The questions raised by the National Foundation for Educational Research’s research into whole-class teaching of numeracy and Professor David Reynolds’ response (TES, June 18), highlight an issue which has concerned teachers for several years now.
The language of the whole national educational thrust from nursery onwards has been of what shall be “taught” rather than what should be “learned”.
The Government and advocates of initiatives such as the national literacy and numeracy strategies appear to equate effective teaching with effective learning, which is actually the basis of the NFER report.
While no one would deny that there must be a connection, until research is done which establishes unequivocally the relationship between the two, we will continue to have apparent “discrepancies” of the kind reported.
Perhaps, as also featured on the same page, the new chief inspector might be appointed from among those with a real interest in children and their learning as well as in promoting effective teaching.
Janet Moyles
(Chair of TACTYC, the Professional Association of Early Childhood Educators)
School of Education
21 University Road, Leicester
