Illuminating English: how explicit language teaching improved public examination results in a comprehensive school |
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| Authors: | Mary Mason Bob Mason Tony Quayle |
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| Institution: | 1. Centre for Advanced Studies in Education , University of Central England in Birmingham , Westbourne Road, Edgbaston, Birmingham B15 3TN, United Kingdom;2. Headteacher, Shevington High School , Wigan, 1974‐90;3. Co‐ordinator of Wigan Articled Teachers’ Scheme, 1990‐92;4. Head of English Department , 1975‐83;5. Deputy Headteacher, 1983 to date, Shevington High School, Wigan |
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| Abstract: | The project described here is based on a linguistic analysis of the language of GCSE textbooks, coursework and examinations across the curriculum. It was hypothesised that explicit teaching of the linguistic features which distinguish these genres would produce an improvement in performance across the curriculum. A 3‐year course was developed and taught over a period of 8 years to Years 7‐9 in a comprehensive school. The methodology adopted was that of Teaching English as a Foreign Language, and the course was administered by teachers without special training. The project was monitored at every stage. The hypothesis was found to be correct, when the number of pupils gaining 5 or more GCSEs at Grades A‐C was dramatically increased among those pupils who had followed the course, compared with other schools in the Borough and the national average. |
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