Donny has taught in Scotland and England across KS1 and KS2 since qualifying from Glasgow with a PGCE and previously from Edinburgh with a degree in English and Philosophy. Donny has led English in schools as well as holding leadership and phase leader roles and most recently has been a lead practitioner of English teaching for a Local Authority. He is an experienced KS2 writing moderator and can often be found in bookshops finding new poetry books or graphic novels.
Get in Touch: donny@literacytree.com
Children’s use of language comes to life when it has a clear audience and purpose – not just because it is an English lesson or because they must tick their way through a checklist, but rather because they are acutely…
Read More
In the second part of our How to Use series, we look at the Mixed-age Planning Suggestions (MAPS) . Mixed-age classes can be challenging for teachers, particularly when it comes to planning writing. This ‘how to use...’ guide gives teachers…
Read More
Over the last year, we have added new Writing Roots to our overall Reception provision. These include the beautifully illustrated Ning and the Night Pirates by the talented Adriena Fong as well as the heart warming And Tango makes Three…
Read More
A central part of the Teach Through a Text approach are the discovery points that are placed (usually) at the start of each of our Writing Roots from Reception to Year 6. We strongly believe that these are essential parts…
Read More
Teaching reading can often be a daunting affair for teachers as arguably it is one of the most important subjects taught at primary school. And it is impossible to discuss the teaching of reading without referring to elements of the…
Read More
We value exploring various ways to support children learn and use new vocabulary in their reading and writing. Throughout all the Writing Roots and Literary Leaves, we weave a rich array of vocabulary activities and investigations. Whether this is a…
Read More
