Evidence into Action – Details, episodes & analysis

In this instalment, host Alex Quigley is joined by co-host, Rachael Cattrall, EEF Content Specialist Alumna) and expert guests. They discuss the evolution of retrieval practice and insights into cognitive science, including how these principles and practices are being applied in classrooms. 

• Dr Tom Perry, Associate Professor, University of Warwick (Start - 24:10)
• Rachel Wilson, Year 6 teacher & Deputy Research Director of Norwich Research School (24:10 - 37:50)
• Mark Miller, Director of Bradford Research School, Dixons Academies Trust (37:50 - End)

Further Resources: 

• Cognitive Science Approaches in the Classroom: a Review of  the Evidence (summary)
• EEF Podcast: Cognitive Science in the Classroom
• The Processes of Memory: A brief explainer
• Cognitive Load Theory: A brief explainer

In this instalment, host Alex Quigley is joined by co-host, Kirsten Mould, EEF Senior Content and Engagement Manager, and expert guests. They discuss implementation in schools following the recent update of the EEF's implementation guidance report. They explore how we think about implementation and what it looks like in a practical sense.

• Jonathan Sharples, Associate Professor, EEF (Start - 28:23)
• Phil Stock, Director of Greenshaw Research School (28:23 - 49:27)
• Laura Spence, Director of Gloucestershire Research School (49:27 - End)

Further Resources:

• EEF, A School’s Guide to Implementation guidance report (Updated April 2024)
• Engage and Unite: moving beyond buy-in – blog from Greenshaw Research School

In this instalment, host Alex Quigley is joined by co-host Alex Reynolds, Literacy Content Specialist for the EEF, and expert guests to discuss vocabulary instruction, connections to reading and the curriculum.

• Professor Jessie Ricketts, Director of Language and the reading acquisition research group for the Department of Psychology at Royal Holloway University of London (Start - 27:25)
• Marcus Jones, Literacy Lead at Huntington Research School and English Teacher (27:25 - 50:32)
• Host and co-host reflections (50:32 - End)

Further Resources:

• EEF Vocabulary in Action Classroom Strategies Resource
• EEF Vocabulary in Action: Misconceptions Resource
• EEF Blog, Through the Keyhole of the Reading House, Part 1: Vocabulary, Comprehension and Word Reading

In this instalment, hosts Alex Quigley and EEF Senior Content Manager Kirsten Mould are joined by expert guests in linguistics and education, alongside education leaders, to discuss how best to support pupils with English as an Additional Language.

Guests include:

• Prof Victoria Murphy, Director of the Department of Education & Professor of Applied Linguistics, University of Oxford (Start - 27:45)
• Diana Sutton, The Bell Foundation (27:45 - 42:27)
• Karl Rogerson, Principal of Billesley Primary School and Director of Billesley Research School (42:27 - End)

In this instalment, hosts Alex Quigley and EEF Senior Content Manager Kirsten Mould are joined by expert guests to discuss evidence informed leadership. Guests include:

• Nick Brook, Deputy General Secretary at NAHT and Chair of the School Improvement Commission (Start - 24:00)
• Asima Iqbal, Vice Principal of Billesley Research School (24:00 - 40:50)
• Alex Samways, Director of Research School and Teaching School Hub, Unity Schools Partnership (41:02 - End)

In this new instalment, our expert panel discuss the evidence around how to prepare pupils for exams effectively. Regular host Alex Quigley is joined by our Learning Behaviours Content Specialist, Kirsten Mould, in discussion with:

• Prof. David Putwain of Liverpool John Moores University (Start – 26.55);
• Sadie Thompson, Deputy Director of HISP Research School and Modern Foreign Language teacher (26.55 – 40.23); and
• Simon Cox, Director of Blackpool Research School and Maths teacher (40.23– End).

In this new instalment, our expert panel discuss how reading teaching can be supported using the reading comprehension house, which featured in our updated guidance report, Improving Literacy in Key Stage 2. Regular host Alex Quigley is joined by our Literacy Content Specialist, Sarah Green, in discussion with:

• Kate Cain, Professor of Language and Literacy Development at Lancaster University (Start – 30:25);
• Caroline Bilton, Deputy Headteacher at Cragside C of E Primary School (30:25 – 36:50); and
• James Siddle, Primary School Headteacher and Director of Kyra Research School (36:50– End).

Further Resources:

• This episode is the counterpart to a previous episode on teaching reading fluency, which featured Professor Tim Rasinski, Julie Phazey and Louise Quinn.
• EEF Improving Literacy in KS2 Guidance Report (Published November 2021)
• EEF Blog, The 'Reading Comprehension House' and foundations that support word reading

In this latest instalment of the EEF's 'Evidence into Action' podcast, our expert panel discuss the evidence around the importance of fluency in teaching children to read. Regular host Alex Quigley is joined by our Literacy Content Specialist, Sarah Green, in discussion with:

• Tim Rasinski, Professor of Literacy Education and author of “The Megabook of Fluency” (Start – 29:50);
• Julie Phazey, Primary School Headteacher (29:50 – 39:52); and
• Louise Quinn, Secondary School Deputy Headteacher and Senior Leader in Education (39:52 – End).

Further Resources:

• The EEF Reading Fluency Glossary
• EEF Blog, Why Focus on Reading Fluency?

In this instalment, our expert panel discuss the key insights from our recent guidance report, Effective Professional Development. Regular host Alex Quigley is joined by our new maths Content Specialist, Kirstin Mulholland, in discussion with:

• Harry Fletcher-Wood, author and researcher at Teacher Tapp (Start – 22:09);
• Helen Bellinger, Director of Doncaster Research School (22:09 – 38:00); and
• Tom Martell, Director of Shotton Hall Research School (38:00 – End).

Further Resources:

• EEF Effective Professional Development Guidance Report (Published October 2021) and additional tools 

In this new instalment, our expert panel explore the newly updated Teaching and Learning Toolkit. Regular host Alex Quigley is joined by the EEF’s Head of Synthesis, Jon Kay, alongside:

• Professor Steve Higgins, lead author of the Teaching and Learning Toolkit and Professor of Education at Durham University (Start – 28:09);
• Sarah Green, Assistant Headteacher, National Oracy Leader, Evidence Lead in Education and EEF Literacy Content Specialist and Julie Kettlewell, Assistant Director of Huntington Research School, Memory and Metacognition specialist, Psychology teacher and EEF Content Specialist for Learning Behaviours (28:09 – End).

Further Resources:

• EEF's Teaching and Learning Toolkit
• Additional support resources for the Toolkit