Mr Johnson

I've spent today, alongside other things, creating a .ppt full of AfL strategies that can be used as starters and plenaries. Used within an English setting but can be useful elsewhere. Feel free to use/share. tinyurl.com/y8q2knmr I hope it helps! #edutwitter #teamenglish

We have always invested in and used Accelerated Reader in Years 7 and 8 however I genuinely don’t know whether it’s having a real impact. Has anybody used it and formed an opinion ? Looking into Sparx etc as alternatives.

@af_english123 Some great stuff here. Thanks so much for sharing 👍🏻

Happy Sunday everyone! I updated our Macbeth scheme for this year and forgot to share it! Newly updated one in my google drive :) Thanks as always for being so kind when I share things - there is still such a lovely community on here amidst the madness drive.google.com/drive/folders/…

@BradleyKBusch I’m heavily conflicted about it. We’ve always had a programme in place (Accelerated Reader/Scholastic Pro) but I don’t see how it’s worth what we pay for. It’s also just sooo much admin for staff. If somebody can tell me the benefits that I’m clearly missing out on..!

Twitter people. Do your school used Accelerated Reader? If so, thoughts on it…positive or negative. Would love to hear your opinion 😀

@LitdriveUK @QuotationBank I’ve dropped the ball with this one and I wasn’t able to attend. Is there a recording of this anywhere/will there be another forum at all? Thanks.

There’s still time to sign up to the Literacy Leaders forum this evening! Just click the link below to join Marcus Stanforth and other Literacy Leaders across the country.

@GauravDubay3 @LauraLolder @mrsmacteach33 @SPryke2 Yes please. We have a Strive for Nine group who would most definitely benefit from this!

I'm thinking of putting together a free 45 minute CPD session looking at the way in which we can stretch and challenge our HPA students in English Literature at GCSE level. It'll draw on what I've learnt from the likes of @LauraLolder, @mrsmacteach33 and @SPryke2. Any interest?

@vipereller @GCSE_Macbeth I’m literacy lead and an English teacher. I sometimes wish I taught anything else.

@GCSE_Macbeth Literacy shouldn't be the remit of an English teacher. It should sit separately and the interventions should be separate. We can't keep piling everything onto English.

And will you offer training for schools in the reading strategies year 8s need to "catch up"? Very few secondary English teachers are trained in literacy per se.

Surely most schools are doing this in Year 7 already? We need funding for specialists in delivering reading intervention, not more diagnostics…

@Mathew_Lynch44 This really bugs me. Investment needs to be on training staff to support student reading, not another test. Lots of diagnostics but nothing to move forward.

Testing does not fix disengagement

1. Are schools not testing enough for reading data already? Do we need more? 2. Are students who don’t read for pleasure really needing a mandatory test to tell them that they can’t read? 3. If true, why Year 8? If you’re going to do this, it needs to be in Year 7.. EARLY?

📚 English leads A MUST READ 2025 #WhatKidsAreReading report Link here 👉 renaissance.widen.net/s/xgvpsnhd9q/w… 1. The more they read…the more they like it Only 1 in 5 kids read daily for pleasure. Timetable time. Protect it. Talk about books. Let them choose. 2. Walliams isn’t enough He tops the charts AGAIN 😔but are his books stretching pupils? Promote stories that spark thought not just (questionable/unethical) laughs. 3. Mind the gender gap and think about representation of who and how Girls enjoy reading more than boys in every age group. Audit your texts. Enough graphic novels? Barrington Stoke reads? Make reading feel like it belongs to everyone. Research author is Prof Keith Topping

The amazing @SpozPoet working with our students today as part of #MRSLitFest Day Four. Thank you so much!

The brilliant @SpozPoet in action at Markie today with a very enthusiastic year 9 audience #MRSLitfest @_MrJohnson_

We also have the Scholastic Book Fair making a return… all part of our LitFest! #readingforpleasure #literacy

Another day, another visitor… this time the returning @iamkingkimba. Our Year 7s and 10s were inspired by Kimba’s anecdotes and they all drafted their own metaphor-fuelled poems. Thank you!

I have two copies of The Visualiser Handbook to give away. This is for busy teachers who need concise clarity to make live modelling an effect part of their practice ASAP. To enter, follow, like and retweet this post and I will draw winners at random on the 18th July.

@sahelsteve working with our Year 8s today as part of our Literary Festival… What makes a good thriller and structuring a narrative both on the cards… even a little bit of history thrown in! Can’t recommend enough. Thank you Stephen!

Transition reading for our new Year 7s… we’re really excited to be sharing yet another @rosswelford read for you all. Hopefully you’ll be able to meet the author next academic year! #readingforpleasure #literacy

@MrsRJOwen Yeah, I don't disagree at all with simplicity and accessibility. I just think out of all of the unnecessary vocab popping up on the timeline... I don't mind this one!

@_MrJohnson_ Exactly and you can use words like transformation or redemption to show that!

Another unnecessary bit of vocabulary for GCSE Lit responses!

@MrsRJOwen Agreed. Ultimately I wouldn't be placing emphasis on how that's spelt though. It's wasted if you're crossing it out six times... as an examiner I'd rather just see they understand the concept of it.

@_MrJohnson_ I guess for your Grade 9 students you could justify it BUT when it’s a middle ability child who crosses it out 6 times just to spell it right instead of just using the time to write more about the text, characters and themes it’s a waste of time.