Principles into practice: A teacher's guide to research evidence on ...

New opportunities, new challengesThe present trend of education policy, taken as a whole, is awayfrom central prescription and <strong>to</strong>wards a more trusting approach<strong>to</strong> the teaching profession.England In England, the recent emphasis on ‘personalisedlearning’ in schools affirms the centrality of teaching andlearning processes, and the Department for Education and Skills seeks<strong>to</strong> maintain this priority through the National Strategies and initiativessuch as Every Child Matters. A recent review of teaching and learningin the future, 2020 Vision, has affirmed the importance of pupilconsultation, learning how <strong>to</strong> learn and assessment for learning.Scotland In Scotland, the new Curriculum for Excellence is intended<strong>to</strong> produce a de-cluttered 3-18 curriculum with more space forresponsive teaching and learning. Consistent with Scotland’s NationalPriorities, the provision is intended <strong>to</strong> be both more challenging andmore enjoyable for pupils.Wales In Wales, teaching and learning issues were prioritised byThe Learning Country and are being developed through Aiming forExcellence, a programme of guidance and support for schools, as well asthrough other initiatives. Assessment reform <strong>to</strong> ensure that it directlysupports learning is well advanced and a National Pedagogy initiativehas been launched <strong>to</strong> affirm and spread good <strong>practice</strong>.Northern Ireland Northern Ireland’s Curriculum Review againproposes <strong>to</strong> reduce statu<strong>to</strong>ry prescription, building on newunderstandings of how children learn, and is intended <strong>to</strong> make it easierfor teachers <strong>to</strong> respond <strong>to</strong> specific pupil needs.However, both policy and <strong>practice</strong> are now expected <strong>to</strong> be informed bythe best available <strong>research</strong> <strong>evidence</strong> on how <strong>to</strong> improve teaching andlearning. This is where TLRP’s findings should help <strong>to</strong> inform keyjudgements.The Teaching and Learning Research Programme is the largesteducational <strong>research</strong> programme ever mounted in the UK. Starting in2000, 22 school-focused development and <strong>research</strong> projects have beenfunded. The findings now emerging from these projects have helpedTLRP <strong>to</strong> identify 10 general, <strong>evidence</strong>-informed educational principleswhich we believe <strong>to</strong> be of particular significance in achieving highquality teaching and learning. These principles, which feature in this<strong>guide</strong>, also have implications for national and local policy and for themany agencies who mediate between policymakers, <strong>research</strong>ers andteachers.We hope that this Teacher’s Guide <strong>to</strong> TLRP’s findings, <strong>Principles</strong> <strong>in<strong>to</strong></strong>Practice, <strong>to</strong>gether with the associated DVD and all the supplementaryweb-resources and publications of the Programme, will be helpful <strong>to</strong>you in rising <strong>to</strong> these challenges both <strong>to</strong>day and in the future.More information onTLRP projectsResearch BriefingsSummaries of eachof the major projects’findings:http://www.tlrp.org/pub/<strong>research</strong>.htmlBooksImproving Learningand ImprovingPractice series.These provideaccessible overviewsof the work of eachproject:www.routledge.comWebsitesEach project:http://www.tlrp.org/proj/expand.htmlPractitionerApplicationsThese offerclassroom activitiesbased on TLRP projectfindings:http://www.tlrp.org/search/pa/CommentariesThese relate <strong>to</strong>contemporary issues.Download from:http://www.tlrp.org/pub/commentaries.htmlTLRP’s website Offerssophisticated searchfacilities leading<strong>to</strong> more advancedacademic materials:http://www.tlrp.org/search/ContactTLRPInstitute of Education20 Bedford WayLondonWC1H 0ALTel: +44 (0)20 79115577Email: tlrp@ioe.ac.ukWeb: www.tlrp.orgwww.tlrp.org