Language development

October marks Black History Month in the UK. Raise awareness and help children understand the importance of black history with our Black History Month resources for the primary classroom.

Taking time to get to know your students properly can help create an environment of trust in the classroom that has a knock-on effect on behaviour and learning. Here are some of our recommended resources for breaking the ice in the first lesson.

Starting off the school year as a new teacher can be nerve-wracking as well as exciting. Here's a collection of tips and advice for the first day of school, including advice about lesson planning and classroom management, as well as a reminder to set aside time to really get to know your new students (and have fun)!

There's no doubt it's a relief that the days of lockdown and remote learning are now behind us, but there are some aspects of home learning that we shouldn't be so keen to abandon, namely encouraging students to take responsibility for their own learning and developing their ability to study independently.

Increasing numbers of history departments are teaching migration at KS3 and KS4. Head of History Emily Folorunsho explains why her department chose to switch and the strategies they use to teach the topic.

Trevor Millum, Teachit’s poet in residence, shares some resources to help KS3-4 English students enjoy writing poetry and comparing poems.

As we know, the threat to our planet and to the human race posed by climate change is all too real. With the government's promise at COP26 to have a model science curriculum including sustainability and climate change in place by 2023, we all have a duty to help children understand what we mean by the term 'climate change', how we have caused it to happen, and, most importantly, how we can contribute to the solution. As Emmanuel Macron put it, 'Let us face it, there is no Planet B.'

The teaching of grammar has long been a hotly debated topic in MFL teaching. Theories have differed not just about how to teach it but even about whether to teach it explicitly at all ...

Introducing more pronunciation doesn’t need a radically new way of teaching modern foreign languages. Here are some tips and resources to help you increase your focus on pronunciation.

25% of children left primary school last year without being able to read properly. Without this essential skill, children's life chances are severely hampered, but fostering a reading for pleasure habit in children is the greatest way of improving their literacy skills. 

According to a survey by the Teacher Wellbeing Index, in 2021 an alarming 72% of education staff reported experiencing symptoms of poor mental health due to their work, and 54% had considered leaving the sector in the past two years.

These statistics are sobering and sad. Teacher wellbeing needs investment at the highest level in order to affect significant and lasting change. Until then, it is down to us to look after ourselves in order to look after others, however hard or self-indulgent it may seem. The resources below are designed to support you in finding ways to make your wellbeing a priority and, as the saying goes, 'Put your own oxygen mask on first'. 

In the words of David Waugh, '... punctuation can be a very powerful tool when we write, enabling us to express ideas in different ways and often substituting for the tone, volume and expression we are able to use in speech.' (David Waugh, Practical approaches to teaching punctuation in the primary school, 2022)

Whether you're a punctuation pedant or a grudging grammarian, GPS is a major part of the curriculum. So love it or loathe it, here I'm featuring brand new punctuation and grammar resources for every year group. 

Pre-1900 literary texts can be challenging for KS3-4 English students. Here are some ideas and classroom resources to engage students and build important comprehension and GCSE exam skills. 

Helen Howell is a Director of English and author of The Revision Revolution: How to build a culture of effective study in your school. Here, Helen discusses the teaching of explicit study skills and how to make simple tweaks to existing strategies to make the act of revising for GCSEs, A-levels and other exams more effective. 

Reading has never been more important for young people's wellbeing, personal growth and attainment. You'll find inspiring World Book Day resources to download as well as fun ideas for lessons, displays and activities to celebrate the day in style in your English class.