Ahead of her workshop “Challenging more able learners in English (KS3-4)”, NACE Associate Tracy Goodyear shares three steps to review and improve the quality of challenge provided in your KS3 English lessons…
 
Shortly before the half term break, I asked a number of Year 13 students if they could remember the moment that solidified their decision to study English at A-level. The responses were interesting: some of them said it was a particular teacher whose passion for their subject had inspired a love of literature; some said it was one particular lesson that had given them that all-important lightbulb moment.
 
One student recollected an individual lesson that she recalled quite vividly: “It was Year 9 Shakespeare, Miss – we were debating who decides literary value.”
 
This was the response that interested me most. I asked what she valued about that experience and she said that it felt like she had really been forced to think for herself – that she felt unsure at first, but soon found the confidence and the words to argue her point of view on a topic she hadn’t really given much thought to in the past.
 
This conversation was another reminder for me about the importance of the Key Stage 3 diet. It reminded me that KS3 is indeed what some on EduTwitter are dubbing “The Wonder Years” and that key decisions and attitudes towards subjects are decided during this crucial time. It is, therefore, pivotal that the KS3 curriculum is a balanced one – providing a rich and diverse set of experiences that nurture a love for learning and a love for literature.
 
Here are three strategies to step up the challenge in KS3 English:

1. Start by defining the “end product”  

Anders Ericsson and Robert Pool have both conducted extensive research on what defines success and what makes the world’s most successful people achieve extraordinary things. In their book Peak[1] the authors discuss the “virtuous circle” in which “honing the skill improves mental representation, and mental representation helps hone the skill”.
 
This got me thinking about the mental representations teachers have of learners. Are we always clear about where we want our students to “be” at certain times in their school career, beyond reaching centrally determined target grades? Do we always hold a clear vision of what “success” looks like for an individual learner/group of learners?
 
Over the past year, my department has spent quite a lot of time defining a vision for our KS3 “end product”. We met as a team to list attributes we wanted for our learners by the end of the key stage – an opportunity to vent about things they “couldn’t do” and skills they appeared to lack when it came to the start of GCSE. This discussion was about much more than examination criteria or working towards assessment objectives; our ideas about “progress” needed to delve much deeper. We wanted to be clear on the attributes we wanted learners to craft and hone, and we used this information to identify learning opportunities we would habitually offer to ensure success.
 
After some discussion, we decided that our aim for KS3 is to cultivate students who:

• Have a critical eye, so they do not blindly accept things;
• Openly welcome feedback, criticism and differing views and interpretations and do not feel threatened by these;
• Are skilled in planning, showing evidence of deep thinking;
• Will take risks, knowing that the learning they will experience is more valuable than the fear of failure;
• Actively listen to and reason with the ideas and expertise of others;
• Construct meaningful arguments, supporting their ideas with confidence and conviction.

This activity gave us clarity in terms of what we wanted to achieve at KS3 and we were able to action these recommendations when designing a new programme of study. This was well-spent development time – I thoroughly recommend taking the time to define the characteristics you value in your own department, for both your teachers and your learners.

2. Encourage oracy and debate 

I have always been an advocate for the “if you can say it, you can write it” mantra, but in English this is crucial. It’s important to create an environment where talk is both celebrated and expected – and there are several ways to encourage this in lessons and schemes of learning. Some of the best thinking that happens in English occurs when learners have had the opportunity to work with an idea, noticing its flaws/pitfalls and appreciating its various facets. Only then will they be able to show a profound depth of understanding.
 
Here are some ways in which oracy can be promoted in the KS3 English classroom:

• Make thinking visible in your lessons[2] (in the words of Dylan Wiliam, play “basketball”, not “ping pong”[3]). There’s real power in passing an idea around the room; this avoids learners needing to seek your approval of an answer and models thinking “live” in the lesson.
• Model high-level talk: explicitly teach vocabulary and make its various contexts clear. This can be achieved through “word of the week” displays or simply taking some time to discuss vocabulary choices in certain texts.
• Don’t accept mediocre verbal responses – keep expectations high. Give learners time to formulate a strong verbal response. This may include a “think, pair, share” visible thinking routine, or developing purposeful “think time” after a question has been posed.

3. Engage with academic research

One of the most exciting challenges in teaching more able learners is knowing that you have to be several steps ahead in terms of your own knowledge and understanding – I have always enjoyed the intellectual thrill of this. As well as staying up to speed yourself, engaging with research and academic publications is also a great way to show learners the wider relevance of the programme of study and ensure that it also models high-level thinking and reasoning.

• Find academic works/essays that provide alternative views of your topic and work with these as extracts. These could then be useful sources for further investigation and debate. Students will go on to approach their set texts through a different lens. (Recently I experimented with an essay on madness and insanity in Victorian England, and we used this to help gather information for a debate on Dickens’ presentation of Miss Havisham.)
• Make time in department meetings to discuss new learning. Could members of the department take the lead on a certain aspect and be tasked to share updates at team meetings? An expert on 19th century literature perhaps? Or Shakespearean tragedies?
• Encourage learners to engage independently with available materials. For example, there are some excellent resources on The British Library website with scans of original sources, which are invaluable. Last year we introduced an extension activity called “Universally Challenged”, where learners were tasked to research a related topic and to produce a small resource/elevator pitch for others in the group. The activity aims to broaden students’ literary understanding and strengthen their ability to make pertinent links between what they are studying and the contexts within which other texts were produced.

Stage 1: Challenge

Stage 2: Struggle

Stage 3: Deep learning

Stage 4: Resilience and cooperation

Stage 5: Eureka!

Gail Roberts, More Able and Talented (MAT) Coordinator at Challenge Award-accredited Llanfoist Fawr Primary School, was selected as the winner of our “challenge pledge” competition at the NACE Cymru Conference 2018 for her commitment to developing learners’ oracy skills. In this blog post, she outlines seven strategies to put her pledge into practice…
 
For me, oracy skills are among the most important skills for any learner, including the more able – enabling them to communicate effectively in any subject or situation. As schools in Wales undergo significant changes, there is widespread agreement that transferable communication skills are essential to support all areas of learning, as well as improving employability and wellbeing.

With this in mind, oracy skills will be an ongoing focus for my Year 5 class throughout the coming year. In the autumn term, we’ll focus on discussion, building on learners’ existing oracy skills and making use of self- and peer-evaluation. In the spring, we’ll use debating to encourage learners to listen, think on their feet, react and build upon ideas. And in the summer term learners will take on the challenge of giving formal presentations to large audiences; based around the topic of parliament, they’ll visit secondary schools, governors and other primary schools to deliver a formal presentation on “The people's voice”.

Here are seven strategies to develop oracy skills with your own class this year:

1. Learn from the experts

Use a range of media to exhibit higher-order oracy skills. While learners are viewing a roleplay of older pupils or a video showing oracy skills in a real-life setting, discuss the skills being used and why they are effective.

2. Start from a familiar topic 

Allow learners to choose a topic of conversation and give them time to think about key points. Once thoughts have been formulated, take their notes away. Give them time to discuss and practise sharing their ideas with peers. Starting from a topic with which learners are familiar will give them the confidence to develop skills which can then be transferred to a wide range of areas.

3. Practise a range of techniques 

Challenge learners to present ideas convincingly using a range of techniques for impact. For example: rhetorical questions, appeals to listeners, gestures responding to how listeners are reacting, adapting what they say and how they say it. Ask those listening to identify information and ideas which align with or contradict their own opinions.
 
Learners should be able to express their opinions confidently, reasoning and supporting their own and others’ ideas with relevant evidence. When working in a group, they should be able to recognise a range of options and reach agreement to achieve the overall aims of the group.

4. Use peer evaluation  

Peer evaluation is a fantastic tool if used effectively and modelled well. It can be used to increase learner engagement and understanding of learning criteria, and to develop evaluative and communication skills.
 
Set up one group of learners to complete a task such as a presentation, debate or focus group, and assign others as peer evaluators. After the activity is finished, the first group ask for feedback on their performance. I then encourage them to choose a few points from the peer feedback that they will include next time.

5. Celebrate successes

Once the skills have been taught, it is obviously imperative they are practised. Less obvious is the need for continual acknowledgement and congratulation. For example, throughout the day, ask learners to discuss ideas either formally or quickly informally. When good practice is spotted, it takes just seconds to point it out, but this will be remembered and used for life.

6. Extend…  

Extend learners’ understanding of the use of standard and non-standard English, enabling them to confidently use language appropriately and fluently in formal and informal situations. Teach language using a wide range of syntax structures and precise and effective vocabulary, including specialised terminology. Through practice, learners should be able to make significant, well-thought-out contributions, engage listener interest and sustain a convincing point of view, anticipating and responding to other perspectives.

7. …and empower

Providing opportunities for learners to use their oracy skills in “real” settings can have a huge impact. When setting up such experiences, think widely and aim high. As well as presenting to audiences of governors, parents and peers, challenge learners to join debating groups, present to politicians, universities, business boardrooms… Let them see how powerful their voices can be.
 
One class I was working with were following the programme for the Prince William Award. I asked about opportunities for the children to talk about the project and what it meant to them. They ended up presenting to a headteachers’ conference, secondary schools, governors and to celebrities in the Tower of London at a formal dinner in a room next to the crown jewels.
 
Set the bar high, but ensure the experience is a positive one. Balance risk-taking with consolidating and acknowledging the skills they have gained. After an event, evaluate and set targets for improvement. Encourage learners to take charge of their own learning and performance. Their reward will come from their own confirmatory perception of the outcome.
 
Gail Roberts is the MAT Coordinator, Maths Coordinator and Year 5 teacher at Llanfoist Fawr Primary School in Monmouthshire. She has worked in education since 1980, starting out as an NNEB with children with severe difficulties in basic life skills, and gaining her NPQH in 2007. Describing herself as a “quiet” child who left school “a long way off my potential”, she is passionate about supporting all learners to achieve at the highest levels of which they are capable. Llanfoist Fawr gained the NACE Challenge Award in 2017, in recognition of school-wide commitment to high-quality provision for MAT learners within a context of challenge for all.

1. Should footballers earn more than nurses?

2. Does truth exist?

3. Can money buy happiness?

4. Do you make your own luck?

Are your primary maths lessons too quiet? Ahead of her upcoming workshop on strengthening talk in primary maths, NACE associate Sarah Carpenter explains why effective discussions are key to deepening and extending learning in this core subject. 
 
Often there’s an assumption that primary mathematics is about numbers, concepts, operations – and not about language. But developing the language of maths and the ability to discuss mathematical problems is essential to help learners explore, reflect on and advance their understanding.
 
This is true for learners of all abilities. But for more able mathematicians in particular, regular opportunities to engage in talk about maths can hold the key to deeper, more secure understanding. Moving away from independent, paper-based work and the tunnel-vision race to the answer, discussion can be used to extend and deepen learning, refocus attention on the process, and develop important analytical, reflective and creative skills – all of which will help teachers to provide, and learners to be ready for, the next challenge.
 
If you’re still not sure why or how to use discussions effectively in your primary mathematics lessons, here are five reasons that will hopefully get you – and your learners – talking about maths… 

1. Spoken language is an essential foundation for development. 

This is recognised in the national curriculum: “The national curriculum for mathematics reflects the importance of spoken language in pupils’ development across the whole curriculum – cognitively, socially and linguistically. The quality and variety of language that pupils hear and speak are key factors in developing their mathematical vocabulary and presenting a mathematical justification, argument or proof.” – National curriculum in England, Department for Education, 2013
 
Or to put this another way, when else would we expect learners to write something if they cannot say it? As Anita Straker writes: “Sadly, children are frequently expected to write mathematics before they have learned to imagine and to discuss, and those who do not easily make connections are offered more pencil and paper work instead of vital talk and discussion. Yet in other subjects it would be unthinkable to ask children to write what they cannot say.” – Anita Straker, Talking Points in Mathematics, 1993

2. Practice is needed for fluency… 

… and fluency is what the new SATs expect – not only in numbers and operations, but in the language of mathematics as well. For mathematical vocabulary to become embedded, learners need to hear it modelled and have opportunities to practise using it in context. More able learners are often particularly quick to spot links between mathematical vocabulary and words or uses encountered in other spheres – providing valuable opportunities for additional discussion which can help to embed the mathematical meaning alongside others.
 
Free resource: For assistance in introducing the right words at the right stage to support progress in primary maths, Rising Stars’ free Mathematical Vocabulary ebook provides checklists for Years 1 to 6, aligned with the national curriculum for mathematics.

3. Discussion deepens and extends mathematical thinking. 

The work of researchers including Zoltan Dienes, Jerome Bruner, Richard Skemp and Lev Vygotsky highlights the importance of language and communication in enabling learners to deepen and extend their mathematical thinking and understanding. Beyond written exercises, learners need opportunities to collaborate, explain, challenge, justify and prove, and to create their own mathematical stories, theories, problems and questions. Teachers can support this by modelling the language of discussion (“I challenge/support your idea because…”); using questioning to extend thinking; stimulating discussion using visual aids; and building in regular opportunities for paired, group and class discussions.

4. Talk supports effective assessment for learning. 

More able learners often struggle to articulate their methods and reasoning, often replying “I did it in my head” or “I just knew”. This makes it difficult for teachers to accurately assess the true depth of their understanding. Focusing on developing the skills and language to discuss and explain mathematical processes helps teachers gain a clearer picture of each learner’s current understanding, and provide appropriate support and challenge. This will be an ongoing process, but a good place to start is with a “prior learning discussion” at the beginning of each new maths topic, allowing learners to discuss what they already know (or think they know) and what they want to find out.

5. Discussion helps higher attainers refocus on the process. 

More able mathematicians often romp through learning tasks, focusing on reaching the answer as quickly as possible. Discussion can help them to slow down and refocus on the process, reflecting on their existing knowledge and understanding, taking on others’ ideas, and strengthening their conceptual understanding. This slowing down can be further encouraged by starting with the answer rather than the question; asking learners to devise their own questions; pairing learners to work collaboratively; using concept cartoons to prompt discussion of common misconceptions; and moving away from awarding marks only for the final solution.
 
During her 20-year career in education, Sarah has taken on a variety of roles in the early years and primary sectors, including classroom teaching, deputy headship and local authority positions. After a period as literacy and maths consultant for an international company, she returned to West Berkshire local authority, where she is currently school improvement adviser for primary maths and English. As a NACE associate, Sarah supports schools developing their provision for more able learners, leading specialised seminars, training days and bespoke CPD.