Teaching conditional spelling rules in the classroom: an intervention strategy for teaching the split digraph rules a-e/o-e

Aim: To explore the impact of computer presentations on motivation and learning in the classroom, to investigate whether it is best to teach related spelling rules within a given timeframe, or rules that differ from each other and to assess whether the learning of a related rule strengthens the knowledge of the first rule learned or whether it interferes with it.

What impacts can developments in literacy teaching have on teaching and learning in history?

Aim: To investigate the impact of literacy initiatives on teaching and learning in history. How successful have new methods to support extended writing been in raising the quality of work in history? How is reading approached in history? Achievement; History; Literacy/English; Secondary; Understanding

Narrative Writing Project

Aim: The overall aim of the first phase of the project was to raise attainment in narrative writing for children in Year 6. The second phase involved extending the project to all children in Key Stage 2. The first phase is complete and the second phase is still being evaluated.

Developing student leadership in a networked learning community

Aim: This summary first reports on the pilot work undertaken as ESRC Project Breaking New Ground in the Geography, History and Religious Studies departments at Rivington and Blackrod High Schools with KS4 students. The initial research prepared the way for what has now become a borough-wide student voice movement entitled B.L.A.S.T. (Bolton Listens As Students Talk) under the Networked Learning Community banner. The schools subsequent involvement in this project is also reported.

Do children have similar models of understanding for seeing, hearing and smelling?

Aim: Many curricula include information about seeing, hearing and smelling, and an appreciation of these senses is related to an understanding of the behaviour of light, sound and gases. The National Curriculum for England requires sound to be taught in Year 5 and seeing to be taught in Year 6. It states that pupils should be taught that vibrations from sound sources require a medium through which to travel to the ear and that we see things only when light from them enters the eye.

Multiple intelligences (MI) in the classroom: An evaluation of the effectiveness of an 'MI approach' through the teaching and learning of History

Aim: The aims of the project were: 1. To establish, from a review of the literature, an MI approach to teaching and learning. 2. To evaluate the effectiveness of using an MI approach in the classroom on pupils learning. 3. To compare the relative impact of three different MI strategies.

Silence and presence - How adult attitude affects the creativity of children (or how not to inhibit creativity in children)

Aim: The initial aim of the research was to concentrate on childrens creativity outdoors. However, analysis of our original data, as well as our mentors observation that in comparison with other nurseries, we were successful in the way we conducted outdoor activities with children, turned the research on its head. We decided to look at what it was that adults do, that impacts on the quality of childrens learning. Specifically we wanted to explore how adult attitude impacts on childrens creativity and explore our own approach to outdoor education.