The PGCEi was full of great reads. Here were the articles and chapters I most enjoyed from the course, all of which were part of the core content. I’ll find as many open access links as I can!
10 Roberts (2013) International Education and Global Engagement: Education for a Better World? (Google Books here)
What’s in a word? This book chapter scrutinises the term ‘international’, rants a bit about the concept of ‘international mindedness’, and outlines what it should mean in practice. I like this chapter as you can sense that the author has some beef, but also talks a lot of sense.
9 Bailey (2015) The experiences of host country nationals in international schools: A case-study from Malaysia (open access)
This was a small-scale study but I really like the insight it provides. I see this as research that could be replicated by teachers in a range of contexts. The important thing is that it focuses on student perspectives – and highlights how they differ from those of their teachers’ viewpoints.
8 Bailey and Cooker (2019) Exploring teacher identity in international schools (link)
I summarised the main points in this one for a Nexus Education blog post. The typology of international schools from Hayden and Thompson (2013) was also interesting. From the perspective of an international school teacher I like that these different teacher backgrounds have been noted rather than us being considered one of the same.
7 Shor and Freire (1987) What is the Dialogical Method of Teaching? (access)
This ‘talking book’ as the authors call it is a great intro to dialogic method and liberatory education. The convo style makes it very accessible. I summarised some key points in this post a while back.
6 Illeris (2003) Towards a contemporary and comprehensive theory of learning (link here)
There’s a big module on Theory of Learning on the course. My favourite article on the topic was this one from Knud Illeris. I like how the author tried to synthesise a range of cognitive, social and emotional aspects of learning. Quite an undertaking, and it does get a bit thin at times. Nevertheless, it includes a fancy diagram that still needs quite a bit of explaining. The sign of a good theory of learning, of course!
5 Wilkinson (2014) The concept of the absent curriculum: the case of the Muslim contribution and the English National Curriculum for History (not open access)
This is an eye-opening bit of research (though not for those less ignorant than me), which also explores a range of interesting concepts related to curricula (null, absent, hidden, etc). The curriculum types article I linked to before might also be of interest.
4 Sellars et al (2018) Conversations on Critical Thinking (open access!)
This research explores critical thinking in four global contexts (Pakistan, India, Australia, Vietnam), then proposes a framework of principles for teaching critical thinking. Certainly worth a read.
3 Biesta (2015) Educational Philosophy (link)
This is a short piece in summarising philosophical engagement in education over time. Well worth a read as it’s a great springboard and the ‘education for qualification/socialisation/subjectification’ helps frame discussions on the course.
2 Bottery (1990) The Morality of the School – Chapter 1
I’ve summarised this one here. Bottery outlines a series of educational codes and values which are useful for framing your own context. Can’t find a link to the book I’m afraid…
In at Number 1…
1 Winter (2018) Disrupting colonial discourses in the geography curriculum during the introduction of British Values policy in schools (another open access, wohoo!)
I summarised this article in the following post, which could be a time saver! Basically, very interesting research, not the most objective method but timely nonetheless. If you only read one article…
This article was a bit of a wake up call for me as a materials writer. When I was reading this, we’d just brought in a new syllabus at work. It had been written by an ELT Dream Team (well, looking at the names). I was scanning through the resources and the first text I came to was on the effects of tourism on Thailand. I was like ‘don’t read like Winter, don’t read like Winter, don’t… Ah she’s right, there’s totally colonial discourse and eurocentrism in there. I bet I write like this too.’
And I do sometimes. Tad embarrassing.
Some reads that just missed the cut…
Kim (2019) How Global Capital is Remaking International Education
I reviewed this one here. While I was quite critical of the premise, it’s good to read for facts on the international schools market.
Hmelo-Silver et al (2007) Scaffolding and Achievement in Problem-Based and Inquiry Learning: A Response to Kirschner, Sweller, and Clark (2006) – here
The original paper mentioned reads as a bit of a conjecture-ridden take on IBL, PBL and discovery learning as ‘minimal guidance’ approaches. This response is great, and highlights for me the subtext – academics, get in the classroom yourself and see how these approaches play out.
Claxton (2018) The Learning Power Approach (see here)
I did a bit of a long-winded review of this one last year. Not a book I’d have normally picked up, although it served as a primer for the focus on learning qualities and dispositions that abound in international (school) education. We address them a bit in ESL, but not to the extent that I encounter now. And you know, I’m getting a bit more won over by the whole ‘dispositions’ thing. A bit.
Actually, this book’s mentions of Dweck encouraged me to stop ranting about Growth Mindset and actually read the original text! Which actually I don’t regret. I’m still not sold on it, but feel more informed for sure. So thanks Guy Claxton *like he would read this, lol!*
For those in EAL, the two articles I found most interesting/useful were probs this one on provision, and also the Halbach critique of BICS and CALP. Links are to my summaries.
Anyway, hopefully there’s a link above worth clicking on!
ELT Planning 
Thanks for sharing all this!
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