The Let’s Think in English Network is for trained schools and supports embedding and sustaining the LTE programme. The LTE Network offers ongoing professional development for teachers, leaders and schools. Network membership provides opportunities to collaborate and work with other trained colleagues and receive further input from the developers of Let’s Think in English: Laurie Smith and Michael Walsh and LTE tutor Leah Crawford.
At present over 130 schools are part of the LTE Network. There are two secondary Networks in London, one in Hampshire, one in Norfolk and increasing numbers of schools in other parts of the country which receive all the updates. There is also a London, Devon, Cornwall, Hampshire and Norfolk primary Network. International schools also opt to join the Network to stay up to date with the latest developments. We expect to develop further regional Networks as numbers grow.
What teachers say about our network:
We have found that being part of the LTE network has had a huge impact on sustaining and developing pedagogy and teaching and learning across our Federation. This is especially important to us as our isolated location, in Cornwall, means we need to keep in touch with successful new initiatives. Having a link with the LTE network means we are developing teaching strategies used across the LTE network of schools and continually reflecting on and evaluating our own practise. All teachers have had the chance to watch LTE lessons delivered by other teachers across the federation which has meant they have been empowered to ‘fine-tune’ their own teaching strategies and help others develop too.
Teachers are now using the LTE teaching techniques across a wide variety of curriculum areas and pupils are developing their inference skills when tackling more advanced texts, which is particularly useful for Year 6 Reading SATS. Pupils are also engaged in using richer texts and are able to develop their responses through more open-ended questioning and forming links with responses from their peers.
The LTE Network meetings have provided an excellent support and sounding board for a new advocate of LTE and have enabled me to observe first-hand the successful implementation of this approach in other schools. The opportunity for discussion and evaluation with other like-minded colleagues is invaluable when working with an approach that is aimed at long-term, lasting benefits rather than a transient quick fix.
