Charles Benkowitz
@benkowitzprimary.bsky.social
Yorkshire-based primary teacher. Interested in evidence-informed practice. Here to learn!
Reposted by Charles Benkowitz
📚 Steplab Summer Reads is here!
Each week this summer, we’re giving away a brilliant CPD book written by one of our expert team.
Entering is as easy as 1, 2, 3:
1️⃣ Follow us
2️⃣ Like the giveaway post
3️⃣ Repost
Winners will be announced later that week.
Stay tuned - the first giveaway drops tomorrow!
Each week this summer, we’re giving away a brilliant CPD book written by one of our expert team.
Entering is as easy as 1, 2, 3:
1️⃣ Follow us
2️⃣ Like the giveaway post
3️⃣ Repost
Winners will be announced later that week.
Stay tuned - the first giveaway drops tomorrow!
July 21, 2025 at 9:13 AM
📚 Steplab Summer Reads is here!
Each week this summer, we’re giving away a brilliant CPD book written by one of our expert team.
Entering is as easy as 1, 2, 3:
1️⃣ Follow us
2️⃣ Like the giveaway post
3️⃣ Repost
Winners will be announced later that week.
Stay tuned - the first giveaway drops tomorrow!
Each week this summer, we’re giving away a brilliant CPD book written by one of our expert team.
Entering is as easy as 1, 2, 3:
1️⃣ Follow us
2️⃣ Like the giveaway post
3️⃣ Repost
Winners will be announced later that week.
Stay tuned - the first giveaway drops tomorrow!
Found this from a lesson I made about five years ago. Clearly before I’d heard about extraneous load/ dual coding etc!
April 14, 2025 at 2:44 PM
Found this from a lesson I made about five years ago. Clearly before I’d heard about extraneous load/ dual coding etc!
Can’t blame her, to be fair. That is a prime spot!
April 4, 2025 at 4:19 PM
Can’t blame her, to be fair. That is a prime spot!
Reposted by Charles Benkowitz
Here's the pitch:
Almost every primary school I've encountered is worried about the effectiveness of their approach to teaching reading after phonics and whether it provides pupils with engaging reading experiences.
My book offers a tried-and-tested alternative.
Almost every primary school I've encountered is worried about the effectiveness of their approach to teaching reading after phonics and whether it provides pupils with engaging reading experiences.
My book offers a tried-and-tested alternative.
March 30, 2025 at 5:58 PM
Here's the pitch:
Almost every primary school I've encountered is worried about the effectiveness of their approach to teaching reading after phonics and whether it provides pupils with engaging reading experiences.
My book offers a tried-and-tested alternative.
Almost every primary school I've encountered is worried about the effectiveness of their approach to teaching reading after phonics and whether it provides pupils with engaging reading experiences.
My book offers a tried-and-tested alternative.
Looking forward to being back for the second TDaPE conference!
February 13, 2025 at 6:42 PM
Looking forward to being back for the second TDaPE conference!
It's here! Having had a go at some of the lesson structures @suchmo83.bsky.social recommends, I feel they are by far the best way to teach reading I've come across. This book will be the key to maximising their effectiveness!
January 27, 2025 at 6:53 PM
It's here! Having had a go at some of the lesson structures @suchmo83.bsky.social recommends, I feel they are by far the best way to teach reading I've come across. This book will be the key to maximising their effectiveness!
Reposted by Charles Benkowitz
My new book, Primary Reading Simplified, is released this Monday.
Briefly, I'd like to explain why it exists, who I think will find it useful and where you can find it.
>>
Briefly, I'd like to explain why it exists, who I think will find it useful and where you can find it.
>>
January 25, 2025 at 2:23 PM
My new book, Primary Reading Simplified, is released this Monday.
Briefly, I'd like to explain why it exists, who I think will find it useful and where you can find it.
>>
Briefly, I'd like to explain why it exists, who I think will find it useful and where you can find it.
>>
A great day thinking deeply about primary education at #TDaPELondon with some insightful and interesting people!
January 18, 2025 at 4:33 PM
A great day thinking deeply about primary education at #TDaPELondon with some insightful and interesting people!
Reposted by Charles Benkowitz
January 18, 2025 at 11:16 AM
Looking forward to being part of this in Jan!!
November 22, 2024 at 8:23 PM
Looking forward to being part of this in Jan!!
Cheers Neil! Yes, that TAF statement seems to be the one it all comes back to. Leads to situations like trying to explain to a Y5 that, although their writing is quality and neat, they're not going to be 'expected' if they don't join by next year...
November 15, 2024 at 12:00 PM
Cheers Neil! Yes, that TAF statement seems to be the one it all comes back to. Leads to situations like trying to explain to a Y5 that, although their writing is quality and neat, they're not going to be 'expected' if they don't join by next year...
To what extent should we 'force' children in KS2 to join their letters if they write neatly and fluently? Or is it a case that they'll still be more fluent if they join, so it should be strongly encouraged?
November 15, 2024 at 9:26 AM
To what extent should we 'force' children in KS2 to join their letters if they write neatly and fluently? Or is it a case that they'll still be more fluent if they join, so it should be strongly encouraged?
Reposted by Charles Benkowitz
Imagine a handful of universal tools we could teach students &allow them to understand every text they read.
Who wouldn’t seek “the key to all inferences”?
Who wouldn't dream such a beautiful dream?
The problem is that the evidence is squarely against it.
teachlikeachampion.org/blog/the-sci...
Who wouldn’t seek “the key to all inferences”?
Who wouldn't dream such a beautiful dream?
The problem is that the evidence is squarely against it.
teachlikeachampion.org/blog/the-sci...
The Science of Reading: It's About Knowledge not "Transferable Skills" - Teach Like a Champion
Recently, I shared an overview of the topics in the forthcoming book on reading I’m writing with Colleen Driggs and Erica Woolway: seven key principles of reading instruction that should inform what w...
teachlikeachampion.org
November 13, 2024 at 3:59 PM
Imagine a handful of universal tools we could teach students &allow them to understand every text they read.
Who wouldn’t seek “the key to all inferences”?
Who wouldn't dream such a beautiful dream?
The problem is that the evidence is squarely against it.
teachlikeachampion.org/blog/the-sci...
Who wouldn’t seek “the key to all inferences”?
Who wouldn't dream such a beautiful dream?
The problem is that the evidence is squarely against it.
teachlikeachampion.org/blog/the-sci...
Reposted by Charles Benkowitz
❓ What makes a good Cold-Calling question?
❓ How do we ensure students cognitively engage?
❓ Can subtle tweaks in the way you ask questions help students feel more confident answering?
Let's find out, with help from Doug Lemov 👇
www.innerdrive.co.uk/blog/cold-ca...
❓ How do we ensure students cognitively engage?
❓ Can subtle tweaks in the way you ask questions help students feel more confident answering?
Let's find out, with help from Doug Lemov 👇
www.innerdrive.co.uk/blog/cold-ca...
October 22, 2024 at 9:12 AM
❓ What makes a good Cold-Calling question?
❓ How do we ensure students cognitively engage?
❓ Can subtle tweaks in the way you ask questions help students feel more confident answering?
Let's find out, with help from Doug Lemov 👇
www.innerdrive.co.uk/blog/cold-ca...
❓ How do we ensure students cognitively engage?
❓ Can subtle tweaks in the way you ask questions help students feel more confident answering?
Let's find out, with help from Doug Lemov 👇
www.innerdrive.co.uk/blog/cold-ca...
Surely rows are best in KS2 and upwards most of the time? Seems like they carry a lot of stigma though...
theeffortfuleducator.com/2024/10/10/c...
theeffortfuleducator.com/2024/10/10/c...
Classroom Seating and Student Achievement - The Effortful Educator
How does the classroom seating arrangement impact student behavior?
theeffortfuleducator.com
October 18, 2024 at 4:03 PM
Surely rows are best in KS2 and upwards most of the time? Seems like they carry a lot of stigma though...
theeffortfuleducator.com/2024/10/10/c...
theeffortfuleducator.com/2024/10/10/c...
Thanks again!
October 12, 2024 at 6:50 PM
Thanks again!
Thanks very much! 10% is still pretty high, but hopefully it's even less by now.
Surprising that 40% of teachers who didn't have them thought they help though...
Surprising that 40% of teachers who didn't have them thought they help though...
October 12, 2024 at 4:53 PM
Thanks very much! 10% is still pretty high, but hopefully it's even less by now.
Surprising that 40% of teachers who didn't have them thought they help though...
Surprising that 40% of teachers who didn't have them thought they help though...
Reposted by Charles Benkowitz
Similar with reading. Let’s just read interesting books and ask them questions about the story and the language involved. There’s no need to write answers to ‘prove’ we are doing comprehension.
October 9, 2024 at 12:02 PM
Similar with reading. Let’s just read interesting books and ask them questions about the story and the language involved. There’s no need to write answers to ‘prove’ we are doing comprehension.
Think it's genuine or a joke?
September 19, 2024 at 8:03 PM
Think it's genuine or a joke?
Reposted by Charles Benkowitz
Great stuff, thanks!
September 14, 2024 at 2:54 PM
Great stuff, thanks!
Reposted by Charles Benkowitz
Following a few requests from teachers and school leaders, I've made a short video on the key ideas that I think teachers (and parents/carers) need to know about reading development, based on my reading concept map.
youtu.be/JvtUxB5WM1k?...
youtu.be/JvtUxB5WM1k?...
The Reading Map - A Primer
YouTube video by Christopher Such
youtu.be
September 14, 2024 at 12:25 PM
Following a few requests from teachers and school leaders, I've made a short video on the key ideas that I think teachers (and parents/carers) need to know about reading development, based on my reading concept map.
youtu.be/JvtUxB5WM1k?...
youtu.be/JvtUxB5WM1k?...
Reposted by Charles Benkowitz
I sometimes get asked about the common issues I see across primary schools and the kind of support I offer as a result. This brief blog explains this stuff.
This is my first new blog on Blue Sky so reposts much appreciated.
primarycolour.home.blog/2024/09/08/h...
This is my first new blog on Blue Sky so reposts much appreciated.
primarycolour.home.blog/2024/09/08/h...
How I Try to Help Schools to Teach Reading More Effectively
Warning: Parts of this blog are going to feel like an advertisement for my consultancy work and books. This is unavoidable as I have written this for those who ask me about the issues relating to read...
primarycolour.home.blog
September 8, 2024 at 10:51 AM
I sometimes get asked about the common issues I see across primary schools and the kind of support I offer as a result. This brief blog explains this stuff.
This is my first new blog on Blue Sky so reposts much appreciated.
primarycolour.home.blog/2024/09/08/h...
This is my first new blog on Blue Sky so reposts much appreciated.
primarycolour.home.blog/2024/09/08/h...
About a fortnight?
September 7, 2024 at 12:59 PM
About a fortnight?