Don't Call it Literacy!: What every teacher needs to know about speaking, listening, reading and writing

by Geoff Barton

"Every teacher in English is a teacher of English," said George Sampson, one of the early school inspectors, back in 1921. It’s never been truer, or more relevant. Literacy has a major impact on young people’s life-chances and it is every teacher’s responsibility to help build their communication, reading and writing skills. However, this book isn’t just about literacy; it’s also about what great teachers do in their classrooms, about applying knowledge consistently across classrooms, in order to help pupils to become more confident in their subjects. This book shows every teacher – whatever your subject – the simple steps which could transform your students into better speakers, listeners, readers and writers. Harnessing a range of straightforward, but powerful techniques, it shows you how to help each student in your subject to improve their spelling, to use the key vocabulary of your subject more accurately and to speak, read and write with confidence like a historian, scientist, designer or mathematician. The book is structured into clear sections which are then divided into short, easy-to-absorb units on the classroom implications of what we know about literacy. Don’t Call it Literacy! also Written by a leading authority in the field, this book will help both trainee and practising secondary school teachers to turn their classroom into literacy-friendly environments, increasing the motivation and achievement of their students.

Genres: Education, Teaching

200 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2012

Reviews

[Marina · Rating 2 out of 5]

Recommended reading for my course. Has some useful ideas/ advice, but more suited to new or non-specialist teachers. I absolutely disagreed with some of his modelling on how to give instructions - far too wordy , not staged and ending with "Do you see?"! Also I found his little sections - where he comments on his own use of grammar and punctuation in the text - somewhat smug.

[Debs Taylor · Rating 5 out of 5]

Things I liked: a strong push for seeing literacy teaching simply as good teaching, some explicit pointers on what that looks like practically in the classroom, and an emphasis on explicitly teaching knowledge/skills, there was also a useful list of ideas for concrete reinforcement activities.

I think it is very helpful for inexperienced teachers.

[Pete · Rating 3 out of 5]

Readable and specific although probably more useful for teachers across the school rather than English teachers. A little dated in places but a lot of the practical advice about teaching reading/writing in subjects is valid.

[Leonora Mead · Rating 5 out of 5]

Entertaining and educational

Highly recommend this for anyone teaching English. It reads as though a mentor/friendly colleague has written it for the reader.

[Carrie-Jennifer Simpson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Much more informative with a wider range of information than I was expecting

[Tara Brabazon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Geoff Barton is a fine writer and teacher. He is also an outstanding reader, which explains the calibre of his writing and teaching.

This short book is a ripper. It offer clear and precise advice in both understanding and teaching literacy. Really, it is not a book 'about' literacy. It is 'about' effective teaching and learning.

The discussions of reading and writing are rich and useful. His tone is direct. His commentary is the foundation for further discussion.

Anyone interested in literacy, let alone teaching it, would gain from this fine book.

[Jude Brigley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Extremely readable and full of common sense and practical tips.