Research Series Volume 2

Tes Research Series: Volume Two

Everything you need to know about:

• Spotting research myths: Dr Christian Bokhove, lecturer in mathematics education at the University of Southampton and a specialist in research methodologies, identifies some prime examples of where he feels research has been oversimplified or misconstrued by educators.
• Tackling literacy problems in secondary: Dr Jessie Ricketts, head of the Language and Reading Acquisition research lab at Royal Holloway, University of London, talks about the impact of vocabulary on early reading – and how to tackle literacy problems in secondary.
• The role of genetics in education: Leading genetics researcher Dr Kathryn Asbury argues that genes are hugely influential in learning and educational outcomes. She talks about Genome-wide Polygenic Scores (GPS) and their potential role in education.
• How to judge teacher and school effectiveness: Professor Daniel Muijs, Ofsted’s new head of research, discusses his plans for research projects while at Ofsted, the ethics of education research and also the lack of evidence-based approaches to behaviour management.
• Why you’re probably not making the most of your teaching assistants: Teaching assistants are under-utilised, under-appreciated and have the potential to be a hugely positive influence in schools. That’s according to Rob Webster, one of the country’s leading researchers into the role of TAs.
• What every teacher needs to know about setting: Professor Becky Francis, director of the UCL Institute of Education, sets out what every teacher needs to know about setting. Under what conditions is it beneficial for students, and what are the most common ways of getting setting wrong?
• Gender stereotyping in schools – its damaging effects and how to prevent it: Professor Vanita Sundaram thinks schools play a significant role in establishing and propagating gender norms, which can have a very negative impact on both genders. She explains how schools can begin to dismantle these gender stereotypes.
• Understanding race in education: University of Birmingham academic Kalwant Bhopal believes every teacher needs to take racism seriously and push for a more diverse and representative education system.