Description
Book Synopsis"This is an important and welcome book. Readers can see the faults of simplistic judgments, neglect of evidence, dismissal of researchers, and injudicious implementation."
From the foreword by Paul Black
We all know that small classes are better than large classes; that children are best taught in groups according to their ability; that some schools are much better than others and that we should teach children according to their individual learning styles ... or do we?
This book asks awkward questions about these and many other sacred cows of education. Each chapter tackles a persistent myth in education, confronting it with research evidence and teasing out any kernel of truth which may underlie the myth. Leading authors from the world of education each bring analysis and expertise to bear on their chosen subject, presenting their argument in an accessible manner based on sound scholarship.
Some of the conclusions drawn in Bad Education are likely
Table of ContentsNotes on ContributorsForeword by Paul Black
Introduction by Philip Adey and Justin Dillon
Part 1: School OrganisationAre there "good" schools and "bad" schools?Is vocational education for the less able?Grouping pupils by ability in schoolsClass size: is small better?Supporting learning?: How effective are teaching assistants?
Part 2: Teaching methodsTraditional versus progressive educationSynthetic phonics: the route to reading?Is informal education better than formal education?The social and emotional aspects of learning (SEAL) programmeComputers good, calculators bad?
Part 3: LearnersLeft-brain, right-brain, brain games and beanbags: neuromyths in educationFrom fixed IQ to multiple intelligencesLearning styles: unreliable, invalid and impractical and yet still widely used“TV is bad for children” – less emotion, more science please!Playing with emotions: why emotional literacy trumps emotional intelligenceThe dyslexia debate
Index
