Understanding | Centre for the Use of Research & Evidence in Education (CUREE)

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

Developing Learning Strategies in Writing French at Key Stage 4

The overall aim of the research was to develop specific strategies to support pupils in their written French work at KS4. This was addressed through exploration of the following research questions: What attitudes do pupils have towards writing in French? Does training in strategies to support their writing help develop pupil confidence? Is the success of this training dependent on ability? and Does increased independence at KS4 lead to greater uptake and retention at KS5?"

"Contexts of meaning": Assessing bilingual pupils' comprehension of text

Aim: To investigate how the literacy hour, as interpreted and taught within this school, effectively supports the reading development of beginner bilingual children, and in particular their comprehension of the weekly whole class shared reading text.

Transition and beyond

Aim: The aims of this project were to create a smoother transition across key stages for teachers, pupils and parents, to improve collaboration across key stage transition and to develop teachers knowledge and understanding of each others curriculum/routines/events/lessons.

Use of Two-Dimensional Pepresentations to aid the Transition from Arithmetic to Algebra

Aim: To investigate the extent to which use of a teaching approach based on the concept of area would help students overcome key difficulties in the transition from arithmetic to algebra.

An investigation into pupils' strategies for mental mathematics

Aim: To raise pupils attainment in mental calculations in mathematics through developing their ability to articulate the strategies they use.

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.

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.

An investigation of How Teachers Can Help Children Become Originators and Creators Rather than Passive Users of ICT Systems

Aim: To see whether selected teaching strategies can promote creative work from children using ICT systems for the production of visual imagery.

The Effectiveness of Teachers' Use of Non-literal Language in the Classroom

Aim: To raise teachers awareness of their use of non-literal language such as simile, metaphor and idiom, and to develop their ability to ensure pupils understanding of it.