David Didau

Bristol

Freelance Writer at Freelance

Making Meaning Field Guide OUT NOW: https://t.co/CDgvRJzY0a - Subst*ck https://t.co/vbqXXMSa2c For bookings contact [email protected]

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Articles

David Didau: The Learning Spy

5 days ago | daviddidau.substack.com | David Didau

The Learning Spy Substack is a sharp, provocative dispatch from the front lines of education, where ideas are tested, myths are challenged, and nothing is taken for granted. Over 1,000 subscribersBy subscribing, I agree to Substack’s Terms of Use and acknowledge its Information Collection Notice and Privacy Policy“Invaluable insights coming thick and fast from David Didau. ”“The OG of teacher bloggers. David never fails to surprise and educate. He loves writing and treats it as a craft too.”
It’s Your Time You're wasting: It's Artificial, but is it Intelligent?

1 week ago | daviddidau.substack.com | David Didau

In this bonus Bank Holiday episode, Martin & I wander from ancient Athens to AI-generated essays, from Heidegger’s hammer to handwritten exams, trying to pin down what separates mind from machine. With help from Pete Seeger, Alison Gopnik, Michael Polanyi, and a cast of sundry other philosophers (and provocateurs), we explore the tools we’ve built and whether they’re beginning to remake us. And here’s the podcast for those who prefer to listen on the move. If instead you’re a reader, read on.
Thinking critically about rhetorical questions

1 week ago | daviddidau.substack.com | David Didau

Everyone loves a good rhetorical question, don’t they? Well, do they? Are we really so quick to nod along to these comforting prompts? The real answer might surprise you, and that’s where the critical thinking comes in. It’s natural to want to build consensus. We all occasionally fall into the trap of assuming that what we think is reasonable or true will naturally be seen the same way by others.
David Didau: The Learning Spy

1 week ago | daviddidau.substack.com | David Didau

The Learning Spy Substack is a sharp, provocative dispatch from the front lines of education, where ideas are tested, myths are challenged, and nothing is taken for granted. Over 1,000 subscribersBy subscribing, I agree to Substack’s Terms of Use and acknowledge its Information Collection Notice and Privacy Policy“Lots of thoughtful insights about teaching and learning.”Natalie Wexler, Minding the Gap“Invaluable insights coming thick and fast from David Didau. ”“The OG of teacher bloggers.
David Didau: The Learning Spy

2 weeks ago | daviddidau.substack.com | David Didau

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It's Your Time You're Wasting: Is our education system making us an "island of strangers"?

2 weeks ago | daviddidau.substack.com | David Didau

This week, Martin and I wade into murky waters: are schools teaching the kind of knowledge that connects us to one another, or are they, however unintentionally, contributing to the sense many young people have of being strangers in a strange land? For those of you who prefer audio only - and who could you blame you? - here’s a link to the podcast. And for them as prefers to read words, see below. In a diverse nation like ours, and I celebrate that, these rules become even more important.
It's Your Time You're Wasting: Is our education system making us an "island of strangers"?

2 weeks ago | daviddidau.substack.com | David Didau

This week, Martin and I wade into murky waters: are schools teaching the kind of knowledge that connects us to one another, or are they, however unintentionally, contributing to the sense many young people have of being strangers in a strange land? For those of you who prefer audio only - and who could you blame you? - here’s a link to the podcast. And for them as prefers to read words, see below. In a diverse nation like ours, and I celebrate that, these rules become even more important.
Dash it all! Why the em dash can’t be trusted

2 weeks ago | daviddidau.substack.com | David Didau

Longer than a hyphen, bolder than an en dash, and beloved—perhaps too beloved— by stylists, the em dash has always lived a double life: both elegant and unruly, formal and anarchic. It may be the typographical equivalent of a knowing smirk. But how did this versatile punctuation mark become such a source of controversy, particularly in the age of ChatGPT?
Memory is messy - revision refines

2 weeks ago | daviddidau.substack.com | David Didau

Last-minute revision tends to divide opinion. Is it a sign of poor preparation or a useful final push? Does cramming undermine deep learning, or can it sharpen recall just in time? And what does the science of memory have to say about how and when knowledge becomes available under pressure? If students already know something, why does timing make such a difference to whether they can retrieve it?
Keeping reading alive: what can families do?

3 weeks ago | daviddidau.substack.com | David Didau

Reading is a communal activity, and children become readers with the help of the people who care for them. Mem Fox, Reading MagicLike many parents, I made reading to my children a priority. When they were small we read and reread endless picture books, some of which I remembered from my own childhood - like, Mog the Forgetful Cat1 - and many published in their childhoods - like Charlie & Lola - and others, such as Julia Donaldson’s oeuvre that came out somewhere in between.