Department of Education

Ian Thompson

Associate Professor of English Education & Director of PGCE

College Affiliation: St Hugh's College

Ian Thompson is an Associate Professor of English Education at the Department of Education and Director of the PGCE course. He is joint convenor of the Oxford Centre for Sociocultural and Activity Theory Research (OSAT) and a Fellow of St. Hugh’s College. He is also a member of the university’s English Faculty. Ian is currently co-PI on the £2.55 million ESRC funded project Excluded Lives: the Political Economies of School Exclusion and their Consequences.

After completing English Literature degrees at the Universities of Leicester and Victoria (Canada) Ian worked as a journalist, lecturer and theatre director. He then taught English for sixteen years in comprehensive secondary schools. Ian studied part time at the University of Bristol and completed his PhD in Education in 2010.

Ian was appointed to his post at the University of Oxford in 2011 where he teaches on the PGCE English course and on the MSc in Learning and Teaching. Ian also supervises several DPhil students. Ian has been PI and co-investigator on several mixed methods and qualitative research projects. These projects include: Collaboration for Teaching and Learning; The Effectiveness of Arts Based Approaches in Engaging with Disaffected Young People; and Disparities in School Exclusion across the UK. He was a core member of the recent BERA Commission for Poverty and Policy Advocacy. In his current research, Ian focuses on English pedagogy, school exclusion, initial teacher education, learning, and social justice in education from a Vygotskian and cultural historical theoretical perspective.

He publishes widely in the fields of cultural historical research, social justice in education, English education, and initial teacher education. Ian is currently Vice-President of the International Society for Cultural-Historical Activity Research.

Funded Research Projects:

  • The Political Economies of School Exclusion and their Consequences.

    • Oct 2019 - Sep 2023

    ESRC £2.55m

  • Disparities in rates of permanent exclusion from school across the UK

    • April 2017-Sep 2018

    John Fell Fund

Doctoral Applications

Ian welcomes doctoral applications from students interested in the following research areas:

• School exclusion/inclusion
• Cultural historical activity theory
• Teacher Education
• English Education

Publications:

  • Featured Publications

    • Elliott, VF, BAIRD, J, Hopfenbeck, TN, Ingram, J, Thompson, I, Usher, N, Zantout, M, Richardson, J, Coleman, R (2016) A marked improvement? A review of the evidence on written marking. Education Endowment Foundation.

    • Tawell, A, Thompson, I, Daniels, H, Elliott, V, Dingwall, N (2015) Being Other: The Effectiveness of Arts Based Approaches in Engaging with Disaffected Young People. Oxford University Department of Education.

    • Thompson, I (2014) Designing Tasks in Secondary Education Enhancing Subject Understanding and Student Engagement.

    • Thompson, IC (2014) “Communication, culture, and conceptual learning: task design in the English classroom”, In: IC Thompson (ed.) Designing Tasks in Secondary Education: Enhancing subject understanding and student engagement.. Routledge.

  • Books

    • Thompson, I, Ivinson, G (2020) Poverty in Education Across the UK: A Comparative Analysis of Policy and Place.

    • Thompson, I, Ivinson, G (2020) Introduction: the landscapes of poverty and education across the UK.

    • Tatto, MT, Burn, K, Menter, I, MUTTON, T, Thompson, I (2019) Learning to Teach in England and the United States: The Evolution of Policy and Practice. Routledge Research in Teacher Education. Abingdon, Oxon and New York, New NY: Routledge.
      DOI: http://doi.org/10.4324/9781315678382

    • Thompson, I (2017) Tackling Social Disadvantage Through Teacher Education. Critical Guides for Teacher Educators. Critical Publishing.

    • Thompson, I (2014) Designing Tasks in Secondary Education Enhancing Subject Understanding and Student Engagement.

  • Book chapters

    • Mutton, T, Burn, K, Thompson, I, Childs, A (2021) “The Complex Policy Landscape of Initial Teacher Education in England: What’s the Problem Represented to Be?”, In: D Mayer (ed.) Teacher education policy and research: Global perspectives. Springer.
      DOI: http://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-16-3775-9_5

    • MUTTON, T, BURN, K, THOMPSON, I, CHILDS, A (2021) “The complex policy landscape of initial teacher education in England: What’s the problem represented to be?”, In: D MAYER (ed.) Teacher education policy and research: Global perspectives. Springer.

    • Thompson, I (2020) “Learning the pedagogy of potential: Social inclusion and teacher education”, In: Handbook on Promoting Social Justice in Education. 1321-1340
      DOI: http://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-14625-2_6

    • Ivinson, G, Thompson, I (2020) “Policy, education and poverty across the UK”, In: POVERTY IN EDUCATION ACROSS THE UK. 11-36

    • Thompson, I (2020) “Poverty and education in England: a school system in crisis”, In: POVERTY IN EDUCATION ACROSS THE UK. 115-139

    • Thompson, I (2019) “Commentary to Part I: Perspectives on the Challenge of Globalization”, In: CULTURE IN EDUCATION AND EDUCATION IN CULTURE: TENSIONED DIALOGUES AND CREATIVE CONSTRUCTIONS. 47-54
      DOI: http://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-28412-1_4

    • NELSON-ADDY, LESLEY, DINGWALL, NICOLE, ELLIOTT, VELDA, THOMPSON, IAN (2018) “Back to the Future: the restoration of canon and the backlash against multiculturalism in secondary English curricula.”, In: The Future of English Teaching Worldwide Celebrating 50 Years from the Dartmouth Conference. Routledge.

    • Thompson, IC, Menter, I (2018) “Closing the Evidence Gap? The challenges of the research design of the Closing the Gap: Test and Learn project.”, In: A Childs, I Menter (eds.) Mobilising Teacher Researchers: Challenging Educational Inequality. Abingdon, Oxon: Routledge.
      DOI: http://doi.org/10.4324/9781315160320

    • Thompson, I (2018) “Challenging beginning teachers’ misconceptions of the effects of poverty on educational attainment in an initial teacher education programme in England”, In: Resisting Educational Inequality: Reframing Policy and Practice in Schools Serving Vulnerable Communities. 61-69
      DOI: http://doi.org/10.4324/9781315109268-6

    • Childs, A, Firth, R, Thompson, I (2017) “Who, how and why? Motives and agendas for key stakeholders in closing the gap”, In: Mobilising Teacher Researchers: Challenging Educational Inequality. 11-33
      DOI: http://doi.org/10.4324/9781315160320

    • Thompson, IC (2014) “Communication, culture, and conceptual learning: task design in the English classroom”, In: IC Thompson (ed.) Designing Tasks in Secondary Education: Enhancing subject understanding and student engagement.. Routledge.

    • Thompson, IC “Introduction: tasks, concepts, and subject knowledge”, In: IC Thompson (ed.) Designing Tasks in Secondary Education: Enhancing subject understanding and student engagement. Routledge.

    • Thompson, IC “Challenging beginning teachers’ misconceptions of the effects of poverty on educational attainment in an initial teacher education programme in England”, In: S Gannon, R Hattam, W Sawyer (eds.) Resisting Educational Inequality: Reframing policy and practice in schools serving vulnerable communities. Routledge.
      DOI: http://doi.org/10.4324/9781315109268

    • Thompson, IC, Brocklehurst, D “Double stimulation for reluctant readers: a literature circle intervention in a secondary English classroom”, In: G Stylianides, A Childs (eds.) Classroom-based Interventions in Different Subject Areas.. Routledge.
      DOI: http://doi.org/10.4324/9781315170077

    • THOMPSON, IAN “Commentary to Part 1: Perspectives on the challenge of globalization”, In: P Hviid, M Märtsin (eds.) Culture in Education and Education in Culture. CPED. Cultural Psychology of Education. Dordrecht: Springer. 47-54
      DOI: http://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-28412-1_4

    • THOMPSON, IAN “Identity formation in beginning English teachers”, In: K Sadeghi, F Ghaderi (eds.) Theory and Practice in Second Language Teacher Identity. Springer.

  • Conference papers

    • Tawell, A, Thompson, IC, Daniels, H, Rubtsova, O (2016) “Being Other: Transforming the social situation of development through drama.”, The materials of the International Symposium "Scientific School of Vygotsky: traditions & innovations" 27-28th June 2016, Moscow. Moscow State University of Psychology & Education. (Moscow State University of Psychology & Education) 324-330.

    • Menter, I, Mutton, T, Thompson, I (2013) Poverty and Initial Teacher Education: Policy, Practice, and Social Justice. (Istanbul)

    • Thompson, I (2013) Learning to Teach Writing in culturally Diverse Settings: Complexity and Contradiction for the Student Teacher. (Munich)

    • Thompson, I, Spencer, I, McNicholl, J (2013) Student Teachers’ Perceptions of Poverty. (Brighton)

    • Ellis, V, Thompson, I (2013) Developing Students’ Knowledge of Phonics in Secondary Teacher Education. (Liverpool)

    • Thompson, I, Wittek, L (2012) Writing as a Complex Activity: Mediating the Development of Mind. (Belgrade)

    • Thompson, I (2011) Writing Through Mediated Activity. (Oxford)

    • Thompson, I (2011) The Construction of Zones of Proximal Development through Classroom Interaction. (Rome)

    • Thompson, IC, Daniels, H A social network analysis of school advice-seeking patterns to support vulnerable learners: A critical methodological account.

  • Journal articles

    • Deppeler, J, Thompson, I, Corrigan, D (2021) “International studies of school design - lessons for Europe on innovation and risk”, EUROPEAN EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH JOURNAL.
      DOI: http://doi.org/10.1177/14749041211014604

    • Thompson, I, Tawell, A, Daniels, H (2021) “Excluded lives special issue”, Emotional and Behavioural Difficulties. 26(1) 1-2.
      DOI: http://doi.org/10.1080/13632752.2021.1903172

    • THOMPSON, IAN, Cole, T, DANIELS, H, Tawell, A, McCluskey, G (2019) “Factors associated with high and low levels of school exclusions: comparing the English and wider UK experience.”, Emotional and Behavioural Difficulties.
      DOI: http://doi.org/10.1080/13632752.2019.1628340

    • DANIELS, H, THOMPSON, I, Tawell, A (2019) “After Warnock: the effects of perverse incentives in policies in England for students with Special Educational Needs”, Frontiers in Education.
      DOI: http://doi.org/10.3389/feduc.2019.00036

    • Thompson, IC, Willemse, M, MUTTON, T, Burn, K, de Bruïne, E (2018) “Teacher Education and Family-School Partnerships in different contexts: A cross country analysis of national teacher education frameworks across a range of European countries”, Journal of Education for Teaching. 44(3) 258-277.
      DOI: http://doi.org/10.1080/02607476.2018.1465621

    • Willemse, TM, Thompson, IC, Vanderlinde, R, Mutton, T (2018) “Family-school partnerships: a challenge for Teacher Education”, Journal of Education for Teaching. 44(3) 252-257.
      DOI: http://doi.org/10.1080/02607476.2018.1465545

    • MUTTON, T, Burn, K, Thompson, I (2018) “Preparation for family-school partnerships within initial teacher education programmes in England”, Journal of Education for Teaching. 44(3) 278-295.
      DOI: http://doi.org/10.1080/02607476.2018.1465624

    • Thompson, I, Ivinson, G, Beckett, L, Egan, D, Leitch, R, McKinney, S (2017) “Learning the price of poverty across the UK”, Policy Futures in Education.

    • Thompson, I, Wittek, AL (2016) “Writing as a mediational tool for learning in the collaborative composition of texts”, Learning, Culture and Social Interaction.
      DOI: http://doi.org/10.1016/j.lcsi.2016.05.004

    • Burn, KC, Mutton, T, Thompson, I, Ingram, J, McNicholl, J, Firth, R (2016) “The impact of adopting a research orientation towards use of the Pupil Premium Grant in preparing beginning teachers in England to understand and work effectively with young people living in poverty”, Journal of Education for Teaching. 42(4) 434-450.
      DOI: http://doi.org/10.1080/02607476.2016.1215551

    • Thompson, IC, Wittek, AL (2016) “Writing as a Mediational Tool for Learning in the Collaborative Composition of Texts.”, Learning Culture and Social Interaction. 11 85-96.
      DOI: http://doi.org/10.1016/j.lcsi.2016.05.004

    • Thompson, I (2013) “The Mediation of Learning in the Zone of Proximal Development through a Co-constructed Writing Activity”, Research in the Teaching of English. 47(3) 247-276.

    • Thompson, I (2012) “Planes of communicative activity in collaborative writing”, Changing English. 19(2) 209-220.
      DOI: http://doi.org/10.1080/1358684X.2012.680766

    • Thompson, I (2012) “Stimulating reluctant writers: a Vygotskian approach to teaching writing in secondary schools”, ENGLISH IN EDUCATION. 46(1) 85-100.
      DOI: http://doi.org/10.1111/j.1754-8845.2011.01117.x

    • Howard, J, Thompson, I (1998) “First class way to develop a brain.”, Nature. 396(6708) 219-221.
      DOI: http://doi.org/10.1038/24274

    • MADIA, J, Obsuth, I, THOMPSON, IAN, Daniels, H, Murray, A “Long-term labour market and economic consequences of school exclusions in England: evidence from two counterfactual approaches”, British Journal of Educational Psychology.
      DOI: http://doi.org/10.1111/bjep.12487

    • Daniels, H, THOMPSON, IAN, TSE, HM, Porter, J “Learning lessons from the collaborative design of guidance for new build schools”, European Educational Research Journal.
      DOI: http://doi.org/10.1177/14749041221080892

    • Daniels, H, THOMPSON, IAN, Porter, J “What counts as evidence in the understanding of school exclusion in England?”, Frontiers in Education.

    • THOMPSON, IAN, TAWELL, A, Daniels, H “Conflicts in professional concern and the exclusion of pupils with SEMH in England”, Emotional and Behavioral Difficulties.
      DOI: http://doi.org/10.1080/13632752.2021.1898769

    • DANIELS, H, THOMPSON, IAN, Tawell, A “Practices of exclusion in cultures of inclusive schooling in the United Kingdom”, Revista Publicaciones.
      DOI: http://doi.org/10.30827/publicaciones.v49i3.11402

    • OANCEA, A, FANCOURT, N, ROBSON, J, THOMPSON, I, CHILDS, A, Nuseibeh, N “Research capacity-building in teacher education”, Oxford Review of Education.
      DOI: http://doi.org/10.1080/03054985.2020.1842184

    • THOMPSON, IAN, Ortega, L, Boda, Z, Daniels, H “Understanding the structure of school staff advice relations: an inferential social network perspective”, International Journal of Educational Research.
      DOI: http://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijer.2019.101517

    • THOMPSON, IAN, DANIELS, H, Ortega, L “School staff advice-seeking patterns regarding support for vulnerable students”, Journal of Educational Administration. 58(2) 151-170.
      DOI: http://doi.org/10.1108/JEA-12-2018-0236

    • THOMPSON, IAN, DANIELS, H, Tawell, A, McCluskey, G, Cole, T “Exclusion from school in Scotland and across the UK: Contrasts and questions”, British Educational Research Journal.
      DOI: http://doi.org/10.1002/berj.3555

    • Thompson, IC, Ivinson, G, Beckett, L, Egan, D, Leitch, R, McKinney, S “Learning the price of poverty across the UK”, Policy Futures in Education.
      DOI: http://doi.org/10.1177/1478210317736224

    • Thompson, IC, Tawell, A “Becoming other: social and emotional development through the creative arts for young people with behavioural difficulties”, Emotional and Behavioural Difficulties.
      DOI: http://doi.org/10.1080/13632752.2017.1287342

    • Thompson, IC, Ellis, S, McNicholl, J, Thomson, J “Student teachers' perceptions of the effects of poverty on learners' educational attainment and well-being: perspectives from England and Scotland”, Journal of Education for Teaching.
      DOI: http://doi.org/10.1080/02607476.2016.1215542

    • Thompson, IC “Researching contradictions: Cultural Historical Activity Theory Research (CHAT) in the English classroom”, English in Australia.

    • Thompson, IC, McNicholl, J, Menter, I “Student teachers' perceptions of poverty and educational achievement.”, Oxford Review of Education.
      DOI: http://doi.org/10.1080/03054985.2016.1164130

    • Daniels, H, Porter, J, THOMPSON, I “What counts as evidence in the understanding of school exclusion in England?”, Frontiers in Education.
      DOI: http://doi.org/10.3389/feduc.2022.929912

  • Reports

    • FANCOURT, N, OANCEA, A, THOMPSON, I, ROBSON, J, CHILDS, A (2017) Evaluation of wiserdeducation: a report to HEFCW. Caerphilly: HEFCW.

    • Elliott, VF, BAIRD, J, Hopfenbeck, TN, Ingram, J, Thompson, I, Usher, N, Zantout, M, Richardson, J, Coleman, R (2016) A marked improvement? A review of the evidence on written marking. Education Endowment Foundation.

    • Tawell, A, Thompson, I, Daniels, H, Elliott, V, Dingwall, N (2015) Being Other: The Effectiveness of Arts Based Approaches in Engaging with Disaffected Young People. Oxford University Department of Education.

    • Thompson, IC, Ivinson, G, Beckett, L, Wrigley, T, Egan, D, Leitch, R, McKinney, S The research commission on poverty and policy advocacy. BERA.

  • Other

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