Global terms: Case Studies and Projects

Theologies of Reading

Theologies of Reading

Jennifer Jenkins, RE Facilitator for Coventry and Warwick, presents Theologies of Reading, a wide-ranging set of information concerning the reading of sacred texts. Taken from research, faith-based reading and techniques of interpretation and contemplation, these presentations contain much rich understanding for the classroom.

How do you read with your pupils? How do you help them make sense of sacred texts? Are there multiple interpretations, and how to explore these?

These presentations will help you consider how meaning is made and the relationship of text to reader with guidance and practical tips to try in the classroom.

Available here:

Introduction: this introductory presentation brings the general thinking to you. A script is given in the ‘notes’ function to help you lead a group through the presentation.

Judaism, Christianity and Islam: three separate presentations focusing on reading and interpretation in these three traditions.

Published January 2020.

Putting Big Ideas into Practice in Religious Education

Putting Big Ideas into Practice in Religious Education

By Barbara Wintersgill
with Denise Cush & Dave Francis

This book is a sequel to ‘Big Ideas for Religious Education’. As the name suggests, it demonstrates how Big Ideas might be put into practice in providing a rationale and learning objectives for the selection and organisation of subject knowledge and for assessment. It is intended for anyone who designs syllabuses, schemes of learning and units of work in RE. The book takes account of the recommendations of the Commission for Religious Education and also of the feedback received after the publication of Big Ideas for Religious Education.

RE-searchers Approach

RE-searchers Approach

A team from Exeter University and the Learning Institute has developed a new approach to Religious Education in Primary Schools. It is called ‘the RE-searchers approach’. It encourages pupils to think about the significance and effectiveness of different methodologies and methods of enquiry in Religious Education. To make these accessible to young children, they have personified some of them as cartoon characters. Individually these characters are called Debate-it-all Derek, Ask-it-all Ava, Have-a-go Hugo, and See-the-story Suzie, but collectively they’re known as the ‘RE-searchers’. Each character holds different assumptions about religion(s) and advocates different research methods (e.g. questioning and arguing, interviewing and empathizing, participating and experiencing, and narrating and exploring interpretations). Once acquainted with our characters and their respective characteristics as researchers, pupils can undertake learning activities associated with each of them in pursuit of different understandings of religion(s).

Islam as a Worldview

Islam as a Worldview

June 2021

What does a worldviews approach look like in the classroom? Dr Kate Christopher and Professor Lynn Revell have been exploring this question through a project called ‘Islam as a Worldview’. The project considers worldviews thinking through practical resources for the classroom, focusing on the teaching of Islam.

Through thinking practically, and with all ages of pupils in mind, the team present two working principles:

  1. Worldviews starts with people
  2. Pupils need to engage with different types of knowledge

These clear, simple principles form the basis of the teaching materials produced. The teaching materials are free and available for all.

Have a look at these teaching materials and see how you can bring in a wide and rich sense of history, context and lived diversity in Islam, through starting with people, and their time and place. Don’t be limited to your own Key Stage, you can pick up all sorts of ideas you can adapt from the resources.