The Best of Language Matters, Centre for Literacy in Primary Education, London

This book delivers exactly what it says on the box, plus a bit extra. It is a selection of 48 articles published in the CLPE journal Language Matters from the 1970's, 1980's, 1990's and 2000's. The journal began publishing half way through 1975 and stopped in 2002, so the bulk of the articles are from the 1980's and 1990's. This period covers a time of great change in English educational policy, and the articles reflect the impact of these changes, particularly on how teachers frame their teaching and how they see learning, teaching and their professionalism in relation to policy development. Yet, reading through the articles, I was also struck by the persistent themes that span and unite the decades; the need to involve children and ensure that teaching addresses their interests and concerns; learning as a process of knowledge construction that involves both children and teachers, and the importance of innovation and emotional commitment for teacher development.