The Leading, Language and Literature Podcast

In this episode, I’m talking with Morgan Whitfield. Morgan is an author, consultant, CPD trainer and senior leader. Her recent book, Gifted?, advocates for challenging all students through an inclusive approach to teaching, whereby every student is given the opportunities to reach mastery.I really wanted to chat with Morgan having read her book, which is possibly the most robustly researched piece of writing I’ve ever come across, as well as the global trend towards personalised learning through technology.We discuss:1. Why terms like 'most able' and their devoted interventions are so problematic2. Morgan’s experience in teaching and why it led her to this topic3. What ‘Challenge for All’ is theoretically and what it looks like practically4. Oracy, the Harkness model and PBL’s part in challenge for all, respectively5. And finally, what Morgan makes of Alpha Schools and their apparent attempts to challenge all students through AI driven instruction? Thank you so much to Morgan for speaking with me as well as leading the way on an issue that has its roots in centuries old problems around equity and social justice.If you’d like to be kept up to date on when chat like this happens, feel free to subscribe to the podcast and follow me on X @chrisjordanhkAdditionally, if you would like a head start on how to prioritise your middle years English curriculum, head to the bottom of this podcast’s show notes or the top of my stream on X to find a beta copy of my forthcoming book: Make Middle Years English Matter. You can read as much as you want and even highlight elements that you like, dislike or find confusing.Links:Morgan’s book: Gifted? Beta version of Make Middle Years English Matter

In this episode, I’m talking with Mary Myatt. Mary is nothing short of a patron saint of curriculum design in the uk, with her books including The Curriculum: Gallimaufry to Coherence, Huh: Curriculum Conversations Between Subject and Senior Leaders and Back on Track: Fewer Things, Greater Depth.I find myself quoting things Mary has said in discussions with colleagues on a regular basis and was elated with the chance to speak with her. Particularly of interest was her focus in middle school and her insistence that with the right planning, it can become the ‘intellectual powerhouse’ of secondary schooling. We discuss: The extent to which schools have taken the advice of a 2015 paper entitled ‘KS3: the wasted years?’Why as a profession we were getting curriculum coherence wrong for so many yearsThe advice Mary typically gives to identify the powerful knowledge a curriculum should be organized aroundWhat she feels are the strengths and weaknesses of units or assessments that are planned with authenticity or a real audience in mind.Her work with the University of Sussex's Just Reading strategiesAnd finally, where does Mary stand on interdisciplinary learning?Thanks again to Mary for her indefatigable online presence, her writing and taking the time to talk to me today. If you want to be kept up to date on when educational chat like this happens, then be sure to subscribe to the podcast and/or follow me on Twitter @chrisjordanhkLinksMary’s booksOfsted’s ‘KS3: the wasted years?’

In this episode, I’m talking to Eoin MacCarthaigh. This is the latest in a running series of conversations between Eoin and I, where we share 3 things each from the world of education that have been causing us some consideration.We discuss: 1. The challenges of instructional coaching2. The challenges of achieving improvement in education3. Handbooks versus playbooks and what this means for professional development4. Whether themes can be considered hinterland in English curriculum design5. The relationship between direct instruction and EnglishIf you want to be kept up to date on when educational chat like this happens, then be sure to subscribe to the podcast and/or follow me on Twitter @chrisjordanhk and Eoin @EMCTeachLinks:Carl Hendrick’s X post regarding coachingCraig Barton’s podcast with Adam BoxerClaudia Lewis’ blogpost on playbooks and handbooks

In this episode I’m talking with Sam Gibbs. Sam is a former English teacher and curriculum / development leader for a school trust in Manchester. Additionally, she co-authored the brilliant The Trouble with English and How to Address It: A Practical Guide to Designing and Delivering a Concept-Led Curriculum. As we go onto discuss, making the shift to concept-led curriculum in English is a paradigm shift that ensures deeper learning for students. Consequently, Sam and Zoe’s book offers an excellent introduction to this change as well as practical advice for how to go about doing it. We discuss:How Sam advises on starting the shift to a concept-led curriculumWhether she suggests teachers start by exploring foundation concepts initially before then bringing in second-order ideas over timeExamples of how schools have taken on the concept-led curriculum and subsequently tried to build in assessmentWhether 'argument' is a foundational concept of EnglishAnd finally, the difference between 'structure' and 'pattern' as conceptsThanks again to Sam for giving up her time today as well as the amazing work she and Zoe Helman have done in bringing this book to the subject. If you want to be kept up to date on when educational chat like this happens, then be sure to subscribe to the podcast and/or follow me on Twitter @chrisjordanhkLinks: Sam and Zoe’s book: The Trouble with English and How to Address It

In this episode I’m talking to Dr James Mannion. James is co-author of Fear is the Mind Killer a book designed to guide, implement and evaluate a Learning Skills curriculum in schools. More recently he has written Making Change Stick, a book that brilliantly synthesises research on school improvement so that is can be practically implemented in a sustainable way. James is also a fellow podcaster, hosting the Rethinking Education podcast and is director at Rethinking Education. I was really happy to be able to speak with James after following his work on Learning to Learn for a long time and wanting to know his interpretation of the International Baccalaureate’s approach to this. Additionally, his more recent writing on implementation science is incredibly useful in providing pragmatic approaches for new and existing leaders of change. We discuss: What the distinction is between cognition, metacognition, self-regulation and self-regulated learningWhat James makes of the IB's Approaches to Learning framework How his Learning to Learn programme was sequenced Whether Learning to Learn should be tailored to respective subjects or taught through a bespoke class How much of the Making Change Stick programme would be relevant to middle leaders And finally, whilst compiling a fantastic collection of implementation strategies, who are James’ 3 or 4 pillars of the field in terms of researchers or texts that proved seminalThanks again to James for doing the hard yards in condensing a decade’s work of research down into an eminently readable books on two separate occasions. If you want to be kept up to date on when educational chat like this happens, then be sure to subscribe to the podcast and/or follow me on Twitter @chrisjordanhkLinks: James blog post on metacognition and self-regulationJames’ booksRethinking Education PodcastViviane Robinson’s Reduce Change to Increase ImprovementDiffusion of Innovations by Everett RogersThe Concerns Based Adoption Model (CBAM)

In this episode, I’m explaining What I Learnt From: Reduce Change to Increase Improvement by Viviane Robinson. This is the third episode that sees me go through my annotations and notes for a book that explores an area of English teaching or leadership.This time, it’s a text that I was actually assigned as part of a Masters I did a few years ago. Amidst all the theoretical reading, Viviane Robinson’s writing jumped out as instantly practical and so resonant when considering my own experience with leadership. I subsequently listened to a brilliant episode she did with Ollie Lovell for the ERRR, which brought all of its ideas to life. As always with these books, I really recommend you take a look by purchasing for your department or self but particularly if you’re someone with middle leadership or management aspirations or responsibilities. Expect to hear: What the bypass and engagement approach to improvement areWhat a theory of action isHow to have constructive problem talkHow to respectfully inquire into others’ theory of actionAnd finally, the four phases of theory engagement that lead to lasting changeIf you want to be kept up to date on when educational chat like this happens, then be sure to subscribe to the podcast and/or follow me on Twitter @chrisjordanhkLinks:Reduce Change to Increase Improvement by Viviane RobsinsonOllie Lovell’s interview with Viviane Robinson on the ERRR

In this episode, I’m taking to Chris Youles. Chris has experience being an assistant head, english lead, writing moderator, and a specialist leader in primary education. He is also a published author having penned: Sentence models for creative writing: A practical resource for teaching writing and more recently Teaching Story Writing in Primary: Curriculum-aligned, classroom-ready resources and strategies. It was regarding this latter book that i reached out to Chris for a chat, knowing that just like his first book, the more recent one would be packed full with practical insights that I could go about implementing in class as soon as possible.We discuss:1. Given that the vast majority of the book would be pertinent for my Y10 and 11 IGCSE cohorts, why did Chris go with 'Primary' in the title2. What does he make of Joe Nutt's observation that there is a vanishingly small number of students who will actually go on to be writers and therefore, time spent in the English classroom might be better spent on more practical or relevant modes of communication3. What are the constituent concepts that we can break story down to and introduce across the curriculum4. Why plotting is described as the most difficult aspect of planning or writing a story5. When Chris thinks classes or students can embark on truly independent writing6. And finally, Chris’ advice for best practice around student sourced ambitious vocabularyThanks a lot to Chris for the taking the time to talk with me as well as writing yet another excellent book about not just the how of expressing yourself through writing, but the why too. Keep an eye out for his next publication too: Sentence models for non-fiction writingIf you want to be kept up to date on when educational chat like this happens, then be sure to subscribe to the podcast and/or follow me on Twitter @chrisjordanhkLinks:Chris’ books

In this episode I’m speaking to David Didau. David is a well-known and well-respected consultant in the world of English teaching and teaching more broadly. He has authored numerous books about education and the subject of English more specifically. Most recently, his book Bringing the English Curriculum to Life: A Field Guide for Making Meaning in English, with contributions from Claire Woozley, James Hibbert, Emma Levins, Kate Moloney, Tom Pinkstone, Amy Rose and Daniel Blackburn, has helped to outline how cognitive science and a concept-led English curriculum can be implemented in secondary schools.David is an educational hero of mine and as such it was a great privilege to speak with him again, this time on the topic of assessment in middle school English.We discuss:- Whether discussing themes is more suited to PSHE (personal, social, health and economic education) as opposed to the English curriculum- How mastery assessment works and the way it shifts focus onto good teaching and learning- The amount of question level analysis needed and conditions assessments are done in- Whether there needs to be opportunities for kids to ‘play the whole game’ in English- What the data collected reflects about students’ learning through the external summatives done- And since writing Making Meaning in English, is there anything David has changed his mind aboutThanks again to David for taking the time to talk with me as well as his continued work within the subject. For me, all of this has helped English teachers better understand how the curriculum could look and how best to enact it in truly practical ways.If you want to be kept up to date on when educational chat like this happens, then be sure to subscribe to the podcast and/or follow me on Twitter @chrisjordanhkLinks: David’s interview with EduPulseDavid’s books

In this episode, I’m talking to Eoin MacCarthaigh. This is the latest in a running series of conversations between Eoin and I, where we share 3 things each from the world of education that have been causing us some consideration.We discuss:1. The purposes for teaching English and what this subsequently means for writing instruction2. My attempts at suggesting the core concepts at the heart of English curriculum3. The semantics of ‘knowledge’, direct instruction’, ‘inquiry’ and whether conversations about teaching approaches can overcome the biases associated with such terms4. Whether questioning and planning for misconceptions is worthwhile in English classroom preparation5. And finally, the necessity of teaching hip hop as way for students to more deeply appreciate poetry’s evolutionIf you want to be kept up to date on when educational chat like this happens, then be sure to subscribe to the podcast and/or follow me on Twitter @chrisjordanhk and Eoin @EMCTeach

In this episode, I’m talking to Tom Sherrington. Tom is a former headteacher, current education consultant and author. He writes the popular blog teacherhead.com and his books include The Learning Rainforest and best-seller Rosenshine’s Principles in Action. He also co-authors the Teaching WalkThrus series with Oliver Caviglioli and edits the In Action series of education books.I was really excited to talk to Tom after Eoin MacCarthaigh reminded me of his Mode A and Mode B teaching advice in the book The Learning Rainforest. I subsequently reread this and was immediately struck by how such a distinction and reframing of supposedly conflicting pedagogies could help with ongoing debates in IB education and beyond.We discuss:1. The distinction between Mode A and Mode B2. Whether The Learning Rainforest and the Mode A / Mode B distinction was informed by Tom’s experience of teaching abroad3. His recommendations for the amount of time spent on Mode B teaching as well as when this occurs in a scheme of learning4. Tom’s view on Mode B style assessments in the curriculum5. And finally, any recommendations Tom has for other writers who have explored the Mode B approachThanks again to Tom for giving up his time to chat as well as for the fact that his insights and the semantic solution of Mode A and Mode B could be incredibly valuable to departments seeking to have productive conversations about designing student learning.If you want to be kept up to date on when educational chat like this happens, then be sure to subscribe to the podcast and/or follow me on Twitter @chrisjordanhkLinks:The Learning Rainforest by Tom SherringtonTom’s other booksTom’s blogsTrivium 21c by Martin RobinsonHywel Roberts’ books

In this episode I’m speaking to Anthony Cockerill. Anthony is the new director of NATE, which is the National Association for the Teaching of English. NATE is an independent, non-funded, not-for-profit educational charity that provides publications and training for English teachers at all key stages that has helping English teachers from around the world since 1963. I wanted to talk to Anthony following a flashback I had to reading one of his articles 5 of so years ago about constructing a thematic based curriculum. Since then, we’ve seen the rise of a concept based curriculum gain traction and I wanted his take on how such a development factored into his planning. We discuss: - The original themes Anthony chose for his curriculum, the reason behind them and who was involved in the decision- Whether themes always need to be closely tied to common ideas in literature- If a set selection of disciplinary concepts was chosen for every unit in his school’s curriculum too - How texts are selected, taught and how assessment is done in this setup- And finally, from its inception to when he left the post, what were the main changes Anthony made to the thematic curriculum approachThanks again to Anthony for giving up his time to speak to me and good luck to him in his new post at NATE. If you’re interested in gaining a NATE membership I can attest that it is more than worth it and will only cost you a couple of pounds per month for some outstanding ongoing CPD.If you want to be kept up to date on when educational chat like this happens, then be sure to subscribe to the podcast and/or follow me on Twitter @chrisjordanhkLinks: Anthony’s original blog postNATE official websiteAnthony’s subsequent blogs about the curriculum

In this episode I’m talking to Dr Jo Castelino. Jo is is a curriculum leader for Science at a school in the UK and author of The Homework Conundrum, a guide for how a successful homework culture can be built in a school and within the classroom.I was so keen to speak with Jo after reading this brilliant book and as a result of always feeling a little insecure about the quality and quantity of homework I set with my own classes.We discuss:1. How to broach the purpose of homework with a class at the beginning of the year2. When, if ever, is asking students to read chapters of a class reader or fiction book appropriate?3. What many teachers do not understand about students' home life that might impede them benefitting from the homework4. How schools could communicate with parents to maintain a consistent message about homework5. Practical ways in which teachers can react to homework that has been done but with a number of significant gaps in students knowledge6. And finally, how to make it explicit that what has been done for homework is actively related or aiding what happens in the classroom during lessonsThanks again to Jo for taking her time to speak to me today as well as writing what might be the most succinct, well-researched and practical guide to approaching homework for school’s all around the world.If you want to be kept up to date on when educational chat like this happens, then be sure to subscribe to the podcast and/or follow me on Twitter @chrisjordanhkLinks:Dr Castelino’s book

In this episode, I’m explaining What I Learnt From: Adam Bradley’s ‘Book of Rhymes - The Poetics of Hip Hop’. This is the second episode that sees me go through my annotations and notes for a book that explores an area of English teaching or leadership. This time, it is the first part of the eye-opening and eminently readable ‘Book of Rhymes’ by Adam Bradley. As a teacher of the IB’s DP Language and Literature course, one of the texts I cover is the 2017 album DAMN. by Kendrick Lamar. Having struggled to find reliable and accessible work written about the art of hip hop as a genre, I was elated to find this book as useful and applicable as it wasExpect to hear:1. How hip hop is more faithful to traditional poetry than free verse poetry is2. Where rhythm comes from in hip hop3. The different types and functions of rhyme in the genre4. And finally, the ways in which wordplay cross over from more traditional literature into this mediumIf you want to be kept up to date on when educational chat like this happens, then be sure to subscribe to the podcast and/or follow me on Twitter @chrisjordanhkLinks:Adam Bradley’s Book of Rhymes - The Poetics of Hip Hop

In this episode, I’m talking to Joanna Kolota. Joanna is the Curriculum Leader for Multilingual Learners at Trinity Academy Leeds, in the UK. She has written, spoken and worked to support multilingual students in primary, secondary and tertiary education and is now a published author after completing the brilliant Empowering EAL Learners in Secondary Schools.As someone who works in an international setting and with a student body who are by and large all multilingual learners, the book was a fantastic resource for me and I was really keen to chat with Joanna as a result. We discuss:1. Whether schools should always having a bespoke EAL dept and if so, how do they work with other subject domains to ensure that content and language is developing respectively2. The difference between simplification and easification in regard to multilingual learners 3. Whether it is helpful to think that much of good preparation for multilingual learners is simply good planning and intentional teaching in general4. What subtractive bilingualism is and how can schools guard against it5. And finally, does Joanna think a language or grammar concept also needs embedding in the humanities, arts and other departments’ curriculumThanks again to Joanna for giving up her time to talk to me about her work and elements of the book that is a must read for anyone who has students of diverse linguistic backgrounds.If you want to be kept up to date on when educational chat like this happens, then be sure to subscribe to the podcast and/or follow me on Twitter @chrisjordanhkLinks: Joanna’s book - Empowering EAL Learners in Secondary Schools.

In this episode, I’m talking to Alison Yang. Alison is MYP coordinator here in Hong Kong and prolific blogger of all things MYP at https://alisonyang.com. It was due to this prodigious output that I became aware of Alison’s work and reached out with a few questions that I have always harboured about the framework in the hope that I can improve these aspects of my practice.We discuss:How to support students in posing questions about new material or topicsThe best ways to support teachers who are new to teaching with inquiryOffering students choice with a structured frameworkHow data is collected within the MYP currentlyAnd finally, one thing that Alison would like to see changed in the next iteration of the courseThanks again to Alison for this chat which proved to be one of the most productive and thought provoking conversations I’ve had about the MYp and in such a short amount of time! If you don’t already, I would encourage you to follow Alison on the likes of LinkedIn to gain regular insights on what can be a challenging yet rewarding curriculum.If you want to be kept up to date on when educational chat like this happens, then be sure to subscribe to the podcast and/or follow me on Twitter @chrisjordanhkLinksAlison’s website

In this episode, I’m explaining What I Learnt From: Mary Oliver’s ‘A Poetry Handbook’. This is the first in a hopefully long list of shows that sees me go through my annotations and notes for a book that explores an area of English teaching or leadership. This time, it is the unsurprisingly beautiful writing of Mary Oliver who shares with the reader her thoughts and considerations after a lifetime of writing and teaching poetry.Expect to hear:1. What is the best way to begin reading and writing poetry2. The distinctions between free verse and metrical poems3. The function of sound in poetry4. The functions of a line in poetry5. Wider considerations of structure such as the stanza and its function6. How tone and content have changed in poetry7. The role of imagery or figurative language in poetryIf you want to be kept up to date on when educational chat like this happens, then be sure to subscribe to the podcast and/or follow me on Twitter @chrisjordanhkLinks:Mary Oliver - A Poetry Handbook

In this episode, I’m talking to Eoin MacCarthaigh. This is the latest in a running series of conversations between Eoin and I, where we share 3 things each from the world of education that have been causing us some consideration. We discuss: Why ‘white tables’ are better than ‘white boards’ in EnglishHow we can better address issues with reading fluency in the English classroomThe different stages necessary for students to access Macbeth or other Shakespeare textsLesson observations and what we should be looking out for when conducting themWhether direct instruction and inquiry can be likened to a child learning and then loving to readAnd finally, the need for more PD within English departments around our subject contentIf you want to be kept up to date on when educational chat like this happens, then be sure to subscribe to the podcast and/or follow me on Twitter @chrisjordanhk and Eoin @EMCTeachLinks:Links:Questioning the Author by Beck et alOllie Lovell’s interview with Margaret McKeownRSC’s Whoosh scriptRob Coe’s Poor Proxies for LearningTom Sherrington’s 3 checks for teachers and observersResponsive Coaching by Josh Goodrich

In this episode I’m speaking to Jennifer Webb. Jenny is nothing short of a legend in English teaching after writing a number of hugely beneficial books ranging from how to teach reading and writing to metacognition as well as grammar instruction for secondary professionals. On top of this, she is a constant source of insight via her in person and virtual CPD events, which encompass advice on almost every element of secondary academic life imaginable.Following what has been an incredible couple of years for English teachers around curriculum development, I wanted to ask Jenny a number of questions about how she, the schools she works with and the departments she advises have interpreted these new ideas.We discuss:What Jenny thinks of organising the curriculum by concept as opposed to earlier approaches through theme or task type.How Jenny feels about the government’s pledge to improve oracy in schoolsThe extent to which kids need to learn to learn or be more meta-cognitively awareWhen considering text choices through an unapologetically ambitious lens, does Jenny mean more full texts, extracts or something else?And finally, Teach like a Writer offers insights into how English happens in an authentic context. To what extent does Jenny think kids need to be assessed by producing a text that resembles the ‘real thing’ in English.Thanks again to Jenny for offering so much insight about many of the most popular topics for discussion around at the moment. In addition to this, I hope she realises the massively positive impact she has had on the profession as well as the many ideas she she has shared that make the job all the more effective and therefore enjoyable on a daily basis.If you want to be kept up to date on when educational chat like this happens, then be sure to subscribe to the podcast and/or follow me on Twitter @chrisjordanhkLinks:Jenny’s booksJenny’s (free) CPD

In this episode, I’m talking to Eoin MacCarthaigh. This is the second in what we hope will be a long line of episodes focused on issues in and around English teaching. For anyone who hasn’t listened before, we bring forth 3 unknown issues to be discussed each, relating to things that we’ve thought, learnt or considered lately.We discuss:Uncertainty around the purpose of grammar and language teachingGiving students ‘choice’ x Organising English conceptsThe role of modelling in EnglishThe stratification of English skills x research and reflectionSEND students’ or routines in classAuthenticity and oracy in EnglishIf you want to be kept up to date on when educational chat like this happens, then be sure to subscribe to the podcast and/or follow me on Twitter @chrisjordanhk and Eoin @EMCTeachLinks:Essential Grammar by Jenny Webb and Marcello GiovanelliCrafting Brilliant Sentences by Lindsay SkinnerAusubel's Meaningful Learning in Action by Sarah CottinghamExplicit English Teaching by Tom NeedhamThe Complete Guide to Service Learning by Cathryn Berger Kaye

In this episode I am speaking to Shane Leaning. Shane is an organisational Coach, international educator, author and podcaster. As a prolific creator in a number of different spaces, I was keen to get Shane on to discuss what it takes and what it’s like to make the switch from teaching students to advising schools around the world.We discuss:1. What made Shane transition from the classroom to consultant in the first place2. His process for making contact with potential school partners3. Shane’s go to texts to inspire and inform him on the job4. The current state of the private education sector in China5. And finally the original intention for his podcast and how that has evolved over timeThanks again to Shane for his generosity in terms of time spent chatting as well as all the content he produces via the podcast and beyond.If you want to be kept up to date on when educational chat like this happens, then be sure to subscribe to the podcast and/or follow me on Twitter @chrisjordanhkLinks:Putting Staff First by John Tomsett and Jonny UttleyChange Starts HereGlobal Ed Leaders podcastThe Online Marketing Made Easy Podcast Two Weeks Notice by Amy Porterfield