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Better Lessons in A Level History
Diana Laffin, Christine Counsell
Spiral Bound
£45.00
ISBN:
9780340975466
Published:
25/12/2009
Extent:
144 pages
Illustrations:
black and white photocopiable throughout
Series:
History In Practice
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Summary:
The History in Practice Series provides Professional development for History teachers
Series Editor: Christine Counsell
This latest volumne provides practical ideas for A Level history teachers and trainees who want to improve their students' learning. It draws on common topics from the current A Level specifications in order to model creative learning strategies which could be used with any historical content. Using a wide range of historical examples, Diana Laffin argues the case for enlivening lessons, engaging students and deepening their historical learning.
Reviewed at
http://www.thinkinghistory.co.uk/Books/BooksReadResource/BooksGRReview.html#laffin
- Ready to use lessons and activities, which have been well trialled in the author's A Level classroom - complete with photocopiable resource sheets to support each activity
- Clear explanations of flexible techniques - learning that can be applied across the history curriculum
- Thoughtful analysis of the agenda facing history teaching post 16 - particularly in the light of the new A level specifications, the reduction in number of units and introduction of compulsory coursework
- Exploration of the relationship between subject knowledge and historical investigation - how the one feeds the other and how together they can contribute to a motivating programme of A level teaching and learning
About the Author(s):
The Author
An experienced history curriculum manager, Diana Laffin is now Assistant Director for Teaching and Learning at Farnborough Sixth Form College which has one of the largest History A level cohorts in the country (currently 550 students currently taking AS or A2 History). Her many articles and workshops for history teachers are widely used in teacher training programmes.
Series Editor
Christine Counsell leads the History PGCE course at the University of Cambridge Faculty of Education and is much in demand as a trainer in all aspects of history teaching. In 2006 she received the University of Cambridge's Pilkington Prize for outstanding teaching.
Reviews:
I am in awe. How can one book encompass multiple intelligences, Pink Floyd, the historicity of evidence, Duplo timelines, Henry VIII's religious changes, the brilliant 'silent conversation' activity, independent learning, Last Tango in Paris, Mussolini's March on Rome, post-modernism and the author's Great Uncle Harry?
This book is superb and in many ways its title sells it short because it's not just about A level lessons - it's about 'Better Lessons in History'. Even if you spend most of your time teaching KS3 and GCSE there's a great deal here that's of value - so please don't be put off by the words 'A level' in the title or if the exemplars don't fit your specification. This is a book for all History teachers.
The five chapters deal with 100 Year studies, understanding sources and evidence, knowledge and interpretation, independent learning and improving student writing. Each is exemplified by detailed examples (complete with resources) - which may make reading this sound like hard work but it's not. It's a joy! It's always entertaining and enthusing, making difficult aspects of psychology or history accessible and throughout drawing on deep experience and, more importantly, reflecting about that experience. In an old-fashioned phrase - this book carries its immense learning and understanding of the art and science of teaching very lightly. Humanity, vitality, lightness of touch and sense of humour - it's got them all. And that film reference? 'You may as well watch Last Tango in Paris without the sex scenes as study history without the sources.' How can anyone resist a book that contains such a sentence?
http://www.thinkinghistory.co.uk/Books/BooksReadResource/BooksGRReview.html#laffin
By far the most thoughtful book on A level history teaching I have read. Leaves others standing. Rather than trying to cover all bases, it plays to its strengths. You just can't find A level methodology described in such compelling detail . The fact that we have here, uniquely, a number of fully-resourced activities with accomapnying enquiry planning, makes the book even more persuasive. You feel not only that this has worked, but that you could make it work too. Passing on good ideas is the easy part of CPD; changing classroom practice is the hard bit. If ever a book had a racing chance of getting A level teachers to broaden their repertoire this it it.
Neil Thompson, Key Stage History
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