Product reviews for Opening Doors to a Richer English Curriculum for Ages 10 to 13

The -˜Opening Doors' series does exactly that. They remind teachers and children of the emancipatory, fulfilling role books have to play in igniting our thinking and our lives. These books enable teachers to use books in exactly this way in their classrooms. Any English curriculum in any classroom in any school committed to a depth of understanding, dialogic teaching and use of quality drama must have these books in their repertoire. In an age where schools are talking about cultural capital and challenge, the -˜Opening Doors' series is a must. Film, poetry, and prose learning opportunities cleverly framed in an accessible, high-quality teaching paradigm, enable new teachers to explore text deeply with their classes within a safe structure and experienced teachers, worth their weight in gold, to have a rubric for what they know is right. This book is not about mechanics and a formulaic approach to reading, writing and talk about books. It is about launching children into a world of possibilities which have been created for them. Challenge is always the focus and Bob and the team provide practical ways for teachers to focus on the challenge the text provides whilst enabling every child in a class to tackle it. I cannot recommend this book highly enough.