What’s a whiteboard for, anyway?

Find out in the 7 February issue of Tes magazine [Open in browser]( [Tes. For teaching]( [What's a Whiteboard for, anyway?]( Hello {NAME} Every classroom has a whiteboard these days – but what's it for? After experiencing doubts about whether she was getting the most out of her board, Lauran Hampshire-Dell decided to conduct a survey of fellow teachers and found that few have had training on how the technology can be used to improve learning. In the 7 February issue of Tes magazine she calls for a more research-based approach to this ubiquitous piece of edtech. Keen to know more? Simply subscribe by Monday 3 February to get your copy delivered to your door. [Subscribe now]( PLUS...The Weekly Plenary A collection of the week's best news stories, features, blogs, lists, facts, quotes, humour and more. AND...this issue's regular features [Tes focus on...] The (school) secret to happiness Economist Richard Layard is pretty sure that happiness is the best measure of a country’s state, and that schools have a key role to play in a population’s level of happiness. He tells Simon Creasey why happiness lessons should be part of every school day. [Leadership] Why are we in a state of confusion about exclusion? Permanent exclusions are on the rise in England – but in Scotland they've been virtually wiped out. So should policymakers south of the border be following the Scottish example? Emma Seith finds that offical statistics might not tell the full story. [Left-field lessons] A light touch Teachers want pupils to be dazzled by their lessons rather than sunlight streaming in through the classroom windows – but research suggests that exposure to natural light could have an impact on student outcomes, writes Simon Lock. [Research in action] A (breastfeeding) room of one’s own How good are schools at supporting returning mothers who are breastfeeding? On the whole, pretty rubbish, argues Emma Sheppard. She lays out what schools are obliged to do legally and what they should be doing morally. [Technical focus] Dangle the HE carrot to inspire your resit students A fun-filled day trip to visit a local university helped to build motivation, confidence and a sense that ‘higher education was for them’ among a group of learners struggling to achieve a grade 4 in GCSE English and maths, finds Jonny Diamond. [Audio articles]( The 50 things your child should do before they turn 5 How can we engage young children in activities that boost their language skills? Helen Amass discovers an innovative scheme run by a Bradford nursery school that has given children and parents something to talk about – 50 things, to be precise. [Listen now]( [Subscribe now]( [Check out Tes magazine's special supplements and guides collection]( [icon for emails] Manage your email preferences Help us to send you the right emails. You [can change your email preference settings]( or [unsubscribe]( anytime. Customer services T: +44 (0)20 3194 3000 E: help@tesglobal.com [icon for download our app] Download our app [link to App store]( [Tes for Teachers on the App Store]( [link to Google Play]( [Tes on Google Play]( [icon for stay connected] Stay connected [icon-Community link]( [icon-Facebook link]( [icon-Twitter link]( [icon-Linkedin link]( [icon-Reddit link]( [icon-Pintrest link]( [icon-Youtube link]( [icon-Instagram link]( [Resources]( [Jobs]( [Community]( [News]( [Courses]( [Store]( [Tes for schools]( [icon for map link]( Tes Global is registered in England (Company No. 02017289) with its registered offices at 26 Red Lion Square, London WC1R 4HQ.