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The Complete Guide to Becoming an English Teacher
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The Complete Guide to Becoming an English Teacher

Second Edition
Edited by:


November 2009 | 400 pages | SAGE Publications Ltd
Praise for the previous edition:

'This is a text that should accompany every student teacher of English and find its way on to the shelf of all practising teachers. This book excited me. It is written in a style that makes you want to try out activities and take up challenges. This book will encourage the student teacher to embrace the subject of English along with its associated values and debates' - ESCalate

`If I was training to teach English today, this is the book I would want - an extraordinarily professional handbook of good practice ' - Geoff Barton, Times Educational Supplement, Teacher Magazine

This essential companion for aspiring secondary English teachers has been extensively reworked to help students meet the very latest professional and academic standards, while also equipping them with the knowledge and skills they will need for the beginning of their teaching career.

Focusing on the essentials needed to be a successful English teacher, the authors combine subject knowledge with ideas, examples and approaches for creating an effective, vibrant learning environment, and real examples of lesson plans and schemes of work. Each chapter clearly links practice to theoretical and critical perspectives on teaching, making this an ideal text for students working towards M-level credits or a Masters in Teaching and Learning.

There are also brand new chapters which explore in greater depth specific areas of contention and challenging issues, including:

- Diversities, including global perspectives on teaching English

- The application and implications of using ICT

- Multi-agency provision in personalising learning

- Research methodologies

- Transition from the training year and the first year as a teacher

The latest requirements for Qualified Teacher Status are clearly signposted throughout, and activities at the end of each chapter help to reinforce knowledge and encourage reflection. Written by a team of highly respected authors, this new edition should be on every secondary English student's bookshelf.

Stephen Clarke and Paul Dickinson
Introduction: The Book and How to Use It
 
PART ONE: HISTORIES, IDEOLOGIES AND VALUES OF ENGLISH
Paul Dickinson
Developments in English
Jo Westbrook
Planning and Progression
Stephen Clarke
Assessment
Jo Westbrook
Diversities within English: An Inclusive Approach
Louise Gazeley
Personalized Learning and Multi-Agency Working
 
PART TWO: LANGUAGE, USE AND VARIETIES
Julia Sutherland
Speaking and Listening
Stephen Clarke
English Language, Grammar and Functional English
Stephen Clarke
Spelling
Jenny Verney
Teaching Multilingual Classrooms
 
PART THREE: READERS, WRITERS AND TEXTS
Val Fraser
Developing Reading in the English Classroom
Jo Westbrook
Wider Reading
Julia Sutherland and Jeff Wilkinson
Writing
Stephen Clarke
Teaching Poetry
 
PART FOUR: DRAMA, MEDIA AND SHAKESPEARE
Keith Perera
Introducing Media: Multimodal Texts in English
Paul Dickinson and Guy Merchant
English and ICT
Mick Connell
Doing Drama
Stephen Clarke
Shakespeare
 
PART FIVE: ENGLISH 14 -19
John Moss
Critical Literacy and Literary Theory
Matthew Beggs
AS/A2 English Language
Nick Hall
AS/A2 English Literature
 
PART SIX: DEVELOPING AND RESEARCHING PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE
Jo Westbrook
Research Methodologies for the English Classroom
Naureen Durrani (with Nazneen Shah), Robinah Kyeyune, Peter Williamson and Jo Westbrook
Comparative Perspectives and Pedagogies
Paul Dickinson and Naomi Key
First Steps of the Newly Qualified English Teacher

All in all, I would thoroughly recommend the book for both less and more experienced teachers.  Sida-Nicholls is to be congratulated on achieving the near-impossible, a concise but readable book on how to teach English successfully within the current school climate.

Francis Gilbert
NATE ITE Committee
NATE ITE Committee

This book gives a detailed account for people beginning their English teaching careers. It covers subjects, such as planning, discussing them in a broad that makes the book very useful and helpful.

Miss Alice Magdalyn Findlay
Department of Humanities & Science, Grimsby Institute of HE & FE
June 14, 2016

This book is recommended for any english teacher it covers a range of topics and offer practical advice and guidance

Mr Oliver Johnstone
Public Services Department, Calderdale College
January 15, 2015

This book is presented as a collection of 10 discrete chapters. Although most of the chapters are very interesting and there are some excellent ideas, the book is not ideal as core course book. Some areas of English teaching are not covered and it is not really structured as one would expect for a course book. Nevertheless, I'd definitely recommend it as a supplemertary book.

Mr Yvert De Souza
Teacher Development Department, Ealing, Hammersmith and West London College
February 20, 2013

A very interesting book with insight into the classroom and how to make english fun.

Miss Kerry Hull
Keyskills, DB training
March 28, 2012

This book is well considered and covers key aspoects of Engilish teaching. There is a good balance of tasks and information and students are encouraged to consider their teaching in a critical way.

Mrs Angella Cooze
Swansea School of Education, Swansea Metropolitan University
July 12, 2010

Good subject coverage combined with practical activities. Goes beyond the world of "English" to look at factors influencing learning and teaching. A good all-round text for intending teachers of English.

Ms Lynne Thorogood
Education, Leeds University
January 4, 2010

The updated copy is even more informative than previous copies - I will be recommending this to my students.

Miss Karen Lowing
Education , Newcastle University
December 22, 2009

New to the 2nd edition are chapters which explore:

  • Diversities, including global perspectives on teaching English
  • The application and implications of using ICT
  • Multi-agency provision in personalising learning
  • Research methodologies
  • Transition from the training year and the first year as a teacher