International Schools Blog

In my previous blog post, I explored the challenge of starting students on a journey that leads to deeper, more independent learning by means of open-ended questions. The point is a simple one: if we are going to equip students to be confident, independent thinkers, we are going to have to acclimatise them to the realm of open, challenging, controversial and ambiguous questions – the very questions that tend not to be asked in written examinations, which, as a rule, tend to favour responses that can be learned and matched to a mark scheme.

The lesson starts with a slide showing names of cities from around the world. ‘Which of these are capital cities?’ the teacher asks. Hands shoot up, answers are called out, and a list of capital cities emerges. Once the right answers have been found, the class moves on to a different task.

Would it surprise you to learn that the biggest single influence on a child’s education happens outside the classroom?

Integrating technology into your classroom - We have more technology at our fingertips than ever before, which has the power to radically transform the classroom. But is it actually changing the way we teach?

Dyslexia in the classroom can bring up some teaching challenges. We spoke to Martin Bloomfield, trainer at York Associates, who is an expert in the field. His specialist subject is international and intercultural perspectives on special educational needs, and he has many years of experience offering dyslexia awareness workshops to schools and businesses, as well as experience teaching learners with dyslexia.

With many schools already seeing the benefits of a mastery approach to mathematics in Key Stages 1 and 2, thoughts are now starting to turn to Early Years. So what exactly is mastery, and would it be appropriate for an Early Years setting? 

Many schools across the world are enforcing bans on smartphones due to issues such as bullying, cheating and disruption in class. In July 2018, the French government even passed a law banning mobile phones in schools.

Students with special education needs all bring unique strengths and gifts, but how do we as teachers help these students access learning and connect with others in our classrooms?

Teachers managing autism in the classroom face some complex challenges. We spoke to autism expert Stacey Melifonwu to find out more about the disorder and the strategies you can employ to be inclusive of all your students.

Do you teach online? While there are many benefits to distance learning it can be challenging to keep students engaged and motivated. In this interview Mickey Revenaugh shares her top advice.