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Reading between the lines
This is the fourth in a series of posts related to the six Strategies covered in my book Practical Reading Strategies. You can buy a copy of the book here. Check out the previous three posts on Making Connections, Visualising, and Questioning. Inferring means ‘reading between the lines’. In practice, however, it’s one of the…
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Breaking out of TEEL
How to teach essay writing without formulaic structures I’ve been getting feedback from English teachers across Australia about why we teach writing, and what gets in the way. I’m also busy collecting samples of writing for the second book in the ‘Practical’ series – Practical Writing Strategies. We’ll be including lots of advice on how…
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The power of getting students to ask the questions
Before you go on, I’m collecting feedback from teachers about teaching writing. If you’ve got something to say about what gets in the way of teaching writing, please click here to join the conversation! This is the third in a series of posts related to the six Strategies covered in my book Practical Reading Strategies.…
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Call for submissions!
One of the best conversations to be involved in as an English teacher right now is the rising push back against formulaic writing structures like TEEL. The problem is, it’s become so entrenched it’s hard to find alternatives. I’m putting together a free PDF collection of writing samples that break out of the formula. As…
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Visualising and the sixth sense
This is the second in a series of posts on each of the six Reading Strategies. To get your hands on a copy of Practical Reading Strategies, with activities for each of the strategies, click here. The Visualising strategy encompasses the five senses of sight, sound, touch, taste, and smell. There are many activities which…
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Making Connections
This is the first in a series of posts related to the six Strategies covered in my book Practical Reading Strategies. You can buy a copy of the book here. The six Reading Strategies offer a way of teaching reading for meaning which goes beyond simple comprehension or teacher-led questioning. Making Connections, the first Strategy,…
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In defence of TEEL? (Sort of. Not really)
DISCLAIMER: Engaging in discussions about TEEL can be bad for your health. If there’s one thing that comes up time and time again when I’m talking to English teachers it’s TEEL. The acronym, which stands for Topic – Evidence – Explanation – Link, is so widespread that you can find it plastered across the walls…
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Preview: Practical Reading Strategies
Last year Alicia Cohen of new educational publisher Amba Press approached me to ask if I had any ideas for a book. I’d been writing this blog for a few months, and was in the middle of working on Jacaranda’s English 8 textbook, so I thought I’d have a go at writing something of my…
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VCE Study Guide: Go, Went, Gone
My complete guide to Jenny Erpenbeck’s Go, Went, Gone can be purchased from Insight Publications here. Overview In Go, Went, Gone, translated by Susan Bernofsky, Jenny Erpenbeck explores the African refugee crisis and how European countries like Germany have responded to those seeking asylum in Europe. Erpenbeck blends real places, laws and situations with fictional…
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VCE Study Guide: Flames
This is an abbreviated version of my Neap Smartstudy guide to Robbie Arnott’s Flames, new to the VCE English text list. You can find a copy of the full study guide here or here (these are not affiliate links). Overview Flames is a darkly humorous novel that blends elements of mythology and the Gothic with…