Better Lessons in A Level History: (History in Practice)

The History in Practice Series provides Professional development for History teachers Series Editor: Christine Counsell This latest volumne provides practical ideas for A Level history teachers and trainees who want to improve their students' learning. It draws on common topics from the current A Level specifications in order to model creative learning strategies which could be used with any historical content. Using a wide range of historical examples, Diana Laffin argues the case for enlivening lessons, engaging students and deepening their historical learning. Reviewed at http://www.thinkinghistory.co.uk/Books/BooksReadResource/BooksGRReview.html#laffin

Table of Contents:
CHAPTER 1: PLANNING THE BIG PICTURE Activity 1 Chronological overview of military technology Activity 2 Location and extent of wars Activity 3 How are the wars remembered today? In-depth investigation A The Crimean War In-depth investigation B Plenary study: The Falklands War CHAPTER 2: EXPLORING THE HISTORICITY OF EVIDENCE Activity 1 Putting the Catholic Church on trial to test the validity of historical interpretations Activity 2 Weighing up Anne Askew CHAPTER 3: DISSECTING A HAPPY MARRIAGE: THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN KNOWLEDGE AND INTERPRETATION Activity 1 A guide to Nazi society Activity 2 Transforming Claudia Koonz Activity 3 Using wikis to widen minds CHAPTER 4: SLOW COOKING: INDEPENDENT LEARNING IN A COURSEWORK MODULE Activity 1 PowerPoint presentation and student response Activity 2 Student researching and reviewing of alternative views Activity 3 Learning through tutorials Activity 4 Plenary CHAPTER 5: GETTING PERSONAL WITH POSTMODERNISM Activity 1 Are postmodernist ideas useful for learning history? Activity 2 Fascist politics Activity 3 Fascist social policies Activity 4 Fascist policies on culture, leisure and propaganda Activity 5 Fascist economic policy Activity 6 Fascist foreign policy Activity 7 Are the methods of microhistorians useful for learning history?

About the Author :
The Author An experienced history curriculum manager, Diana Laffin is now Assistant Director for Teaching and Learning at Farnborough Sixth Form College which has one of the largest History A level cohorts in the country (currently 550 students currently taking AS or A2 History). Her many articles and workshops for history teachers are widely used in teacher training programmes. Series Editor Christine Counsell leads the History PGCE course at the University of Cambridge Faculty of Education and is much in demand as a trainer in all aspects of history teaching. In 2006 she received the University of Cambridge's Pilkington Prize for outstanding teaching.

Review :
By far the most thoughtful book on A level history teaching I have read. Leaves others standing. Rather than trying to cover all bases, it plays to its strengths. You just can't find A level methodology described in such compelling detail . The fact that we have here, uniquely, a number of fully-resourced activities with accomapnying enquiry planning, makes the book even more persuasive. You feel not only that this has worked, but that you could make it work too. Passing on good ideas is the easy part of CPD; changing classroom practice is the hard bit. If ever a book had a racing chance of getting A level teachers to broaden their repertoire this it it. I am in awe. How can one book encompass multiple intelligences, Pink Floyd, the historicity of evidence, Duplo timelines, Henry VIII's religious changes, the brilliant 'silent conversation' activity, independent learning, Last Tango in Paris, Mussolini's March on Rome, post-modernism and the author's Great Uncle Harry? This book is superb and in many ways its title sells it short because it's not just about A level lessons - it's about 'Better Lessons in History'. Even if you spend most of your time teaching KS3 and GCSE there's a great deal here that's of value - so please don't be put off by the words 'A level' in the title or if the exemplars don't fit your specification. This is a book for all History teachers. The five chapters deal with 100 Year studies, understanding sources and evidence, knowledge and interpretation, independent learning and improving student writing. Each is exemplified by detailed examples (complete with resources) - which may make reading this sound like hard work but it's not. It's a joy! It's always entertaining and enthusing, making difficult aspects of psychology or history accessible and throughout drawing on deep experience and, more importantly, reflecting about that experience. In an old-fashioned phrase - this book carries its immense learning and understanding of the art and science of teaching very lightly. Humanity, vitality, lightness of touch and sense of humour - it's got them all. And that film reference? 'You may as well watch Last Tango in Paris without the sex scenes as study history without the sources.' How can anyone resist a book that contains such a sentence?