Posts by Eve Morton
Using poetry in teaching: A Tool for the Classroom
Poetry is a little like Marmite – you either love it or hate it! This may be based on your own experiences when you were younger, or it is not a genre you have ventured to explore. Poetry is not just about rhymes and verses; it is a powerful tool that can transform the learning…
Read MoreMore Than Baby Talk: How Nursery Rhymes Can Benefit Older Students
The 10th – 14th November 2025 is world Nursery Rhyme Week and millions of children around the globe will be singing, doing the actions and exploring a range of nursery rhymes. Much research has shown that nursery rhymes are incredibly beneficial for children as they can boost vocabulary and language development; develop literacy and numeracy…
Read MoreMaking effective pedagogical choices to impact learning – the role of modelling and questioning
What Does High-Quality Teaching Look Like Today? What does high-quality teaching look like in your school? Do staff have the knowledge and expertise to ensure that pupils know more and learn more? High-quality teaching remains the most powerful lever for improving pupil outcomes. Much research tells us: ‘High-quality teaching benefits all pupils and can…
Read MoreTalk, Transcription, and Text: Reflections on the DfE Writing Framework
On 8 July 2025 the Department for Education published The Writing Framework, a 150-page, non-statutory guidance document aimed primarily at primary schools in England. It represents a concerted attempt to bring coherence, evidence-based principles and a clearer vision to writing pedagogy from Reception through to Key Stage 2. Key Shifts in Teaching Writing One…
Read MoreFrom Discussion to Impact: How Our Teacher Reading Group is Shaping Classroom Practice
This year, I have once again had the privilege of leading an Open University Teacher Reading Group (OU TRG) with a dynamic group of around 15 practitioners. Our group this year was made up of teachers and librarians from nursery to secondary school. Our shared aim has been simple but powerful: to deepen our knowledge…
Read MoreFlying With Fluency
At the end of 2023, I led a CPD session with a focus on reading fluency at the Linskill Centre. The session was well attended by both primary and secondary colleagues and I’ve also previously discussed the role of teaching fluency in this article. Now I’d like to share the journey we’ve been on with…
Read MoreReflecting on an effective writing curriculum
The focus on the teaching of reading in schools for the last few years has been high following DfE guidance about teaching phonics and the Reading Framework publication in 2021. This focus has led to greater consistency in the teaching of reading and closing gaps, with a clearer focus on the aspects of reading that…
Read MoreWorld Book Day 2025 – making it meaningful
World Book Day 2025 takes place on Thursday 6th March this year. It provides a wonderful opportunity to celebrate books, authors, illustrators, and the love of reading with children and adults alike. Research tells us that reading for pleasure is the single biggest indicator of future success for a child – even above family circumstance,…
Read MoreWhy all the talk about oracy?
It seems almost impossible at the moment to avoid the conversation about importance of oracy in education – and rightly so. As James Britton once said, ‘Reading floats on a sea of talk’ (Britton, 1970, p. 164), but good oracy skills go further than that. Strong oracy skills are essential for our young learners to…
Read MoreChristmas book recommendations for primary schools
The build up to Christmas is well underway in schools: performances and end of term activities adding to children’s excitement! Amidst all this, it can be enjoyable to find some quiet time to enjoy a Christmas story or two. Here are two of my favourites which can be explored as a class, or by children…
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