Guidance, ideas and examples to support schools in developing their curriculum, pedagogy, enrichment and support for more able learners, within a whole-school context of cognitively challenging learning for all. Includes ideas to support curriculum development, and practical examples, resources and ideas to try in the classroom. Popular topics include: curriculum development, enrichment, independent learning, questioning, oracy, resilience, aspirations, assessment, feedback, metacognition, and critical thinking.
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Posted By Natasha Goodfellow,
14 February 2019
Updated: 08 April 2019
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Oracy skills underpin all areas of learning and life – and they certainly shouldn’t be taught only to those who join the school debating club, argues Natasha Goodfellow of the English-Speaking Union. Build oracy into every lesson with these five simple activities – suitable for all learners, phases and subjects.
Think about what you’ve done today. How much time have you spent talking, explaining, listening to deduce meaning or ease conflict? How much time have you spent persuading people to your point of view, or to do something you want doing, versus writing essays or doing maths?
Most communication is verbal, rather than written. And yet oracy receives much less attention in the school curriculum than literacy and numeracy. Even in schools which pride themselves on their oracy results, too often the teaching happens in debate or public speaking clubs as opposed to lesson time.
Why make oracy part of every lesson?
While a lunchtime or after-school club can be a good place to start, participants will generally be self-selecting, precluding many of those who might benefit the most. It’s far better to introduce an oracy element into every lesson.
As good teachers know, oracy is about far more than speaking and listening alone. Oracy activities encourage learners to voice and defend their opinions, to think for themselves and to listen critically. And, perhaps most importantly, they build confidence and resilience. However able an individual may be, it’s one thing to argue a point in an essay; it’s quite another to do that in person, in front of an audience, with others picking holes in your arguments, questioning your thought processes or your conclusions. And it’s another leap again to review the feedback and adjust your opinion or calmly concede that you may have been wrong.
With regular practice, what might initially seem uncomfortable or impossible is soon recognised as simply another skill to be learnt. Happily, it’s all part of a virtuous circle – the better learners are at speaking, the better their written work will be. The firmer their grip on the facts, the more convincing their arguments. And, ultimately, the more they are challenged and asked to think for themselves, the more rewarding their education will be.
Here are five simple oracy activities to incorporate in your daily teaching:
1. Balloon debate
Display a range of themed prompts on the board. For instance, in chemistry or physics you might choose different inventors; in PSHE you might choose “protein”, “fat” and “sugar”. Ask the class to imagine they are in a balloon which is rapidly sinking and that one person or item must be thrown out of the balloon. Each learner should choose a prompt and prepare a short speech explaining why he/she/it deserves to stay in the balloon. For each of the items listed, choose one learner to take part in the debate. The rest of the class should vote for the winners/losers.
2. Draw a line
This activity works well for lessons that synthesise knowledge. For example, you may use it to recap a scheme of work. Draw a line on the board. Label it “best to worst”, “most certain to least certain”, or whatever is appropriate. Learners should copy this line so they have their own personal (or small group) version. Introduce items – for example, in geography, different sources of energy; in history, difference sources of evidence. As you discuss each item and recap its main features, learners should place the item on their own personal line. In small groups or as a class, learners can then discuss any disagreements before placing the item on the collective class line on the board.
3. Where do you stand?
Assign one end of the room “agree” and the other “disagree”. When you give a statement, learners should move to the relevant side of the room depending on whether they agree or disagree. Using quick-fire, true/false questions allows you to swiftly assess understanding of lesson content, while more open questions allow learners to explain and defend their thinking.
4. Talking bursts
At appropriate points in a lesson, ask individual learners to speak for 30 seconds on a theme connected to the subject in hand. This could be in a colloquial mode – an executioner arguing that hanging should not be banned, for example; or a more formal mode – such as a summary of the history of capital punishment. Begin with your more able learners as a model; soon the whole class will be used to this approach.
5. Praise and feedback
Finally, make time for praise and feedback – both during oracy activities and as part of general class discussions. Invite comments on how speeches could be improved in future, and recognise and celebrate learners when they make good arguments or use appropriate vocabulary.
Natasha Goodfellow is Consultant Editor at the English-Speaking Union where she oversees the publication of the charity’s magazine, Dialogue, and content on its website. She has worked as an English teacher abroad and is now a writer and editor whose work has appeared in The Sunday Times, The Independent and The Week Junior.
NACE is proud to partner with the English-Speaking Union (ESU), an educational charity working to ensure young people have the speaking and listening skills and cultural understanding they need to thrive. The ESU’s Discover Debating programme, a sustainable programme designed to improve listening and speaking skills and self-confidence in Years 5 and 6, is now open for applications, with large subsidies available for schools with high levels of FSM and EAL. To find out more and get involved, visit www.esu.org/discover-debating
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Plus: for more oracy-based challenges to use in your classroom, watch our webinar on this topic (member login required).
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Posted By Edmund Walsh,
22 January 2019
Updated: 22 December 2020
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In this excerpt from the NACE Essentials guide “Realising the potential of more able learners in GCSE science”, NACE Associate Ed Walsh outlines six key steps to improve provision and outcomes for those capable of attaining the highest grades in this subject.
1. Make effective use of assessment data
While many schools devote a significant amount of time to assembling, applying, marking and grading periodic tests, there’s often scope for these to be used more effectively to diagnose areas for improvement. Question-level analysis can help both teachers and learners identify areas of low subject knowledge and skills gaps (tagged against GCSE assessment objectives) – informing feedback, self-assessment and goal-setting, interventions, evaluation of teaching styles and planning for future lessons.
Similarly, analysis can indicate how learners perform in multiple choice questions, shorter written responses and longer responses. Be prepared: if aspirational students are looking to develop in one of these areas, they’ll expect guidance as to how to do so. Woe betide the teacher who can’t provide a learner chasing a good grade either with more examples or effective strategies in areas identified as weaknesses!
2. Challenge learners to use a range of command words
Each awarding organisation uses a particular set of command words in GCSE science exams. Some of these will already be in common parlance in your science lessons, while others may not be used as often. Familiarising learners with the full range of these terms will prepare them to answer a wider range of questions.
When revising a topic, prompt learners to suggest the type of questions examiners might ask; this will help them revise more effectively. Elicit the nature of each question, encouraging learners to consider the influence of assessment objectives (AOs) and to use a full range of command words.
3. Develop dialogue with the maths department
The quality of dialogue with colleagues in maths and the development of a whole-school numeracy policy has never been so important. (It may also never have been so tricky, bearing in mind the pressure that both maths and science teams can be under.) It can be tempting for a hard-pressed science department to want the maths team to fit in with their running order of topics. The maths curriculum is also driven by a sense of progression, but not necessarily the same one. Skills demanded in KS3 science may in some cases not be taught in maths until KS4.
Rather than reach an impasse, focus on exploring common ground. Set up a joint meeting and look at maths skills involved in sample science questions. Invite colleagues to explore potential strategies, terminology, likely challenges for learners and how they would deal with these. As well as nurturing specific skills, focus on developing learners’ ability to identify effective strategies and sequencing. More able learners aiming for high grades need to develop problem-solving skills as well as a mastery of individual skills.
4. Review the role of practical work and skills
When carrying out required practicals, ensure learners have access to a range of question types, including questions based on AO2 (application of knowledge and understanding) and AO3 (interpretation and evaluation). It is also important to look at the lists of apparatus and techniques skills in the GCSE specification. Questions relating to practical work are often based on these, even if the context isn’t one learners have met in the required practicals. Assess how good learners are at these skills and whether you can give them more opportunities to develop these. These have a strong relationship with skills used at A-level, meaning those progressing to further study will also benefit.
5. Develop the role of extended writing
Candidates will be expected to develop extended responses, especially on higher tier papers. Look at learners’ performance on such questions to see how it compares with other items. It may be useful to encourage learners to consider what structure to use before commencing writing. Model the drafting of an extended response, demonstrating how you select key words, use connectives, structure a response and check against the answer. AQA, for example, is moving towards the use of generic descriptors for types of extended responses.
6. Link ideas from different parts of the specification
As part of the changes to GCSE science specifications, learners are expected to show that they can work and think flexibly, linking ideas from different areas. Use questions that require this, identifying good examples to use in advance. One of the sample questions uses the context of a current balance, including ideas about magnetic fields and levers. Check out the specification and the guidance it gives about key ideas and linkage. As well as scrutinising the detailed content, look at the preamble and follow-up.
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Posted By Lesley Hill,
27 February 2018
Updated: 23 December 2020
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Lesley Hill, headteacher of NACE member Lavender Primary School in North London, explains how the school’s approach to marking and feedback has evolved alongside the development of a strong learning mindset culture.
Our marking and feedback policy cannot stand alone. It only works because we have embedded the learning culture on which it depends.
About five years ago, we were proudly using assessment for learning (AfL) strategies, such as no hands up, colourful cups, and thumbs up, thumbs down and thumbs somewhere in between. None of this was particularly useful for those learners who were unable to be honest about where they were in their understanding. This became apparent to me during a Year 2 literacy lesson. I shook my lolly-stick pot and was ready to pick a child to answer my question, when a higher achiever visibly shuddered. That said it all.
We turned to the work of Carol Dweck and immediately introduced growth mindset, understanding that higher-achieving children can often be those with the most fixed mindsets, causing barriers to learning.
Developing skills for effective learning
We knew that embedding a growth mindset culture was essential, but we also realised very quickly that the skills of being a good learner had to be taught too. A school full of determined children chanting (albeit sweetly) “We can do it!” doesn’t necessarily mean better outcomes. We introduced themes around Guy Claxton’s work, Learning to Learn, and our children learnt to be resourceful and reflective, as well as resilient.
We also understood that if children were truly going to understand where they were as learners, we needed to examine our success criteria. Hours had been spent trying to put English success criteria into a hierarchical order with a must, a should and a could. Whilst our lower-achieving children stayed safely with the “musts”, some of the higher-achievers completed the “should” and “coulds” and missed some basic “musts” altogether. We ditched MSC for toolkits, after attending a Pie Corbett course.
Giving children ownership of their learning
The same training also prompted us to establish cooperative reviews, which offer a focused and structured peer assessment strategy. We have trained our children to give effective feedback and to have useful discussions around their learning. This is key. Our current marking policy includes lots of peer assessment and reflection, which begins to give ownership to the child. We firmly believe that ownership of learning impacts positively on children’s motivation to challenge themselves.
This ownership was previously promoted by allowing learners to choose their own level of maths tasks, where they would be encouraged to make decisions about the levels of challenge they could manage. We have since bought a Singapore Maths scheme; the reflective approach and decisions around which strategy to use to solve a problem fit perfectly with challenge and ownership.
Learners also have ownership over the marking of maths. The answers are on the tables and learners check after solving a few problems. If they have some wrong, they will unpick the steps they have gone through to understand where they have made an error or have a misconception. This deeper-level thinking can enable them to change their approach to get a solution. Should they not be able to see where they have gone wrong, the teacher will step in to guide or re-teach through a face-to-face conference.
Moving on from written marking
Conferences have taken the place of written marking. It was apparent to us for some time that reams of written marking or rows of ticks and dots, carried out away from the learning context and delivered back the next day, was, at best, hard for children to relate to and, at worst, a meaningless waste of time. With teacher workload high on the agenda, our decision to stop written marking altogether, for every subject, was not difficult to make. Our children already owned their learning, they knew how to self- and peer-assess effectively, and they were reflective, resilient and skilled learners. It was an easy step to hand over the pen.
Our marking and feedback procedure is simple. Children mark their own work according to the success criteria and they write a reflection on their learning – commenting on their understanding, successes and difficulties. They are also challenged to consider how they have approached the work and what they might do differently. Teachers look at the books every day and identify where there is a need to support or extend children’s learning. They plan in targeted 1:1 or group conferences for the following day, or hold spontaneous conferences, to address misconceptions, clarify points and extend thinking. During conference discussions, children are encouraged to consider where they have met their targets and to choose new ones, and to talk about the reflections they have made.
Children’s reflections are a window to their understanding, not just of concepts, but of themselves as learners. They provide teachers with far greater insight than a piece of work on its own and thus teachers can cater far more effectively for each child’s needs. Our approach to marking is not a stand-alone. It is an extension to the learning culture we have worked to create: a culture of learners who can recognise and be honest about where they are, who know where they need to go, and who are not afraid to share the responsibility for getting there.
Lesley Hill is headteacher of Lavender Primary School, a popular two-form entry school in North London, part of the Ivy Learning Trust and a member of NACE. She has taught across the primary age range and has also worked in adult basic education and on teacher training programmes. Her current role includes the design and delivery of leadership training at middle and senior leader level, and she also provides workshops on a range of subjects, such as growth mindset and marking. Her forthcoming book, Once Upon a Green Pen, explores approaches to create the right school culture.
Read more: log in to our members’ area to access the NACE Essentials guide to learning mindset, and the accompanying webinar.
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Posted By Tom Hills,
19 June 2017
Updated: 07 August 2019
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Ynysowen Community Primary School is a successful primary school in Merthyr Tydfil, South Wales. The school is a Digital Pioneer School for the Welsh government and is a self-improving school. Ynysowen achieved its second NACE Challenge Award accreditation in May 2017.
Tom Hills, deputy headteacher and additional learning needs coordinator, gives an overview of the substantial work the school has done in the area of marking and feedback.
For a long time now schools have known that the feedback students receive is a vital component in moving learning forward. Some, like John Hattie, go as far as to say that it is the single most powerful modification we can make with regards to improving achievement, while the Education Endowment Foundation cites an average gain of up to eight months progress.
Couple this with the fact that marking features at or near the top of every survey conducted into teacher workload, and there are potentially huge benefits to all involved – if we get it right. And if we get it right, then we can lift the lid and remove some of the traditional glass ceilings that are in place in education, particularly for MAT learners.
“Non-negotiables” for marking and feedback
Based on this, we took the decision to review our already established good practice at Ynysowen Community Primary School. This led to us forming the following requirements as the basis for all subsequent work in this area.
We insisted that marking and feedback must:
- Be highly valued by the pupils;
- Be informative in terms of next steps;
- Impact upon pupil progress;
- Be highly valued by the staff;
- Be manageable;
- Put the onus on learners taking ownership and responsibility for their improvement and progress.
In order to achieve this, we set out the following non-negotiables.
- Every time a member of staff puts pen to paper to mark, learners will respond.
- When marking a body of text, marking will signpost learners to errors to correct via a coded marking system. (Code placed in the margin on the line where the error occurred.)
- When providing feedback by comment it will, where possible, contain an element of self-regulation, as this develops greater skills in self-evaluation or confidence to engage further on a task. Where this isn't appropriate, comments will focus on the process used in the task, or on the content of the completed work.
- Dedicated Improvement and Response Time (DIRT) must be used at the start of every lesson.
Impact and ongoing developments
The new coded marking was implemented in conjunction with DIRT and immediately had the desired impact of increasing pupil engagement with marking, and substantially reducing teacher workload. Within two weeks, staff reported learners beginning to use the coded mark system without prompting to self-assess and improve their work – before their teacher could mark it.
Over time, training was given to staff with regards to moving from task- and product-related comments to process and self-regulation. Initial baseline book review showed 65% of comments across KS2 were task- and product-related, 30% were related to process and only 5% self-regulation. After training, this moved to a much more balanced 40%, 35% and 25% respectively. Work is ongoing to further improve this swing.
When asked about marking and feedback, learners respond very positively. They talk with confidence about the purpose of marking and articulate clearly how it helps them move on in their learning; they love DIRT time. All teachers report a huge reduction in marking time.
This project has been the catalyst for more evidence-based reviews of practice. We have undertaken substantial work with regards to questioning and are currently taking some tentative steps in beginning to explore the area of metacognition for our older learners. Marking and feedback will be reviewed next year to look at how best to incorporate the features available in Google for Education (previously Google Apps for Education) – something the school uses extensively.
Making use of Google for Education
Google for Education offers facilities, the likes of which have never been readily available to schools in such a user-friendly way. Learners can use the apps to share their work and allow comments, so peers can suggest changes and leave feedback. This, however, need not be limited to within the classroom or even school – opening up all sorts of possibilities for school-to-school working across the world.
Then there’s Google Forms, which provides a different dimension to peer- and self-assessment. Theoretically learners could create their own form asking for feedback on specific things in their work and invite responses from people across the world.
Google Classroom makes collating learners’ work easy and quick and allows teachers to make and/or grade work and send it back to the pupil who can make alterations and re-submit. With the huge range of extensions and apps available in the Google Marketplace, this feedback could now take the form of saved audio clips – something that will make feedback even more detailed and accurate, with no time cost.
For those who prefer to use a pen to mark, there are now apps that allow the use of a stylus to physically mark pupils’ digital work. This is then converted to a .pdf and stored alongside the original work.
Given that Google for Education is continually updating and adding new features, the feedback functionality stands to get better and better, which can only be a good thing!
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