In this TLA research summary we feature a study which reported the experiences of a group of teachers who started from research findings to develop formative assessment in their classrooms. The study showed the positive change in their practice.

What difference can alternative curriculum programmes make to students at KS4? A minority of 14-16 year old students feel that GCSE courses are inappropriate to them. The reactions of such students to the KS4 experience range from lack of interest to disaffection, which in turn can lead to underachievement and truancy. Consequently, many schools offer some kind of an alternative to the KS4 curriculum to at least some of their students.

Talk is a teacher's prime teaching tool, but how many of us stop to plan or analyse what we say, or think about how it affects pupil learning? This research summary features a project* that examined in detail how teachers use talk to promote meaningful learning in science.  The researchers analysed the interactions between 12 teachers (six primary and six secondary) and their pupils in science lessons to find out what strategic use of talk in teaching (often called 'dialogic teaching') looked like in science.

Numerous studies have shown that the relationship between deprivation* and education is crucial for understanding the significant impact deprivation has on later outcomes in adulthood. Deprivation can leave young people with fewer qualifications and skills, which in turn can affect their future employment and earnings, health and social well-being.

The Qualifications and Curriculum Development Agency (QCDA) described the curriculum as 'the entire planned learning experience of a young person', which includes skills, values and personal development in addition to what is to be taught and learnt. But what does this mean in practice? The key factor is the design of the curriculum at school level.

There is plenty of sound evidence about the effectiveness of structured dialogue in small groups for pupil learning. But how effectively does classroom talk in whole class situations promote pupils' learning?  For this TLA research summary we feature a study in which groups of primary teachers and school leaders explored this issue with the support of a team of researchers from the University of Exeter.

Early years education has become a key feature of national policy in the UK as government, local education authorities and schools try to find ways of making a difference to the lives of young children and their families.Research (such as Feinstein, 2003 - see Further Reading) has shown that children from low socio-economic status (SES) backgrounds are particularly at risk of under-achievement or even failure at school; research in the USA and Canada has also shown that that targeted intervention at an early stage can make a lasting difference for the better.

Literacy teaching is a hotly debated topic in education. For thisTLA research summary we looked across three separate primary school studies to see what they can collectively tell us about effective literacy teaching.The three studies are:Wharton-McDonald, Ruth, Michael Pressley and Jennifer Mistretta Hampston. 'Literacy Instruction in Nine First- Grade Classrooms: Teacher Characteristics and Student Achievement'. Elementary School Journal 99.2 (1998).Pressley, Michael and Ruth Wharton-McDonald, et al.

The study featured in this TLA research summary set out to identify and describe the characteristics of effective teachers of numeracy. It took place before and during the introduction of the National Numeracy Strategy.The researchers were asked to feed back their findings into the development work for the strategy. They explored teachers' beliefs, knowledge and understanding as well as their teaching practice.

This research summary features a study which looked at the evidence for effective strategies in humanities, and most importantly why they worked:Aitken, G. and Sinnema, C. (2008) Effective pedagogy in social sciences: Best Evidence Synthesis Iteration (BES) , New Zealand Ministry of Education, Wellington, New Zealand The researchers looked for evidence of teaching and learning approaches that made a difference to student  learning.