Source: https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/teacher-cpd/cpd-cognitive-science-for-teachers-level-2-seneca-certified-educator/1-1-3-alex-quigley [Revision notes](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes.md) › [Teacher CPD](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/teacher-cpd.md) › [CPD: Cognitive Science for Teachers Level 2 - Seneca Certified Educator](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/teacher-cpd/cpd-cognitive-science-for-teachers-level-2-seneca-certified-educator.md) › Alex Quigley # Alex Quigley CPD: Cognitive Science Level 2, topic 1.1.3 ## Alex Quigley Alex Quigley is an important education writer, who has interesting ideas about the vocabulary gap. ### Who is Alex? ![Who is Alex?](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/2018-08/cc48bfe2-80ef-464b-b778-b090b0ea2fee/confident-red-head-ginger-success.jpg) - Quigley is the director of Huntington Research School, in York. - He is also a Research School developer for the EEF. - You can read more from him in his blog **The Confident Teacher**. ### The vocabulary gap ![The vocabulary gap](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/courseImages/chemistry/2.3.4%20Nanotechnology/money-2180330_640-min.jpg) - A lack of vocabulary makes it more difficult for children to follow the curriculum in schools. - There is a massive gap in vocabulary between children of different Socio-Economic Status. - This means that, in addition to all the other disadvantages, children from lower social classes also face an extra challenge: understanding and following the lessons when they do not have the necessary vocabulary. ### Mental velcro ![Mental velcro](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/2019-08/617c3a50-dbf3-46d4-8473-37f6fa64ee45/nike-1201595_1920.jpg) - The lack of vocabulary demotivates students to learn in school. - The **mental velcro** is the idea that the more words one knows, the more new information gets hooked in their brain and the better they understand it. - Schools should have room in their timetables for explicit vocabulary teaching ### Morphology and etymology ![Morphology and etymology](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/2018-09/e661a04b-f789-4fab-b1eb-5a30317962e7/capital-letters-.png) - **Morphology and etymology** should be taught when teaching a new word. - Morphology is the study of how words are structured, such as roots and prefixes. - Etymology is the study of the origin of words. - It helps students to understand and spell the words. - It also helps them to understand and spell future words with similar shape and origin. - Etymology will even help them to understand science and maths subjects, as many of the concepts are derived from Latin and Greek. ## Test yourself on Alex Quigley - Which of these are true of Alex Quigley?Click the correct box. [Practise this topic for free](https://app.senecalearning.com/classroom/course/aebdbb79-c863-4eca-ab3f-31e5120f5fb0/section/d30787f0-e33c-4185-85e7-881290ab0b07/session) - Previous topic: [1.1.2 Daisy Christodoulou](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/teacher-cpd/cpd-cognitive-science-for-teachers-level-2-seneca-certified-educator/1-1-2-daisy-christodoulou.md) - Next topic: [1.1.4 David Didau](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/teacher-cpd/cpd-cognitive-science-for-teachers-level-2-seneca-certified-educator/1-1-4-david-didau.md) ## CPD: Cognitive Science Level 2 contents ### 1 Important Educational Researchers Currently - 1.1 Interesting Current Educational Researchers - [1.1.1 Mary Myatt](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/teacher-cpd/cpd-cognitive-science-for-teachers-level-2-seneca-certified-educator/1-1-1-mary-myatt.md) - [1.1.2 Daisy Christodoulou](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/teacher-cpd/cpd-cognitive-science-for-teachers-level-2-seneca-certified-educator/1-1-2-daisy-christodoulou.md) - [1.1.3 Alex Quigley](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/teacher-cpd/cpd-cognitive-science-for-teachers-level-2-seneca-certified-educator/1-1-3-alex-quigley.md) - [1.1.4 David Didau](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/teacher-cpd/cpd-cognitive-science-for-teachers-level-2-seneca-certified-educator/1-1-4-david-didau.md) ### 2 How to Have an Evidence-Informed Classroom - 2.1 How to Have an Evidence-Informed Classroom - [2.1.1 6 Steps by the Evidence Based Teachers Network](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/teacher-cpd/cpd-cognitive-science-for-teachers-level-2-seneca-certified-educator/2-1-1-6-steps-by-the-evidence-based-teachers-network.md) - [2.1.2 3 Steps by the George W. Bush’s Institute](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/teacher-cpd/cpd-cognitive-science-for-teachers-level-2-seneca-certified-educator/2-1-2-3-steps-by-the-george-w-bushs-institute.md) - [2.1.3 5 Steps by the University of Birmingham](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/teacher-cpd/cpd-cognitive-science-for-teachers-level-2-seneca-certified-educator/2-1-3-5-steps-by-the-university-of-birmingham.md) ### 3 Interleaving - 3.1 Optimum Interleaving - [3.1.1 Optimum Interleaving](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/teacher-cpd/cpd-cognitive-science-for-teachers-level-2-seneca-certified-educator/3-1-1-optimum-interleaving.md) ### 4 Curriculum - 4.1 Cognitive Sciences and SEND - [4.1.1 Cognitive Sciences and SEND](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/teacher-cpd/cpd-cognitive-science-for-teachers-level-2-seneca-certified-educator/4-1-1-cognitive-sciences-and-send.md) - 4.2 Curriculum Design - [4.2.1 Curriculum Design](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/teacher-cpd/cpd-cognitive-science-for-teachers-level-2-seneca-certified-educator/4-2-1-curriculum-design.md) - 4.3 Christine Counsell: Senior Curriculum Leadership - [4.3.1 What is Senior Curriculum Leadership](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/teacher-cpd/cpd-cognitive-science-for-teachers-level-2-seneca-certified-educator/4-3-1-what-is-senior-curriculum-leadership.md) - [4.3.2 The Curriculum as a Narrative](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/teacher-cpd/cpd-cognitive-science-for-teachers-level-2-seneca-certified-educator/4-3-2-the-curriculum-as-a-narrative.md) ### 5 Future Questions - 5.1 Future Questions - [5.1.1 Future Questions](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/teacher-cpd/cpd-cognitive-science-for-teachers-level-2-seneca-certified-educator/5-1-1-future-questions.md)