Research Impact

We have a national and international reputation for impactful research. Our central goal is to conduct research that addresses the overarching aim of improved education and learning as a route to enhanced self-efficacy, economic well-being and improved life chances.

Below you can read some examples of how our research is providing solutions to many of the challenges education practitioners and learners face.

Improving multilingual education

By helping teachers to understand how language knowledge and skills develop, researchers at the IoE are equipping them to better meet the needs of their pupils – including those whose home language is not English.

Language and literacy skills are widely considered as vital to develop at an early age. For those learning English as an additional language, these skills are a gateway to academic success. Learning another language such as French, German or Spanish can bring many social, emotional and economic benefits, including enhanced creativity, empathy and understanding of others’ lives.

However, teachers’ capacity to fully develop these skills is hampered by a lack of understanding of how to meet the needs of EAL learners, how to make best use of the often limited lesson time they have for foreign language teaching, and what kind of progress learners should be expected to make. They may also lack confidence in their own language abilities.

Drawing on evidence from a range of long-term studies conducted in collaboration with teachers, we are providing important insights into talk-rich teaching strategies that support EAL learners’ literacy development, rates of progression in primary languages, and how teachers can maximise the benefits to learners of foreign language study using digital tools. Our work also has important implications for making sure that all learners’ transition from primary to secondary school is an effective one.

Raising aspirations and inspiring learning: Working with local communities

Through collaborative projects and partnerships with local communities, IoE researchers develop evidence-informed initiatives that support learning, strengthen community engagement, and improve educational opportunities, literacy, confidence, and aspirations for children, young people, and families. Explore the related projects below.

Maths Through Stories 

Transforming the way mathematics is taught and learned globally – one mathematical story at a time 

The idea of using mathematical story picture books (MSPBs) to enrich mathematics learning is not a new idea. In fact, it has been around for almost three decades, particularly in the early years setting. What is less common is using MSPBs to enrich mathematics learning beyond the early years level. But this approach could also benefit mathematics learning of older pupils. The use of MSPBs could: foster pupils’ conceptual understanding through multi-representation of mathematical concepts, variation of mathematical situations and the use of common misconceptions as a teaching point; develop language skills; and foster engagement with mathematics learning. This project investigates that possibility. You can also explore the project below: