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Irena Barker
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Irena Barker
How useful is pointing when teaching pupils to read?
What’s the point of pointing? Irena Barker finds there is a surprising lack of research on the efficacy of scanning your digit along the page while teaching children to read
9 October 2020
Does it matter whether students like their teacher?
New teachers are often warned that the job isn’t a popularity contest – but, in fact, research suggests that being liked by students leads to better learning and improved wellbeing. So, does it really matter whether you’re popular with your class? Irena Barker finds out
18 September 2020
‘We’re sending teachers off to swim in Covid soup’
When Irena Barker’s teacher husband and children return to school next week, she fears they will be vulnerable to germs
24 August 2020
Could exam results hinge on confidence?
How much of an impact does pupil confidence have on learning? Teachers generally believe that if they can boost learners’ confidence it will lead to better engagement and results – but, as Irena Barker finds, getting this right is a delicate balancing act
5 June 2020
Teachers give me faith in reopening, not the government
Irena Barker is happy to send her children back not because the government has said it’s safe, but because she knows how hard teachers are working to make it safe
31 May 2020
How much of a problem is ageism in teaching?
How pervasive are pupil prejudices about older teachers in education? And how much of a problem are they for school staff? Irena Barker looks into the research, which suggests that although student ageism does exist, it can easily be overcome
24 April 2020
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