I learnt to read at school. At first, that meant reading out loud while somebody listened. It was a public experience. This oralizing from words on a page felt strange but exciting, as if something was passing through me from the page to the sounds I uttered. It was like being part of something new. Although the ultimate goal would be to read silently, Mr Harding, a primary school teacher, reminded us that we could still sometimes break that rule.

Weaving, absorbing and telling a story This post considers issues raised when teachers become aware of their own voice and the way it sounds. It takes the example of when a teacher needs to tell a story to the class. Obviously, many of the observations will apply to any situation where you find yourself in […]