Practical disciplinary literacy
Plan a small department pilot
Make the routine feasible, teachable and reviewable.
A worked school example
Pilot causal explanations in one Year 8 science unit.
Teachers model observation → mechanism → qualification, then use partner rehearsal.
Compare a fresh independent explanation, prompts needed and teacher preparation time.
This is a suggested local planning example, not a school rating or an official EEF implementation tool.
Put it into practice
- Agree a curriculum problem, target group and evidence baseline with the teaching team.
- Define the routine’s essential steps and what can be adapted. Name an owner, resources and protected preparation time.
- Rehearse the model together; plan one individual transfer task and note access arrangements.
- Set a review date. Decide whether to sustain, adapt or stop using learner evidence and workload feedback.
Build your working record
Adapt and keep your resource
Edit these fields for your class or department. Drafts stay in this browser; use anonymised evidence. Download an editable text copy to keep it elsewhere.
Questions for a useful team conversation
“What exactly must teachers do, and what independent learner response would show that it helped?”
Ask colleagues to bring a concrete task or response, explain one judgement and identify uncertainty. Invite learner perspectives without treating comments alone as attainment evidence.
Keep implementation proportionate
Start with one unit and a manageable sample of work. Use existing meetings and curriculum records where possible. Agree essential practice while allowing subject-specific representations and examples.
Avoid fixed promises about attainment or CEFR gains. Review access, reasoning, language and independence separately.
Open the existing whole-school planner