Product reviews for The Perfect (Ofsted) English Lesson

I have been in education for 26 years as a teacher, Head of Department, Senior Leader and Principal and have read many books regarding the practice of teaching. The very best of them offer practical advice on improving practice within the classroom that will directly impact on the learning of young people. This book does just that.
David Didau has produced a succinct, well structured and accessible piece of work that will be of use to beginning teachers and those who have taught for many years. Its great advantage is that it does not talk down to the reader, does not assume anything of the reader except one thing; that you are a teacher and therefore committed to improving your practice and to furthering pupil progress.
This book, although targeted towards English teachers, would also be of enormous use to any teacher. It lays out what an effective lesson looks like. It is deeply rooted in proven practice and Assessment for Learning and takes the reader through the key processes of lesson planning, lesson starters, learning objectives, pupil engagement, effective questioning and why the end of the lesson is as important as any other element. David explains the nature and reasoning behind formative assessment, peer and self assessment and the importance of knowing where the student is in their learning.
There are no fancy magic tricks in this book, there are no easy soundbites. Teaching is hard, David recognises this, but this book makes it easier to make an effective impact on students. Please don't be fooled by the title, this is no bow to Ofsted nor a clever way to fool them, this book is about teaching and how to do it properly. It is intriguing, engaging and that often overused phrase -˜essential reading'.
If you are a teacher, not just an English teacher -” you need to read this book.