Teaching Geography Links
Geographical thinking, disciplinary knowledge, concepts and geographical skills
A curated selection of articles, research and pratical resources exploring what it means to teach Geography as a distinctive discipline
Geographical Thinking, Concepts & Disciplinary Knowledge
Links for exploring what it means to think geographically, the role of key geographical concepts, and how substantive and disciplinary knowledge work together to develop deeper geographical understanding.
Books
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Websites and Articles
Geographical Association — Thinking Geographically
An excellent introduction to what it means to think geographically and why this is distinctive from everyday thinking. It considers geographical questions, interconnections, concepts and the relationship between substantive and disciplinary knowledge.
Peter Jackson — ‘Thinking Geographically’
A highly influential article exploring the distinctive contribution geographical thinking makes to understanding the world. Jackson considers how geographical concepts provide a language through which connections between places and scales can be recognised and interpreted.
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https://geography.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/GEOG-Aut-06-Jackson.pdf
Geographical Association — What is Geographical Subject Knowledge?
This looks at the nature of geographical knowledge, including the relationship between substantive and disciplinary knowledge, school geography and the academic discipline, conceptual coherence and decisions about what geographical knowledge pupils should encounter.
Geographical Association — Powerful Geography Knowledge
This article considers the idea of powerful knowledge and its implications for geography education, including how specialist geographical knowledge can enable pupils to think beyond the limits of their own experience, make generalisations and engage with significant contemporary debates.
Margaret Roberts — ‘Geographical Education is Powerful if…’
Teaching Geography, 42(1), 2017, pp. 6–9.
Roberts considers different ways in which geographical education can be powerful. A particularly useful contribution to thinking about the educational purpose of geography and what pupils gain from engaging with geographical knowledge and ways of thinking.
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https://portal.geography.org.uk/journal/view/J002763
Alan Kinder — ‘The Power of Geography’
Teaching Geography, 42(1), 2017, pp. 10–12.
Considers the importance of powerful and inspirational geographical curriculum content and its role in preparing young people to understand and engage with the world beyond school.
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https://portal.geography.org.uk/journal/view/J002690
Aidan Hesslewood — ‘Evaluating Curriculum Impact: Using Powerful Disciplinary Knowledge as “Waypoints”’
Teaching Geography, 48(3), 2023, pp. 107–110.
A practical exploration of powerful disciplinary knowledge, showing how one geography department used disciplinary knowledge as a series of ‘waypoints’ through which to evaluate the impact of its curriculum.
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https://portal.geography.org.uk/journal/view/J9781899086215
Alaric Maude — Thinking Geographically: A Guide to the Core Concepts for Teachers
Maude, A. (2024). Routledge.
This explores how geography’s core concepts can help young people think geographically, deeply and critically. Particularly useful for considering the distinctive questions geographers ask and how conceptual understanding enables pupils to make sense of complex geographical issues.
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https://www.routledge.com/Thinking-Geographically-A-Guide-to-the-Core-Concepts-for-Teachers/Maude/p/book/9781032453736
Mark Enser — Powerful Geography: A Curriculum with Purpose in Practice
Enser, M. (2021). Crown House Publishing.
This considers the idea of powerful geographical knowledge and how it can inform curriculum design and classroom practice. Particularly useful for considering what geographical knowledge we choose to teach, why it matters and how it can enable pupils to see beyond their everyday experience.
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https://www.crownhouse.co.uk/powerful-geography
David Lambert & John Morgan — Teaching Geography 11–18: A Conceptual Approach
Lambert, D. & Morgan, J. (2010). Open University Press.
A significant contribution to thinking about geography education, exploring the role of geographical concepts and the relationship between school geography and the wider discipline. Particularly useful for thinking about geography as more than a collection of topics and developing greater conceptual coherence within the curriculum.
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https://www.mheducation.co.uk/teaching-geography-11-18-a-conceptual-approach-9780335234486-emea-group
Geographical Enquiry & Reasoning
How geographical enquiry develops through questioning, evidence and interpretation, and how pupils can be supported to construct explanations, reason geographically and reach well-evidenced conclusions.
Books
Websites and Articles
Geographical Association — What is Geographical Enquiry?
An excellent overview of geographical enquiry as both a pedagogical approach and an element of disciplinary knowledge. It considers how pupils investigate geographical questions, interpret and analyse evidence, construct geographical understanding and develop well-evidenced arguments.
Margaret Roberts — ‘Geographical Enquiry’
Teaching Geography, 35(1), 2010, pp. 6–9.
Roberts explores different interpretations of geographical enquiry and why enquiry matters within geography education. Particularly useful for understanding enquiry as something broader than completing an investigation or practising a sequence of skills.
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https://portal.geography.org.uk/journal/view/J078228
Gill Davidson — ‘Geographical Enquiry’
A useful GA think piece examining the development of enquiry within geography education, including different interpretations of enquiry, the importance of geographical questions and the relationship between enquiry, subject content and geographical thinking.
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https://geography.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/ga_tp_s_enquiry.pdf
Geographical Association — Using Key Questions for Enquiry
Explores the role of carefully constructed geographical questions in shaping lessons and curriculum sequences. Particularly useful for thinking about how enquiry questions can help pupils develop substantive and disciplinary knowledge together rather than simply provide an engaging lesson title.
Geographical Association — Is ‘Knowledge’ the Enemy of Geographical Enquiry?
A useful recent contribution to the discussion about knowledge-rich curricula and enquiry. It considers whether an emphasis on knowledge can inadvertently squeeze out the questioning, interpretation and critical engagement that are central to geographical enquiry.
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https://geography.org.uk/blogs/is-knowledge-the-enemy-of-geographical-enquiry/
Margaret Roberts — Geography Through Enquiry: Approaches to Teaching and Learning in the Secondary School
Roberts, M. (2023). Geographical Association.
The second edition of this important text explores what learning geography through enquiry means in the secondary classroom. Roberts identifies four central elements: questioning geographical knowledge, critically examining evidence, developing geographical understanding and reflecting on learning.
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https://portal.geography.org.uk/shop/view/P9781899086226
Teaching Geographical Skills
Approaches to teaching maps, data, photographs, graphs, statistics and other geographical sources, and how pupils can use evidence accurately and critically to support geographical interpretation and explanation.
Alan Parkinson — ‘Raising Issues: “I Know Where I’m Going” – Teaching Map and GIS Skills’
Teaching Geography, 46(1), 2021, pp. 7–10.
Challenges teachers to reconsider what meaningful map skills look like in a digital age. Particularly useful for thinking about the relationship between traditional cartographic skills, digital mapping and pupils’ wider spatial understanding.
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https://portal.geography.org.uk/journal/view/J003635
Paul Hunt — ‘A Critical Pedagogy Approach to the Use of Images in the Geography Classroom’
Teaching Geography, 43(3), 2018, pp. 124–125.
Explores how pupils can move beyond simply observing images to interrogating how people and places are represented. Particularly useful for developing more critical use of visual geographical evidence.
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https://portal.geography.org.uk/journal/view/J004113
James Hickman — ‘Developing and Assessing Students’ Spatial Thinking Skills When Using GIS’
Teaching Geography, 46(3), 2021, pp. 105–108.
Explores how GIS can be used to develop pupils’ spatial thinking rather than simply teaching them how to operate software. Includes a framework for considering and assessing spatial-thinking competencies.
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https://portal.geography.org.uk/journal/view/J003961
Websites and Articles
Geographical Association — Graphicacy and Spatial Thinking
Explores graphicacy as the ability to interpret and communicate information through maps, diagrams, aerial imagery and other graphical representations. Particularly useful for considering how pupils develop spatial understanding alongside their geographical knowledge.
Geographical Association — Geographical Skills
A useful overview of the range of skills involved in geographical practice, including map and spatial skills, graphicacy, aerial and satellite imagery, digital mapping, data interpretation and the communication of geographical information.
Geographical Association — Teaching with Maps
Explores the central role of maps in geography education and how map use can develop spatial thinking as well as more traditional map-reading skills. Particularly useful for thinking beyond procedural map skills towards using maps as tools for geographical interpretation.
Geography Teaching: Key Resources & Reading
A broader collection of books, journals and professional resources exploring geography pedagogy, classroom practice and current thinking in geography education.
Books
Catherine Owen & Jennifer Monk — What is Geography Teaching, Now?
Owen, C. & Monk, J. (2025). Hachette Learning.
A substantial contemporary guide to geography teaching, bringing together contributions on more than 40 aspects of the subject. It ranges across curriculum, pedagogy, assessment and resources alongside contemporary questions such as environmental education, representation and inclusion. A particularly useful book for dipping into specific aspects of geography teaching and professional development.
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https://www.hachettelearning.com/geography/what-is-geography-teaching-now
David Preece — Secondary Geography in Action
Preece, D. (2025). Hachette Learning.
A practical guide to interpreting and applying subject-specific educational research in geography classrooms. Particularly valuable for connecting wider research on teaching and learning with the distinctive demands of geography as a school subject.
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https://www.hachettelearning.com/geography/secondary-geography-in-action
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Mary Biddulph, David Lambert & David Balderstone — Learning to Teach Geography in the Secondary School: A Companion to School Experience
Biddulph, M., Lambert, D. & Balderstone, D. (2021). Routledge. 4th edition.
A comprehensive introduction to geography education and subject-specific pedagogy. Although particularly valuable for trainee and early-career teachers, its exploration of the purposes of geography, curriculum, learning and classroom practice makes it a useful reference for experienced teachers too. The GA identifies it as one of its key texts for learning to teach secondary geography.
Journals and Websites
Geographical Association — Teaching Geography
The GA's journal for secondary and post-16 geography teachers. Published three times a year, it combines articles exploring the theory and practice of geography education with classroom ideas, resources, subject updates and professional debate. The online GA archive includes issues from Autumn 2004 onwards, with the full archive dating back to 1975 available through JSTOR for subscribing GA members.
Explore journal →
https://portal.geography.org.uk/journal/index/tg
Geographical Association — Learning to Teach Secondary Geography
An extensive professional resource covering geography subject knowledge, curriculum, pedagogy, geographical practice, pupils' learning and classroom approaches. Although developed particularly to support trainee and early-career teachers, much of the material provides valuable professional reading for geography teachers at any stage.
Explore resources →
https://geography.org.uk/ite/initial-teacher-education/geography-support-for-trainees-and-ects/learning-to-teach-secondary-geography/
Geographical Association — Online Teaching Resources
A large searchable collection of geography teaching materials, including classroom activities, case studies, videos, webinars and subject-content resources from across the age range. Many resources are available to GA members.
Explore resources →
https://geography.org.uk/online-teaching-resources/
Geographical Association — Geography Education Online Resources
The original Geography Education Online website closed in March 2025, but the GA has transferred and updated more than 60 of its GCSE and A-level resources into its main Teaching Resources collection. The GA is also progressively adding the GEO webinar archive.
Explore GEO resources →
https://geography.org.uk/resources/geography-education-online-geo/
Geographical Association — What is Geographical Subject Knowledge?
This looks at the nature of geographical knowledge, including the relationship between substantive and disciplinary knowledge, school geography and the academic discipline, conceptual coherence and decisions about what geographical knowledge pupils should encounter.
Royal Geographical Society — Resources for Schools
A substantial collection of high-quality geography teaching resources covering a wide range of topics, age groups and geographical contexts. Particularly useful for accessing subject-rich classroom materials grounded in geographical research, contemporary issues and real-world examples.
Explore resources →
https://www.rgs.org/schools/resources-for-schools
Royal Geographical Society — Ask the Geographer
An award-winning podcast series bringing current geographical research directly into the classroom through interviews with expert geographers. Particularly useful for enriching subject knowledge, introducing contemporary geographical research and connecting classroom geography with the wider discipline.
Explore series →
https://www.rgs.org/schools/resources-for-schools/ask-the-geographer-podcast-series
Oak National Academy — Secondary Geography
A substantial collection of free, fully sequenced geography curriculum and lesson resources for secondary schools. Materials include lesson slides, worksheets, quizzes and curriculum sequences and are designed to be adapted by teachers. The secondary curriculum also incorporates fieldwork and GIS across its programme.
Explore resources →
https://www.thenational.academy/teachers/programmes/geography-secondary-ks3/units
Geographical Association — GeogPod
The Geographical Association’s podcast, featuring conversations with teachers, academics and others from across the geography community. Episodes explore geography education, curriculum, classroom practice, subject knowledge and wider geographical issues, making it a useful source of professional learning and contemporary geographical thinking.
Listen to GeogPod →
https://geography.org.uk/resources/geogpod-the-gas-podcast/