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 Alex Pryce, Oxplore,
30 November 2018
Updated: 08 April 2019
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Looking for ideas to challenge your more able learners in the humanities? In this blog post, Dr Alex Pryce selects four “Big Questions” from the University of Oxford’s Oxplore project that will spark debate, relate the humanities to the modern world, and encourage independence of mind…
Oxplore is an innovative digital outreach portal from the University of Oxford. As the “Home of Big Questions”, it aims to engage 11- to 18-year-olds with debates and ideas that go beyond what is covered in the classroom. Tackling complex ideas across a wide range of subjects and drawing on the latest research undertaken at Oxford, Oxplore aims to raise aspirations and stimulate intellectual curiosity.
Our “Big Questions” reflect the kind of thinking students undertake at universities like Oxford. Each question is accompanied by supporting resources – including videos; quiz questions; possible answers, explanations and areas for investigation; and suggestions from Oxford faculty members and current undergraduates.
The following four questions touch on subjects as diverse as history, philosophy, literature, linguistics and psychology. They are daring, provocative and rooted in current issues. Teachers can use them to engage able learners as the focus for a mini research project, a topic for classroom debate, or the springboard for students to think up Big Questions of their own.
Over 6,000 languages are spoken worldwide… what’s the point? Imagining a world without linguistic difference will encourage learners to think more globally, while examining the benefits of multilingualism will start conversations about culture, nationality and identity. Investigate multilingualism’s benefits and drawbacks, both historically and with reference to today’s world. For additional stimulation, check out the recording of Oxplore’s live event on this Biq Question.
Perfect for: interdisciplinary language teaching.
This question challenges students to think more deeply about why they hold their beliefs, who shapes their behaviour and choices, and how this colours their view of the world. It also creates room for able learners to have nuanced discussions about complex topical issues such as political beliefs, sexuality and ethnic identity, but with reference to public figures they care about – so they get the chance to focus the discussion.
Perfect for: demonstrating the present-day relevance of humanities subjects.
A classic foray into historiographical thinking which can be used to debate questions such as… How have the internet, photoshopping and so-called “fake news” affected our grip on the truth? To what extent does the adage that history is written by the winners stand up in the age of social media? How have racism, sexism and other forms of discrimination shaped the history we consume? For more on this question, check out this recorded Oxplore live stream event.
Perfect for: humanising historians and fostering critical thinking.
Explore philosophy, history and the history of art by encouraging learners to think about humanity’s long association with religion and spirituality. Does religion encourage moral behaviour? What about religious extremism? Examine the implications of religious devotion in fields such as power, community and education, and encourage the sensitive exploration of alternative views.
Perfect for: conducting a balanced debate on controversial issues.
Dr Alex Pryce is Oxplore’s Widening Access and Participation Coordinator (Communications and Engagement), leading on marketing and dissemination activities including stakeholder engagement and social media. She has worked in research communications, public engagement and PR for several years through roles in higher education (HE) and the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC). She holds a DPhil in English from the University of Oxford and is a part-time HE tutor.
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Posted By NACE team,
16 April 2018
Updated: 21 August 2019
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Seeking ideas to support exceptionally able learners in mathematics? Based on the guidance provided by the University of Cambridge’s NRICH project, here are five important steps you can take to ensure exceptionally able learners are effectively challenged and supported…
1. Offer a challenging task related to the class activity.
The idea here is to offer an extension task which is sufficiently challenging, while still related to the mathematical concepts on which the rest of the class is working. This should help exceptionally able learners to feel included within the wider group, while being given the breadth and depth they need.
For ideas of challenging tasks linked to the maths curriculum, take a look at NRICH’s primary and secondary resource pages.
2. Tailor homework to the learner’s interests.
Just as in the classroom, it’s important to ensure exceptionally able learners are adequately challenged during independent and home-based learning. Offer a more challenging version of the homework set for other learners, and where possible tailor work to match exceptionally able learners’ interests to keep them engaged and motivated.
3. Consider setting work usually covered later in the key stage.
This should only be considered once other avenues have been explored and the learner has achieved mastery of current content. While acceleration can be beneficial in some cases, it can lead to exceptionally able learners being left with little support, with limited opportunities to discuss mathematics with peers, or feeling isolated if moved to work with older learners. If considering this option, ensure that the learner is ready academically, emotionally and socially, and that sufficient support is in place.
4. Have a long-term plan for the learner's mathematical education.
This is key when considering acceleration and other options. Discuss the long-term plan with the exceptionally able learner, his/her parents or carers, and other providers. If covering Key Stage 3 work with a primary learner, for example, ensure that a plan is in place so that s/he will not simply cover the same material all over again once arriving at secondary school.
5. Support the learner's interest in mathematics outside school.
There are lots of opportunities for exceptionally able learners to pursue their interest in mathematics outside of school, and to meet peers with similar interests and abilities. Keep an eye on opportunities provided by the UK Mathematics Trust (UKMT) and the Royal Institution Masterclass series, for example. The UKMT also offers a free mentoring service, providing mentors to help young mathematicians develop their problem-solving skills.
More free resources from NRICH:
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Posted By Stefan Pearson,
04 April 2018
Updated: 07 August 2019
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Stefan Pearson, Teacher and Challenge Coordinator at Bradford’s Copthorne Primary School, shares five key takeaways from this year’s English for the More Able conference…
Last month I attended the English for the More Able conference in York, run by NACE in partnership with Rising Stars. The conference explored a range of approaches to support, engage and challenge more able learners in primary English, with an opening keynote from author Anne Fine, interactive workshops, and opportunities to share ideas with fellow primary teachers, coordinators and school leaders.
Like most delegates, I left the event with a pile of notes and a head buzzing with ideas – some of which I’ve already begun to test out in my own classroom. Here are five of my main takeaways from the day – offering fresh perspectives to keep primary English relevant and engaging for learners of all abilities.
1. Oracy skills can – and should – be taught in schools.
Among the keynote speakers for the day was Neil Mercer, Emeritus Professor of Education at the University of Cambridge and Director of Oracy Cambridge. Professor Mercer’s talk reinforced my belief that oracy skills are an essential foundation in learning and life, which can – and should – be taught in schools.
To communicate successfully, young people need to develop language and skills to reason and reflect, express ideas clearly and confidently, listen carefully, and talk and work well in a group. Most children’s home experiences will not provide opportunities for them to develop all the oracy skills they need, making it even more important that oracy is taught in schools.
The aim, Professor Mercer believes, should be to engage children in “exploratory talk” – characterised by active listening, asking questions, sharing relevant information, challenging ideas and giving reasons for doing so, and building on what has already been discussed. In exploratory talk, all participants are encouraged to contribute, ideas and opinions are treated with respect, and the group works within an atmosphere of trust and with a shared purpose, seeking agreement and joint decisions.
2. We need to talk about listening…
Just like skills for effective talk, listening skills also can and should be taught in schools and discussed with learners from an early age. For me, a key takeaway from the conference was the decision to talk more about listening in my classroom. The most effective types of listening are attentive listening – in which the listener is interested, takes in facts, and checks information – and active listening – in which the listener responds with questions and relevant comments, gathers facts and ideas, and attempts to understand the feelings of the speaker.
3. … and provide effective Talking Points.
Dr Lyn Dawes, also a member of Oracy Cambridge, shared her work on Talking Points – thought-provoking statements that encourage children to talk about a topic, promoting discussion, comparison, analysis, reasoning and negotiation. Through participation in Talking Points discussions, learners explore a curriculum topic in depth, generating shared understanding and establishing areas for further investigation. Most importantly, they develop skills for effective group discussion, practising sharing their opinions and giving reasons, listening and responding to others, and collaborating to ensure everyone has a chance to contribute.
Talking Points can be used across any curriculum area and can be created by both teachers and learners – a fantastic resource to support effective learning and develop oracy skills, which can then form the basis of written work.
4. Grammar really can be fun!
NACE associate Christine Chen ran a workshop on grammar games, sharing lots of practical ideas. One of these involved writing a six-word sentence and numbering the words 1-6. Learners are then asked to roll a dice, identify the word class of the corresponding word, and replace the word so the meaning of the sentence alters.
I’ve already tried this with my class and the children really enjoyed it. This kind of game also builds in differentiation, providing scope for challenge while reinforcing learners’ understanding of the different parts of language.
Another idea from this session which I’ve also tried out is the challenge of writing descriptively without using adjectives – meaning other word types must be carefully selected to convey mood, pace, emotion and so on. This prompted my more able writers to rethink their approach to description, and they really relished the challenge.
5. Engaging parents can be as simple as this.
My fifth and final key takeaway from the conference is in fact a resource developed by my own school. During her plenary talk, headteacher Christabel Shepherd mentioned our reading mats for parents. These proved in-demand amongst conference delegates, with many schools recognising the importance of engaging parents in developing children’s reading and comprehension skills.
We give the reading mats to parents and carers as laminated resources to use at home. They provide explanations and examples of different question types – for example, questions to retrieve information, to comment on language choices, or to relate texts to wider contexts. The sheets include question frames, which can be adapted for any book.
At Copthorne, where 98% of our learners are EAL and many families speak little English at home, we’ve found these reading mats very effective in supporting parents. In addition to encouraging shared reading at home, the mats enable parents to make effective use of questioning to develop their children’s understanding.
How does your school support more able learners in primary English? Contact us to share your approach.
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Posted By Ems Lord,
19 February 2018
Updated: 08 April 2019
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Ems Lord, Director of the University of Cambridge-based NRICH project, explains how one primary school developed learners’ conjecturing and convincing skills through the challenge of solving live maths problems – and the motivation of seeing their solutions published on the NRICH website.
What’s the problem?
Imagine the scene: your carefully planned problem-solving activity has completely engaged your class. They’re busily applying their mathematical skills in a real-life context and the higher attaining learners are being suitably stretched too. Towards the end of the session, you gather the class together to share their solutions. One of your high attainers raises a hand and suggests the correct answer. In response, you ask the inevitable question, “How do you know?” Instead of launching into a convincing argument, they simply shrug their shoulders and say “I just knew the answer!”
What are the three levels of conjecturing and convincing?
Developing the skills to conjecture and convince are essential components of our mathematics curriculum. Nevertheless, even high attainers sometimes struggle to explain their thoughts to others. They might have convinced themselves about their solution, but they are not yet able to convince another person. They need time to explore others’ solutions and develop their own convincing answers too. In Thinking Mathematically (1982), John Mason talks about three levels of convincing: convincing yourself, convincing an enemy and convincing a sceptic.
Submitting solutions to "Live Problems" on the NRICH website
As learners make the journey from being a novice to an expert at mathematical reasoning, they will progress through several distinct stages. To begin with, their solutions might simply describe how they went about solving their problem. “We do train them that it’s either right or wrong, don’t we?’ noted a teacher.
Following a visit from the NRICH team, which focused on using solutions to develop reasoning skills, the school’s mathematics subject leader set every class the challenge of submitting their own solutions to a Live Problem. The teachers began the process by exploring examples of learners’ work already published on the website, ordering the solutions according to their level of reasoning and comparing their different content. This session was supported by the article The Journey from Novice to Expert.
Back in class, the teachers introduced their classes to the various Live Problems on the NRICH site, explaining that the learners could submit their own solutions. This was incredibly motivating for learners. “There was a real reason for doing it, a bit like when you’re writing in English and you want a real reason,” explained a teacher.
Let’s look at one of the Live Problems explored by the learners. In Number Detective, learners need to identify a mystery number by following a list of clues:
- The mystery number has two digits.
- Both of its digits are even.
- The digit in the tens place is greater that the digit in the ones place.
- The ones digit is not in the three times table.
- The tens digit is not double the ones digit.
- The sum of the two digits is a multiple of five.
By focusing on explaining rather than describing their mathematical thinking, the learners developed their solution:
- Amelia says, “8 and 120 are not the number because 8 is one digit and 120 has three digits.”
- Aironas adds, “It can’t be 18 or 83 because they have odd digits.”
- “46 and 22 don’t have a tens number greater than the units number, so it can’t be them,” suggests Matas.
- Jessica states, “86 is not it because it has 6 in it (the 3x) and the rest are not.”
- Tommy D says, “It isn’t 42 because the tens digit is double the ones digit.”
- There are now only two possible answers left: 64 and 80.
- Lastly, Tommy C goes for it! “I think 64 is the answer because 6 + 4 = 10 and 10 is in the 5 times table.”
As you can see, the learners carefully explained their thinking. “I thought it would be daunting for them to be able to justify why they’d chosen a certain answer, why they’d decided on a certain thing and made a statement, but I was really surprised by how many wanted to stand up and justify themselves,” noted one of their teachers. Seeing their solution on the NRICH website created a buzz around the school and beyond: “They couldn’t wait to actually go home and tell their parents all about it.”
How can this be developed further?
Whatever their current level of reasoning, learners can also try writing their own problems for others to solve. One very successful approach is using the NRICH problem as a template. Here are two new versions of Number Detective submitted by learners from the school, which have since been published by NRICH:
As the learners progress through their schooling, they will be able to start justifying their solutions by providing a correct logical argument that has a complete chain of reasoning to it. Their improved solutions will include words such as “because”, “therefore”, “and so”, “that leads to”...
Having seen some of their learners’ work published on NRICH, I asked the teachers if they encourage their learners to try more Live Problems . “Yes, I would love to, definitely. It was fun,” one of them told me. More Live Problems are uploaded every half term and learners can also challenge themselves with some unsolved Tough Nuts problems.
If you would like to develop the reasoning skills in your classroom, make sure your class know about the latest Live Problems by subscribing to our free NRICH newsletter.
Ems Lord has been Director of NRICH since 2015, following a previous role leading one of the country's largest Mathematics Specialist Teacher Programmes. Ems has taught mathematics across the key stages, from early years to A-level Further Mathematics, and has worked in a variety of settings, including a hospital school. She’s supported schools as a leading mathematics teacher, local authority consultant and Chartered Mathematics Teacher, and has taught mathematics education on both BEd and PGCE teacher programmes. She is currently working on her PhD thesis, which explores approaches to improve support for those learning calculation skills, and is President-Elect of the Mathematical Association for 2019-2020.
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Posted By Ems Lord,
07 February 2018
Updated: 08 April 2019
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NACE is proud to partner with the NRICH project at the University of Cambridge’s Centre for Mathematical Sciences, which offers free online resources to enrich the mathematics curriculum, provide challenging and meaningful activities, and develop mathematical thinking and problem-solving skills. In this blog post, the project’s director, Ems Lord, explains why and how NRICH is developing resources designed to get GCSE students seriously interested in Further Mathematics…
Entries for the Further Mathematics A-level have tripled in recent years, from around 5,000 students in 2005 to a staggering 15,000 by 2015 (source: JCQ). But one of the greatest recent success stories in mathematics is under threat.
Figure 1: Entries for Further Mathematics up to 2016 (source: JCQ)
The transformation of Further Mathematics has all the ingredients of a great news story, yet the latest figures are alarming. Anecdotal evidence from both schools and colleges indicate a staggering 50% drop in the number of students opting to study Further Mathematics this year.
Recent changes in national policy promoting the study of three A-levels have hit Further Mathematics – often regarded as a fourth option – harder than most subjects. The NRICH team at the University of Cambridge has joined up with colleagues at the University of Oxford to address concerns regarding the current decline in Further Mathematics entries. The realisation that many GCSE students do not appreciate the opportunities offered by Further Mathematics led to our new set of free resources for schools, which we’ve called Adventures with Complex Numbers.
Why focus on complex numbers?
The current GCSE mathematics curriculum offers learners very limited insights into some of the most exciting topics awaiting them with Further Mathematics, such as complex numbers. The topic offers a terrific opportunity to give students interested in a range of different subjects a real taste of Further Mathematics well before they make their A-level choices. Complex numbers is an engaging topic for potential artists, engineers and scientists, as well as future mathematicians.
Figure 2: The Mandlebrot Fractal, a very popular concept with artists, who frequently exploit the level of detail and complexity revealed by zooming in on the original image.
What resources are available?
The key here is remembering that the resources created by NRICH are aimed at GCSE students; they are not intended for A-level teaching, although teachers may recognise their potential for those students too.
The materials adopt two straightforward approaches towards complex numbers. First, they explore the day-to-day applications of complex numbers in the real world. Learners can hear first-hand accounts about the crucial role that complex numbers play in the electricity networks that power our daily lives and how they help engineers keep structures safe and stable – as well as some spectacular examples of what can go wrong!
Figure 3: A dramatic clip from Professor Ahmer Wadee’s video Complex Numbers – Strength
The second approach encourages learners to explore complex numbers for themselves. The team have devised a range of animations which encourage a very hands-on approach, letting learners ask themselves “What if?” and giving them the tools to explore their ideas:
Figure 4: Screenshot from Vanishing Roots
So, they’re interested… What next?
We very much hope that learners enjoy the interactive resources and first-hand accounts exploring the uses of complex numbers. But the resources go much further than that. Learners can access a range of articles which take the topic much deeper, allowing them to discover how Heron of Alexandria missed his chance to explore the unknown mathematical land of complex numbers, as well as exploring the role of complex numbers in movie animation. For learners considering signing up for the Further Mathematics A-level, there’s also a live link to the national Further Mathematics Support Programme.
We’re not suggesting that this set of new resources will halt the declining numbers of Further Mathematics entries. Clearly, other agencies need to get involved too to arrest the decline. But we do hope they will offer an excellent starting point for engaging learners with the ideas they’ll encounter when studying Further Mathematics, and that they will be tempted to learn more about the possibilities offered by the subject.
Ems Lord has been Director of NRICH since 2015, following a previous role leading one of the country's largest Mathematics Specialist Teacher Programmes. Ems has taught mathematics across the key stages, from early years to A-level Further Mathematics, and has worked in a variety of settings, including a hospital school. She’s supported schools as a leading mathematics teacher, local authority consultant and Chartered Mathematics Teacher, and has taught mathematics education on both BEd and PGCE teacher programmes. She is currently working on her PhD thesis, which explores approaches to improve support for those learning calculation skills, and is President-Elect of the Mathematical Association for 2019-2020.
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Posted By NACE,
17 January 2018
Updated: 12 July 2019
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At last term’s NACE member meetup at the National Maritime Museum, attendees had the opportunity to exchange approaches and resources to support working in depth for more able learners. From the plethora of fantastic ideas exchanged on the day, here are seven to try in your school…
1. Going SOLO
NACE associate Heather Clements opened the discussion with an overview of SOLO Taxonomy, and several attendees also shared examples of how their schools are using SOLO. Ideas included showing the SOLO verbs on class walls with colour-coding by taxonomy stage, to develop learners’ language and motivate them to move up a level, and incorporating the taxonomy in marking webs at the start and end of units.
2. TED breakfast club
Shared by Rachel Bellfield at Capital City Academy, this breakfast club provides a filling and stimulating start to the day – with mental fodder provided in the form of subject-related TED talk recordings. Participating learners make notes in a journal, keeping a record of links to their lesson-time learning.
3. Oxplore.org
Recommended by a number of NACE members, this website run by the University of Oxford aims to engage 11-18 year olds in complex ideas and debates that go beyond their school curriculum. Users can take on the site’s “Big Questions”, watch videos, test their knowledge, join live online events, and pose their own questions.
4. Really short stories
To challenge learners to focus on the quality of their vocabulary and precision of language use, Fran Pett at John Ruskin Primary school suggested giving tight parameters for written tasks – such as a 16-word limit for short stories, or a maximum number of sentences per paragraph.
5. Headteachers’ challenge
At Oakleigh House school, learners are challenged each week to take on the headteachers’ challenge, posted up on the Aim High board. Responses are shared in an assembly, with outstanding work showcased on the board.
6. Questioning for parents
To help parents and carers develop their use of questioning, Salcombe Preparatory School runs workshops on this topic, featuring practical demonstrations by staff and students. These events are supported by a booklet on questioning for parents and carers, and aligned with other events for maximum reach.
7. Model United Nations
Finally, Nathan Wooding at Edge Grove Preparatory School recommended participation in the Model United Nations as an inspiring and engaging way for learners to develop a whole range of skills, including independent learning, project work, research, critical thinking and negotiation.
How does your school support working in depth? Add a comment below to share your ideas.
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Posted By Ben Weddell, National Maritime Museum,
03 January 2018
Updated: 08 April 2019
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The National Maritime Museum recently hosted a NACE member meetup exploring approaches to working in depth for the more able. Following on from the event, the museum’s Ben Weddell explains how an enquiry-based approach to history can be used to inspire and challenge learners of all ages and abilities.
Recently the National Maritime Museum (NMM) learning team were lucky enough to host a NACE member meetup. Following a presentation on SOLO Taxonomy and a “speed sharing” session, we had the opportunity to share the museum’s approach to teaching historical enquiry and how this can translate to the classroom, based on my experiences at the NMM and as a secondary history teacher.
History as an investigative process
A fascinating aspect of learning about the past is the realisation that we have to discover it. Far from a list of dates and occurrences to be memorised and regurgitated, history can – should – be an investigative subject of discovery.
This is a far more interesting and engaging approach, and one which provides opportunities to personalise and differentiate, by giving learners agency for the routes they take in uncovering the past.
Indeed, for history to have any meaning as a subject I would argue that it has to be investigative. It is through the skills which constitute a historical methodology that “history” comes to make sense as a coherent single subject.
Defining a historical method
If challenged about the scientific method, most teachers would be able to outline the “hypothesis, experimentation, new hypothesis” model. Is it possible to repeat that for history? If there is a scientific method that learners can grasp, surely there has to be an equivalent for history.
Historical enquiry is the skill that fills this gap. This starts from the premise that we don’t know what happened in the past and have to discover this for ourselves – a great learning opportunity as this is where learners themselves begin. Rather than treating learners as passive vessels to be topped up with historical information, this approach challenges them to uncover the past themselves.
Furthermore, there is an expectation in the national curriculum that enquiry will be taught:
“Pupils are expected to understand the methods of historical enquiry, including how evidence is used rigorously to make historical claims, and discern how and why contrasting arguments and interpretations of the past have been constructed.”
This process builds from KS1 to KS2 and 3, developing skills in dealing with isolated blocks of evidence and then establishing links between these, culminating in the ability to assess, ask questions of, and reflect on a large bank of potentially contradictory evidence and come to sound conclusions.
Harnessing the power of objects
One way to engage learners in this journey is to incorporate object-based enquiry. History teaching often focuses around the spoken and written word, resulting in a teacher-led approach. Using objects, especially in a multisensory capacity, can add interesting new dimensions to learning:
Increased motivation and curiosity
- Accessibility, through the ability for learners to raise their own questions
- Multisensory approaches providing different access points for a range of learners
- “Realness” – aiding understanding of abstract ideas through a focus on tangible objects
- Cross-curricular opportunities for literacy, incorporation of other forms of evidence and other subject areas
It is possible to build enquiry opportunities using a huge range of objects, so developing a specific object bank is useful but not essential. Whether making use of printed resources or actual physical objects, the process of conducting an enquiry is what brings the object to life.
Let learners find their own challenge
Larger enquiries offer extensive opportunities for teachers. The key is to provide a limited amount of initial evidence and then allow learners to formulate their own responses. This creates effective differentiation and provides unique opportunities for learners to create their own working level, including the more able.
Furthermore, a creative introduction to the initial information – say roleplaying an archaeological discovery or a new finding in a document or database – provides motivation for learners to set themselves a challenging question.
It is then possible to expand investigations with the introduction of new evidence. There is flexibility in the range and scope of evidence you introduce, which will be determined by learners’ needs and level. For instance, a limited suitcase of objects could be investigated by KS1 learners, whereas by KS3 a teacher could overload learners with objects, so they have to differentiate between useful evidence and red herrings or irrelevant information.
In practice this could take the form of:
- One-off mysteries (KS1/KS2): a collection of objects to consider and a simple guided outcome, for instance “Whose suitcase might this be?”
- Developed enquiries (KS2/KS3): building on initial discoveries to develop an entire scheme of work, for instance “Why was this object found in the Arctic?”, leading into a wider investigation of John Franklin’s doomed final voyage to the Arctic, linking more widely to Arctic exploration.
- Self-led enquiries (KS3): initial collection of evidence and a problem, leading to a project including opportunities for learners to define their own questions and route, selecting appropriate evidence from a wide range and engaging with controversies.
All of these models follow the same process – starting with initial evidence, developing a hypothesis, testing with additional evidence, then repeating with a new hypothesis and so on. The cyclical nature of this process is marked by increasing degrees of certainty in learners’ findings as they increase the depth and range of the evidence they have based their ideas upon.
Enquiry as part of a wider pedagogy
Making enquiry a central part of learning has a number of benefits. It revolves around approaching topics with a focus on teaching skills that can then be used to access content, as opposed to a discrete delivery of content and skills. In turn, this means that history begins to make coherent sense, challenging some learners’ misconception that it is “just stuff that has happened”.
The skills acquired will also be more easily transferable and encourage a cross-curricular approach. Significantly, these skills are highly applicable to a wider world in which the ability to assess and sift incoming information is becoming ever more crucial.
Historical enquiry fits well with other pedagogies, such as SOLO Taxonomy or other progressive models such as Bloom’s. As the enquiry progresses, individual learners move through different stages of thinking skills, with initial stages of identification and definition, progressing to description of evidence, classification and analysis, through to evaluation and hypothesising around a wide range of evidence.
This approach forms the basis for historical enquiry sessions at the National Maritime Museum. These sessions include KS1 investigations into where breakfast comes from, full-day secondary study sessions incorporating original archive materials, and expert research sessions for post-16 students. You can find out more about these sessions on our website or through our guide to school programmes, which can be found here.
Useful links:
- National Maritime Museum for schools – including information about school visits, CPD opportunities, downloadable resources and more.
- Royal Museums Greenwich collections – searchable database of the Royal Musuems Greenwich collections, ranging from maps and charts to a taxidermy penguin! Includes images and information which can easily be adapted as resources for teaching and learning.
- Spartacus Educational – free-to-use site hosting historical resources and materials, useful for creating banks of evidence to build an enquiry.
- Thinking History – website of Ian Dawson, one of the founders of the Schools History Project, with a huge array of fantastic enquiry-based sessions available for free.
Ben is a learning producer at the National Maritime Museum, Greenwich, where he specialises in historical enquiry programmes for learners of all ages. He previously worked as a history teacher in secondary schools and a sixth form college, with a particular interest in opportunities to build historical enquiry into the curriculum. To find out more about Ben’s work and how your school could get involved, contact NACE and we will put you in touch.
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Posted By Georghia Ellinas,
01 December 2017
Updated: 08 April 2019
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Georghia Ellinas, Head of Learning at Globe Education, explains how Shakespeare’s stories can be used from an early age to develop engagement with oral and written narrative – and a whole lot more…
Narrative is a central element in the National Curriculum – for good reason. Storytelling is at the heart of human identity, communication, and our understanding of the world. Through the telling and interpretation of stories, learners develop not only their vocabulary and command of language, but also their cognitive skills, empathy, sense of self, and engagement with moral and emotional issues.
Good stories also prepare learners for engaging with the range of literature they will encounter throughout their school careers and in their personal reading. That is why it is important to offer them interesting stories from the start.
And what greater storyteller than Shakespeare to engage learners of all ages and abilities?
The power of performance
There’s a common misconception that Shakespeare is too challenging for young children or for those coming to English as a second language. In fact, the perceived difficulty of Shakespearean language is irrelevant when children are motivated to learn and use it, through immersion in role play and oral exploration of the plays.
Inviting learners to act out the stories – putting themselves inside the minds and predicaments of Shakespearean characters at key moments in the narrative – provides a first-hand immersive experience which means they use language in a much more powerful way.
This performative, oral phase is an essential precursor to developing learners’ writing skills. The written work they go on to produce is much more creative and confident, grounded in a real emotional engagement with the story, characters and language. Having had that immersive experience, learners are motivated to challenge themselves, and you get that wonderful language development that takes place when children hear and use very rich language.
Shakespearean philosophy for children
Beyond the development of speaking and writing skills, Shakespeare challenges learners to grapple with moral and emotional issues. By choosing the right plays, and presenting them in an engaging way, this can be made accessible to learners of all ages and abilities, starting right from the early years.
For very young children, consider a play like The Winter’s Tale. This is about jealousy – irrational jealousy – exploring the counterproductive and destructive side of being possessive of your friends. For slightly older children, a play like Twelfth Night looks at bullying – the way that, when we don’t like somebody or think they need taking down a peg or two, we gang up on them – and how unfair that is, no matter how difficult that person may be.
All of this gives learners a foundation they will build on throughout their education, up to GCSE and beyond – understanding story structure, analysing characters and their motivations, describing contexts, assessing moral dilemmas. It also gives them tools for life, developing attributes such as empathy, which are essential for a happy life.
Children as Storytellers
These goals and principles underpin Globe Education’s Children as Storytellers project, launched in 2012 to support primary schools in developing learners’ storytelling skills using Shakespeare. Running over a course of 10 weeks, the project offers interactive workshops for learners, CPD for teachers, and an interactive storytelling session in their school. Hearing the story together is the best way to build a shared understanding of the characters and what happens to them.
In the first half of the course, Globe Education Practitioners use role play-based workshops to inspire learners to start using the language of the play, exploring the characters’ motivations, and thinking about the structure of the story. The second half of the course is led by school teachers, building on the use of performance and oral storytelling to develop learners’ reading and writing skills, with support from the Globe team. Over the last year we’ve also extended the project to run sessions for family members, engaging them in telling stories, asking questions, and developing their child’s critical thinking.
Headteachers and teachers involved in the project highlight its capacity to stretch and challenge not only their learners, but themselves as well – giving them fresh tools and approaches with which to unlock Shakespeare, and prompting them to rethink what they can offer even their youngest learners.
How to get involved
NACE is delighted to be working in partnership with Globe Education this year, to support NACE members in providing challenge through all phases of the English curriculum. To access free resources to support teaching and learning using Shakespeare – including lesson plans, revision guides, videos and interactive online tools – visit The Globe’s Teach Shakespeare website.
To find out more about the Children as Storytellers project, and to discuss running the project at your own school, contact the Globe Education team on +44 (0)20 7902 1435 or email learningenquiries@shakespearesglobe.com.
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