Never before have we had access to such a flood of information - internet, tv, radio, mobile phones, etc. But what strategies are children developing to screen it all? They can access information and absorb it as entertainment, but they often lack the skills to approach it critically. For our students to flourish in the information age, it's crucial that we teach them to think. Using the PRICE taxonomy - Processing information, Reasoning, Inquiry, Creative thinking and Evaluation, Anne de A'Echevarria and Ian Patience identify a range of 'thinking problems'. Their five related sections of practical 'thinking tools' will inspire teachers and students alike: there's a wealth of dynamic material for individual lessons and for infusing thinking across the curriculum. The final chapter moves from the 'what' to the 'how' - the craft of teaching thinking. Travel with your students out of the comfort zone into the exciting landscape of the learning zone.

By adopting accelerated learning principles you can teach in a way that maximises your students' chances of reaching their potential. This pocketbook offers practical strategies and techniques that get results. After outlining the background to accelerated learning, Brin Best explains how to prepare your students for learning and how to create the right learning environment. A chapter on teaching strategies covers questioning techniques and styles of teaching and learning, with suggested activities helpfully linked to each of the multiple intelligences first identified by Howard Gardner. A detailed self-evaluation framework allows you to review and develop practice. To quote one head of science, "some books have a good idea every few pages; this one has a few good ideas on every page".

Developing the ability to think is a major part of education, which helps students become independent learners and participate fully in a learning environment. This book sets out the theory and outlines a model for implementing the teaching of thinking at whole-school, group and individual levels in inclusive settings. The model uses a three-tier approach to ensure that all learners are included: teaching thinking for all, which takes into account common needs; working with small groups, for those with exceptional needs such as learning difficulties or high ability; and addressing individualised learning needs, including those with a complex disability. The book covers key approaches to the teaching of thinking, giving examples of how each can best be used at each tier level. It also addresses the impact of different social contexts, cultures and environmental surroundings on learning. This book will be essential reading for all members of school communities, including education leaders and teachers. Educational psychologists, special educational needs co-ordinators, speech and language therapists, and those with particular interest in educating children who are vulnerable, from disadvantaged backgrounds, and from culturally different backgrounds, will find much of value in this book.

Just like teachers, TAs need proper induction, training and career development opportunities. The Teaching Assistant's Pocketbook supports this need by offering an accessible guide to this varied role. If you're new to the job, what exactly can you expect when you start out in a new school? If you're an old hand, what are your career development opportunities? Sections on assisting the teacher, assisting pupils and assisting the school are full of practical information, tips and strategies for new and experienced TAs. Dot Constable covers the nuts and bolts of day-to-day practice (eg: policies and procedures; SEN and support strategies; joint planning; assessment, recording and reporting; making and organising resources etc) but also addresses nitty gritty realities: how do you keep pupils on task and what do you do if relations between you and the teacher are strained? Breathe a sigh of relief, it's all here. ""A concise and easily accessible resource. A must for new and experienced teaching assistants" " -Anna Gibbs, Headteacher, Lancot Lower School " "Clear and comprehensive ideas and advice which cover all aspects of being a TA. A super, little, usable book." " -Gill Edgar, Head of KS4, Abberley Street PRU, Dudle

All teachers look to deliver inspiring, innovative and imaginative lessons. What better way to engage students and help them learn more effectively? Roy Watson-Davis draws on a deep well of creativity and on his experience as an AST and mentor to share numerous suggestions for original, inventive approaches to lessons. Use his ideas as starting points for your own brain waves, or import and adapt them for your own classroom. As well as creative starters, 'kernels' and closers, sections of the book are devoted to questioning technique, active learning, technology, revision and teamwork. Roy aims to stimulate and support creative practice by challenging you to move out of your comfort zones: try pegging maths equations across your room washing-line-style, or adopting 'the fruit bowl approach', or how about delivering a lesson in costume? Take the plunge, recharge your batteries and watch your students' enthusiasm increase.

This essential and aspirational text is aimed at all beginning teachers whatever your training route, age phase and setting. It explicitly adopts and builds on a new metaphor for teachers' professional learning as interplay between the body of public knowledge and the practical wisdom of teachers within a particular school setting. It also accepts that 'telling' you how to teach is ineffective; you need to 'become a teacher' because it involves identity and practice. Inquiry-based critically reflective learning with a clear focus on the learning of pupils is proposed as the core strategy by which you can build your knowledge and skills to become an outstanding teacher. Core topics, including planning, inclusion, teaching, assessment and professional development, are tackled in an accessible and refreshing way, using key research informed evidence. The focus is relentlessly on 'learning' rather than performance, in order to support you becoming an excellent professional teacher, rather than a competent technician, who makes a difference to learners, colleagues, schools and policy. Think of this book as a temporary or additional mentor, challenging you with different ways of thinking about learning and providing strategies to guide your professional learning. “It takes 10 years or more to begin to be a brain surgeon, but sometimes we get 1-3 years at most before we are allowed to work with children’s brains as teachers. So we need inspirational teachers and this is the focus of this compact, powerful and insightful book. It is wonderfully designed around five of the most critical dilemmas in our classrooms: belief vs. ability; autonomy vs. compliance; abstract vs. concrete; feedback vs. praise; and collaboration vs. competition. The power of the book is that it illustrates the new move to focus on learning power – and such a focus permits every student to become smarter through effort and deep practice as they struggle with the high-challenge learning activities – in the presence of inspirational, impactful and passionate teachers. The perfect book for those who want to make most of their opportunity to enhance students’ brain power.” John Hattie, Director, Melbourne Education Research Institute

Teaching Religious Education Creatively offers a brand new approach for the primary classroom and is crammed full of innovative ideas for bringing the teaching of RE to life. It helps teachers understand what constitutes a healthy curriculum that will encourage children to appreciate and understand different belief systems. Perhaps most importantly, it also challenges teachers to understand RE as a transformatory subject that offers children the tools to be discerning, to work out their own beliefs and answer puzzling questions. Underpinned by the latest research and theory and with contemporary, cutting-edge practice at the forefront, expert authors emphasise creative thinking strategies and teaching creatively. Key topics explored include: What is creative teaching and learning? Why is it important to teach creatively and teach for creativity? What is Religious Education? Why is it important for children to learn ‘about’ and ‘from’ religion? How can you teach non-biased RE creatively as a discrete subject and integrate it with other curriculum areas? Teaching Religious Education Creatively is for all teachers who want to learn more about innovative teaching and learning in RE in order to improve understanding and enjoyment and transform their own as well as their pupil’s lives.