Watch: Making Books

BBC2 Thursday, June 8, 11-11.15am

This three-part design and technology series for small hands (five to seven years old, to be precise) shows how to make a book: folding, pop-ups and binding. We also watch authors and illustrators at work and find out a lot about books in general. This week: a four-page book, a matchbox book and an origami book.

Pathways of Belief: Islam

BBC2 Thursday, June 8-22, 11.30am-12noon

These six programmes for children of seven-plus look at the beliefs of Islam, Hinduism and Sikhism. In the first part, viewers learn about Allah and His Prophet; in the second quarter of an hour, the role of the family in Muslim society and the fast of Ramadan. Next week: the Hindu concept of God and the festival of Diwali; finally, the central tenets of Sikhism and the festival of Baisakhi.

English Express: Texts

BBC2 Monday, June 5, 10.30-11.10am

The start of a five-part series to encourage older primary-school children in speaking and listening, through extracts from the work of well-known writers, plus comedy sketches. The first 20 minutes are devoted to beginnings: starting a story, setting the scene, introducing characters and whetting the reader’s appetite for more. Character and point of view take up the second half. The series continues over the next two weeks with different kinds of fiction, descriptions and non-fiction writing.

They Didn’t Teach Me That

Teachers’ TV Saturday, June 3, 7.15-7.30pm

An excellent programme on the rules of classroom management with advice from experts, including a leading football referee and a stand-up comedian who agree that comedy can be a great help in confrontations. The best idea is to avoid those head-on attacks, by adopting the SWAT technique: State the rules, Warn, Act and take Time out. The best advice, though, is to come into class looking confident and happy: not always easy - indeed, sometimes not even possible - but a great help in making your students feel comfortable and ready to learn.