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A recently released policy guide book for teachers and schools has been receiving some criticism. For instance, an article in the Daily Telegraph<\/a>\u00a0claimed:<\/p>\n Teachers are being told not to use phrases like \u201cgirls and boys\u201d, \u201cnormal\u201d and \u201cother\u201d in class \u2013 but they should make students aware of \u201csuperdiversity\u201d and \u201cdeclare a climate change emergency\u201d as a way of \u201ctelling the truth\u201d about our \u201cclimate breakdown\u201d.<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n The article is talking about\u00a0Building Better Schools with Evidence-based Policy: Adaptable Policy for Teachers and School Leaders<\/a>, which I edited along with Andrea Reupert, and Lindsay Oades.<\/p>\n Although the article claims the book offers \u201cinstructions\u201d designed by \u201cacademic boffins\u201d, this is not entirely correct.<\/p>\n Routledge<\/p><\/div>\n The book is meant to be a free guide for teachers who may want to read the evidence on their topic of need. The policy templates are not prescriptive. The editors encourage users of the book to consider and adapt the policies to suit their unique school context, priorities and culture.<\/p>\n Topics such as \u201csuperdiversity\u201d and \u201cdeclaring a climate emergency\u201d are only only a small selection of the 35 other topics in the book. Themes range from student participation in physical activity to well-being, excellence in Indigenous education and offering feedback for learning.<\/p>\n The book includes a chapter on transgender and non-binary students. This is where the criticism of being \u201ctold not to use phrases like girls and boys\u201d come from.<\/p>\n The chapter suggests schools consider the language they use in the classroom to support inclusion.<\/p>\n The part about boys and girls more specifically asks that \u201cstaff should not divide students by gender for class activities, sports, subjects, lining up, et cetera\u201d or address students as \u201cgirls and boys\u201d if they want to create an inclusive environment specifically for students whose gender is not described by the binary categories of boy or girl.<\/p>\n Recommendations to use gender inclusive language, particularly when pronouns are not known, is not new and is endorsed by several international bodies. The\u00a0American Psychological Society<\/a>\u00a0advises terminology like \u201ceveryone\u201d, \u201cstudents\u201d, \u201cchildren\u201d are useful alternatives to addressing class groups as \u201cboys and girls\u201d to ensure students are affirmed and aren\u2019t misgendered.<\/p>\n Another critical\u00a0interview on Sky News with Mark Latham circled around<\/a>\u00a0the term \u201csuperdiversity\u201d. This refers to the array of differences that make up the population and acknowledges how the individual aspects that create diversity can interact with each other.<\/p>\n It comes from a\u00a0chapter<\/a>\u00a0which responds to the increasing diversity seen in classrooms such as \u201cdisability, cognitive skills, gender\/sexuality, and religious affiliation\u201d. Diversity may also include \u201cpersonality, interests, socioeconomic status, individual needs, and a wide range of other variables\u201d.<\/p>\n The Daily Telegraph article suggested the book tells \u201cteachers to stop using phrases such as English as a second language\u201d. But the advice comes from one of several considerations for inclusive practice such as avoiding terms \u201cwhich place students\u2019 knowledge in a deficit manner\u201d.<\/p>\n For instance, the term \u201cESL student\u201d may not be problematic it itself, but the way it is used can be inaccurate for some students who speak multiple languages. This finding is\u00a0drawn from a study<\/a>\u00a0of young students with various bilingual identities in Australia.<\/p>\n The message is that \u201ceach child has a range of personal characteristics that need to be considered in all aspects of school life\u201d.<\/p>\n Another of the book\u2019s chapters outlines \u201cwhy and how a school might go about declaring a climate emergency policy\u201d. This is based on a\u00a0scientific consensus<\/a>\u00a0of a warming climate linked to human activities. For instance, the\u00a0Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)\u2018s<\/a>\u00a0landmark\u00a0Special Report on Climate Change<\/a>\u00a0warns of catastrophic climate change consequences by 2030 if we can\u2019t limit warming to 1.5\u02daC above pre-industrial levels.<\/p>\n The policy also supports the\u00a0UN\u2019s Sustainable Development Goal 13<\/a>, to \u201ctake urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts\u201d.<\/p>\n As the chapter suggests, teachers and students should \u201cplay their part in responding to this global declaration of a climate emergency\u201d.<\/p>\n In the Sky News interview, Mark Latham claimed the book has \u201cvery little evidence\u201d.<\/p>\n Each policy has been authored or co-authored by researchers who are considered leading authorities on the topic. They include Laureate Professors John Hattie (expert in feedback for learning) and Marilyn Fleer (play in schools), Distinguished Professor Neil Selwyn (digital technologies) and Professor Andrew Martin (instruction to reduce cognitive load).<\/p>\n While the Sky News interview talked about identity politics and a left agenda, several policy recommendations in the book have been endorsed by the people levelling criticism against the book. For instance, the chapter on\u00a0reading instruction<\/a>\u00a0by Professor Pamela Snow, Kate de Bruin and Linda Graham, endorses\u00a0using systematic phonics<\/a>\u00a0instruction \u2014 which Mark Latham supports<\/a>.<\/p>\n Each contributor was also asked to rate the evidence they used to support or inform the policy, and provide transparency. They rated the evidence in terms of impact (and potential impact), how it can be generalised and the ease with which each policy can be implemented. These ratings are provided in the book.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n [What’s Inside?] Evidence! ???? Each contributor responded to a rating of evidence for transparency + to highlight needs and potential funding priorities. \u2014 Kelly-Ann Allen, PhD (@drkellyallen) June 9, 2021<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/world.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/Buildingbetterschools.jpeg\")
Teachers can say \u2018boys and girls\u2019<\/strong><\/h4>\n
A climate emergency<\/strong><\/h4>\n
What evidence we used<\/strong><\/h4>\n
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\nTake a look ???? #BuildingBetterSchools<\/a> https:\/\/t.co\/uFvDlzAwQT<\/a> #TeacherTwitter<\/a> #AcademicChatter<\/a> #ResearchtoPractice<\/a> #OpenAccess<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/90UgwQsIcV<\/a><\/p>\n