International studies of talk-intensive (or 'dialogic') pedagogies have demonstrated that children who experience academically challenging classroom discussion ('dialogue') make greater progress than their peers who have not had this experience. In England, gains in achievement have been greatest for pupils from less privileged socio-economic…

This New Zealand-based study of the classroom practice of nine exemplary teachers of writing to upper primary-age students explored the significance of task orientation as a component of effective teacher instruction and the instructional strategies or actions that effective teachers utilise to promote such. Effectiveness pertains to teachers…

Standard assessment tests have been part of the literacy practice in English primary schools for many years. While educators point to the dangers of "teaching to the test," politicians continue to believe that the best way of achieving accountability is by retaining league tables of these test results. Currently the curriculum is too…