OFSTED Subject Specific Report 2011: Writing the Earth in Primary

Another quote that set me thinking:

Good attention was often given to developing pupils’ geographical vocabulary, but a minority of teachers did not understand the terminology and so failed to encourage pupils to use it appropriately.

This relates to what David Lambert has called the 'vocabulary' and 'grammar' of geography.
Teachers should be able to connect the vocabulary so that it makes sense, and students then supported to do the same.

If teachers are unsure of the terminology, then they may have other specialisms but find themselves teaching geography (a particular problem perhaps where a focus on exam performance means that the best teachers are prioritised to the exam classes rather than lower down the school)
The statement was about Primary schools, where teachers who are training have just a few hours exposure to geography as part of their course. It is not surprising that they might be unsure of the terminology.

Primary teachers should make sure that they join the thousand strong PRIMARY CHAMPIONS NING, and  also keep an eye out for the Primary Toolkit series.
The first two books are now available to buy from the GA shop.
They contain useful planning guides like the section of one featured opposite...

This section continued:
 Geographical skills were particularly well developed when the schools had a very comprehensive fieldwork programme and when a variety of maps, aerial photographs and other geographical resources was used frequently...

and this section

In the schools where pupils were exposed to geography regularly, they were able to develop and consolidate their skills, knowledge and understanding in the subject progressively. In these schools, learning in geography was often reinforced regularly through other subjects, notably English, but also through focused days. On these occasions, geography provided a rich context for pupils to express their opinions on real issues and improve their writing across a variety of genres.

Geography means writing the earth: students need to be supported to develop their own personal geographies...

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