff at two children’s centres are reaping the benefits of information communication technology

Michael Farrell considers provision for pupils with moderate learning difficulties (MLD) read more

Comment-only marking is vital in helping students to reflect on their own learning, but implementing it can be a challenge. Jason Edwards, vice principal at Priory Community School, Somerset, describes how his school has overcome the initial problems read more

A project aimed at raising the profile of plenaries at Sandringham School, St Albans, has evolved into a catalyst for change that allows students to make their voices heard in the school. Deputy head Ceddy de la Croix explains read more

Early Years Update focuses on development and learning as part of a range of practical ideas to underpin the information in the Early Years Foundation Stage Principles into Practice cards

Antidote’s development director Marilyn Tew describes how schools can encourage learning by promoting 'CLASI-ness' - where children feel capable, listened to, accepted, safe and included

Sarah Whitehead describes a project that she undertook as part of a postgraduate professional development course for SENCOs. She highlights the value of having time for systematic professional reflection, and how this can be used to good effect when introducing 'Catch Up', an intervention designed to support reading development read more

Gross motor skills are the movements of the large muscles of the body. These activities will help to develop and improve gross motor skills

Jo Smith provides some practical tips on how to develop questioning skills as a tool for promoting participation and learning read more

These classroom activities can help develop grammar skills, particularly syntax and morphology

Pragmatics refers to the ability to communicate in social situations. These classroom activities will help all children to develop social communication skills

Is it possible to create a more 'gender balanced' learning environment? Natalie Griffiths explains how she investigated the effect of gender on learning in the D&T classroom and developed strategies to benefit pupils of both sexes read more

A research study on tackling low achievement suggests that children with special educational needs form a large percentage of low achievers but more could be done to assist them through their schooling read more

A six-phase programme for teaching phonics aims to help children become fluent readers by the age of seven read more

Katrina Foley describes how young children’s independence and self-management skills can be promoted in an environment which celebrates risk, challenge and empowerment

Pam Woolner looks at the variety of ways in which the widely-used term 'learning environment' is employed read more

Trevor Millum outlines a truly novel way to get pupils to enjoy manipulating and using words read more

Crispin Andrews looks at the increasing emphasis on topic-based learning and offers some ideas to teach science through the topic of birds

Linda Evans looks at how SENCOs can deliver training sessions to help TAs explore different ways of supporting pupils and teachers in and out of the classroom

Kris Lines surveys this highly litigated area — and suggests a step-by-step approach to safety within the law read more

The idea that it is possible to raise attainment by teaching according to individual learners' styles is a popular one, but is it grounded in strong research evidence? Elaine Hall reports read more

Barry Mapp introduces the capabilities of Mind Mapping and explains some of the features that make it unique read more

What is it like for a former pupil to return to her old school as a G&T teaching assistant? read more

Inclusion of SEN students requires lots of involvement from teaching assistants. Enid Alston introduces a new training course designed to help read more

The relationship between teachers and teaching assistants is a changing one. Angela Youngman investigates and offers guidance to ensure effectiveness

Maggie Parker-Heys urges early years practitioners to appreciate and nurture the skills required to form even the simplest letters

Linda Thornton and Pat Brunton explore ways to use the children’s curiosity about their world to become self-motivated, independent learners

In his introduction to a new column, Dr Graham Haydon focuses on choice and discusses how the decisions we make influence our everyday life. read more

David Watkins argues that homophobia is something we should talk about and offers practical advice for creating LGBT-inclusive schools.

Psychologist Sylvia Clare discusses the importance of physical touch in helping children and young people reconnect to learning.

Secondary drama teacher Julie Leoni writes about how she teaches through the darkest days of winter read more

In an edited excerpt from his new book, clinical psychologist Steve Killick writes about the importance of listening to young people. read more

Child abuse can affect a child’s ability to learn. In the second of two articles, Jenni Whitehead looks at ways of helping such children in the classroom. read more

How can you handle children’s surprise at a new classmate’s disfigurement in a way that is positive for everybody? Jane Frances of Changing Faces offers some practical ideas. read more

Lev S. Vygotsky is the subject of Steve Mynard's article on the psychology of child development

Dr Tracy Packiam Alloway of the University of Durham has researched the difficulties faced by children who have a low working memory

Jenni Whitehead looks at signs that show a young person may be at risk of abuse. read more

Sarah Treneer and Claire Kendall describe how they developed a technique for encouraging children to reflect on their own and others’ learning through the use of peer feedback.

Jane West looks at some misconceptions about giftedness and how to dispel them. read more

Any primary school teachers out there with workshop ideas? I’m organising a few Antarctica mornings for local primaries and I’m trying to work out what to do read more

Angela Youngman talked with Justine O’Driscoll of the Bedford Just Learning Nursery about making computers accessible for children in the early years. read more

Communication is by its very nature a two-way process. Children need to have these skills if they are to particpate in shared and meaningful communications. In this Inset package, based on the need for effective communication and engagement as described in the Common Core, Roger Hurn provides information and activities to help your staff think about ways of helping children to practise and develop their communication skills.