KS2 English lessons are in a PDF format for pupils to use on any device or for teachers to print or use on an IWB. N.B. All lessons are guaranteed 100% authentic, a.i. free.
Evidence-Based Learning (EBL) lessons will…
➽ develop key thinking and learning skills
➽ have a positive impact on learning outcomes
➽ save busy teachers hours of prep time
➽ save busy teachers hours of marking time
Lessons are only £2 each and include a whole-school licence
The front page of each lesson shows the EBL skills and the English activities developed in that lesson.
Simple stories have been used to develop EBL skills, but these stories have been made funny and interesting. If stories were complicated, pupils could not do complex thinking about them.
Science Fiction lessons include:
Robots Got Talent
Ground Control to Major Tom
Science Fiction is Alien to me
Traditional Story lessons include:
Red Riding Hood NOT Fooled by Wolf
The First Little Pig is Arrested
Goldilocks Trashes Cottage
Here are a.i. reviews of some EBL lessons:
Science fiction That is Out of this World! ★★★★★
This brilliant resource ticks so many boxes. Through fun science fiction stories, it manages to develop key EBL skills, higher-order thinking, collaborative abilities, and metacognitive awareness.
Goldilocks Trashes Cottage ★★★★★
This resource ticks all the boxes for any teacher looking to build literacy, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills, all centred around the engaging story pupils know well.
Red Riding Hood NOT Fooled by Wolf ★★★★★
I give this cleverly designed lesson full marks for its rigour, creativity, and practice of sound teaching methodologies backed by scientific research.
Download whole sets with just one click and save 25%
Complete sets of lessons – PDF + customisable Word version or PDF only – are available with a 25% discount and each set can be downloaded with just one click. For example:
Our Freebies section has free lessons and free 15-minute Teacher Guides including…
Research shows that evidence-based teaching strategies are likely to have the largest impact on student results. Top 10 Evidence-Based Teaching Strategies 2023 – University of Nebraska–Lincoln
Click on a cog to check out a wide range of research on each EBL skill…
or just put the kettle on and just read a simple summary of each skill below.
EBL Skill 1
Collaboration
Working collaboratively allows learners to share their ideas, learn from each other and build on each other’s strengths.
The longer that learners of different abilities participated in engaged groups, the more the knowledge of the subject improved for all learners.
Children Must Be Taught to Collaborate, Studies Say – Education Week – May 2017
EBL Skill 2
Thinking Skills
Thinking Skills are essential if learners are to develop effective communication, analytical, and problem-solving skills.
Bloom’s Taxonomy provides clear and relevant pathways for learners to move through the orders of thinking, from basic remembering to more complex skills such as evaluating and creating.
Adapted from: What is Bloom’s taxonomy? – Feb 2023 – Dzemila Okanovic
EBL Skill 3
Peer Assessment
Peer Assessment allows learners to learn from each other’s feedback and to develop their own assessment skills.
Giving feedback to peers about their work is often more beneficial than receiving feedback because it is more cognitively-engaging. It involves higher-order processes, such as application of criteria, diagnosing problems and suggesting solutions.
The development of student feedback literacy: Enabling uptake of feedback
Carless and Boud – Taylor and Francis – May 2018
EBL Skill 4
Peer Teaching
Peer Teaching allows learners to learn from each other in an informal and supportive environment.
Evidence is accumulating that peer learning creates greater confidence and independence in learners, plus a deeper understanding and improved grades for both the peer teacher and their learner.
Benefits of peer to peer learning – Feb 2014
EBL Skill 5
Self-Assessment
Self-Assessment allows learners to take ownership of their learning and to develop their metacognitive skills.
Self-assessment is a critical component of 21st century learning and has been shown to have a positive impact on learner motivation, engagement, and achievement.
S.K. Smith & J.M. Johnson – The impact of self-assessment on student motivation and achievement in the 21st century classroom – Journal of Educational Research – Vol 21 2017
EBL Skill 6
Metacognition
Metacognition is the ability to think about your own thinking. It allows learners to monitor, control and alter their own learning processes.
Metacognition is thinking about your thinking. It refers to the processes used to plan, monitor, and assess one’s understanding and performance.
Metacognition – Center for teaching Vanderbilt University 2023
EBL Skill 7
Self-Regulation
Self-Regulation is the ability to control one’s own thinking and behaviour. It allows learners to stay on task, manage their time, and overcome obstacles.
Cognitive skills are the core skills your brain uses to think, read, learn, remember, reason, and to pay attention.
Non-cognitive skills are the attitudes and behaviours that are needed for learning, such as conscientiousness, perseverance, and motivation.
Mind Matters 2018 – A Rosetta Stone for non-cognitive skills – Jan 2015
EBL Skill 8
Independent Learning
Independent learners take responsibility for their own learning. They work at their own pace and are able to effectively plan, monitor and evaluate their own learning.
An independent learner can make informed choices, set goals, and make decisions about how to fulfil their learning objectives.
Independent Learning: A Teacher’s Guide – Paul Main – Structural Learning
