School of Education Research Blog

Friday’s TES published a  letter from a group of educationalists  to Michael Gove calling for the abolishment of the Year 1 ‘phonics check’. Signatories included the general secretary of the UK Literacy Association, the chairman of the National Association for Primary Education, the general secretary of NASUWT, and the chair of the National Association for the Teaching of English. In response to the letter, one well-known educational commentator (@oldandrewuk) tweeted “See some phonics denialists got a letter in the TES”. I’m not going to spend any time questioning the use of the markedly pejorative term ‘denialists’, and the attribution of a questionable ethical agenda that is usually implied by it. I’ve done my homework here and see that Andrew Old has used this term in relation to phonics for some time, been called out for it, and  made his responses . But the substance of the charge (implied in this tweet but offered explicitly elsewhere) is that a large number of academics an

Oxford Brookes University – EdD Colloquium: ‘National and International Perspectives on Education’ on Saturday 28 June 2014, 9am to 5pm at Oxford Brookes University – School of Education,Harcourt Hill Campus, Oxford, UK, OX2 9AT Keynote speaker Marlene Morrison  PhD Med BA (Hons) FETC Dip IPM, Emeritus Professor of Education Marlene is a sociologist of education who specialises in educational leadership for diversity and social justice, and is a critical analyst of recent trends in educational administration and services, and various aspects of doctoral education. Introductory Welcome from Dr Mary Wild, Head of the School of Education Presentations from Doctoral Students Themes Include Technology in the Classroom     School-Based Community Development The Nature of Graduateness     Making Meaning from School Closures Decision Making and Research to Practice     Cultural Proficiency for Teachers Please complete the  online booking form  to register your applic