1st Edition

Psychology in the Classroom A Teacher's Guide to What Works

By Marc Smith, Jonathan Firth Copyright 2018
    284 Pages 8 B/W Illustrations
    by Routledge

    284 Pages 8 B/W Illustrations
    by Routledge

    Written by experienced classroom practitioners who are experts in the field of psychology, Psychology in the Classroom provides a thorough grounding in the key principles of psychology and explores how they can be applied to teaching and learning. It draws on both classic and cutting-edge research, offering practical advice on commonly overlooked or misunderstood concepts that contribute to positive academic outcomes. It aims to show the value of psychology in enabling teachers to make and justify everyday classroom decisions.

    Designed to equip teachers with the skills to identify and tackle common issues that affect students’ learning, each chapter highlights key areas of research and discusses how lesson planning and material design can be informed by the psychological concepts presented. It covers core areas essential for improving learning, including:

    • memory and understanding;
    • creativity;
    • motivation;
    • independent learning;
    • resilience;
    • cognition; and
    • self-theories and mindsets.

    Full of advice and strategies, Psychology in the Classroom is aimed at both new and experienced teachers, across primary, secondary and post-16 education, providing them with practical ways to apply these psychological principles in the classroom. With an emphasis on understanding the theories and evidence behind human behaviour, this book will allow you to reflect critically on your own classroom practice, as well as making simple but valuable changes.

      1. Memory and understanding 

      2. Cognition 

      3. Self-theories

      4. Creativity 

      5. Emotions 

      6. Resilience, buoyancy and grit 

      7. Motivation 

      8. Independent learning 

      Biography

      Marc Smith is a freelance writer, chartered psychologist and Associate Fellow of the British Psychological Society. He has taught in secondary schools across the north of England since 2004 and writes for publications including The TES and The Psychologist.

      Jonathan Firth is a teacher, researcher and a chartered psychologist. He has written several school psychology textbooks, and is currently working in teacher education at the University of Strathclyde, as well as doing a PhD on the practical applications of memory research to teaching.

      "Psychology in the Classroom is an attractive book that surprised me with its broad scope. It brings robust, relevant and recent research about psychology to life through the lens of experienced teachers and researchers of psychology by explaining clearly and showing how concepts can impact teaching in the classroom."— Steven Berryman, Chartered College of Teaching