Focusing on a particular skill

To help pupils become more effective and independent learners, it is best to start with one or two basic learning skills and concentrate on those. You might start by:

· focusing on how pupils organise and sequence their work;

· encouraging pupils to appreciate when they need to seek help or ask questions.

To make it even simpler, the skill of knowing when to seek help can be put into the context of organising and sequencing work.

Task 2

Choose a class to work with 30 minutes

Choose one class in which you would like to enhance pupils' learning skills. In this unit, you will teach three appropriately phased key lessons with that class. The approach is one of 'starting small' - focusing on simple changes that will make a difference to your teaching. Think carefully about which class or group to choose.

· It should be one where you judge that a significant number of pup ils lack the necessary learning skills.

· Do not be too ambitious, however. Choose a class with whom you are willing to take some risks and try out new ideas.

· Before making your final decision, talk to colleagues who teach the same pupils (or a majority of them). Ascertain their views of the pupils' learning skills and check that one of them is willing to be observed for one of their lessons with the class.

Having identified a suitable class to work with, reflect on their effectiveness as learners.

· Reflect on the list of learning skills nearest to the age of your chosen class.

· Use the right-hand column to record the skills that you think they already exhibit.

· Record in the right-hand column the learning skills that they most need to develop.

Task 3 90 minutes

Observe the class with another teacher

It can be invaluable to have the opportunity to observe your pupils being taught by another teacher in another subject. This can help you to identify:

· pupils' strengths and weaknesses as learners (as these are common to different subjects and teachers);

· the positive and negative effects of the different approaches you and your colleague adopt in teaching and relating to the class;

· differences in the opportunities provided in different subjects.

Arrange to observe one of your colleague's lessons, first agreeing the purpose of the exercise and sharing the checklist of learning skills you have developed. During the lesson:

· use the checklist to focus your observations of the pupils;

· note features of the teaching which foster pupils' learning skills.

After the observation, arrange to have a discussion with your colleague - you will need up to 30 minutes. Use your notes as a basis for the discussion, remembering the points you want to tease out about similarities and differences between the lesson you observed and your own lessons (from the three bullet points above).

Modelling

To be successful in any task, pupils need to understand the task and possess the learning skills. .

Like most teachers, you are probably familiar with the experience of having explained a task very carefully to a class, only to find that many of them cannot get on with it! Modelling can be more effective than verbal explanations, especially for pupils who prefer a visual learning style. With modelling, the teacher:

· demonstrates the task by doing it in front of the class;

· links the task to skills or processes that learners can already perform;

· goes through the task in a clear, structured and sequential way, thinking aloud and explaining what they are doing;

· invites pupils to memorise the steps involved in the task and then imitate what they have seen (perhaps supported by reminders written on the board).

An advantage of modelling is that you can make hidden processes - such as the thinking behind alterations and revisions - explicit. This helps give pupils the confidence to use the processes themselves. It is particularly beneficial to pupils learning English as an additional language because you can model the subject­ specific language for them in the context of the work being done.

It is also possible to model a learning skill directly. For example, to model the skill of asking useful questions you could set up a role-play where two people question each other in a conversation. In this way you could, for example, look at what sorts of question are useful and what sorts are useless if you are a detective.

Examples of processes or skills that can be modelled are:

· writing an account;

· constructing a concept map;

· considering options when receiving the ball in an invasion game such as football or netball;

· evaluating a finished product in design and technology;

· drawing a field sketch in geography.

Case study 2

A geography teacher wanted his class to practise drawing field sketches. Before asking them to do so, he modelled the task himself. He sketched the landscape on an OHT, giving the following commentary.

'OK, now where do I start? If I want to make an accurate sketch then I need to make sure I draw a frame that is the same shape as the "view".

Now I'm ready to draw the field sketch itself. It's important to draw in the main landscape lines first so that I divide up the different areas of land use.

Now I have an outline of the main areas, I can put in the detail ... a few outlines of buildings ... oops ... it doesn't really matter that they don't look like buildings ... this isn't a piece of art ... the most important thing is that the labels we add in next are detailed and accurate.

Now to start annotating the sketch. Because this sketch is about Chester as a tourist destination, it's important that I pick out the main attractions ... hmmmm ... first the cathedral ... I'll pick out some important details from this guidebook to Chester.'

Reflection

This geography example should give you an idea of how the modelling process works. How could you exploit this strategy to its full potential?

Think of a topic you are currently teaching and identify an aspect that would be suitable for modelling to the class. Talk through a short 'script' to yourself, imagining that you are starting the process with your pupils. Does it feel different from what you would normally do? In what ways? List any additional equipment that you would find useful to have in the classroom.

Giving good examples and feedback

Having had the skill modelled for them, pupils need to engage with it for themselves. During this time, it is essential that you monitor the work and give good feedback. As well as giving practical help, this encourages pupils to perceive their work as valued and to learn how to improve it. Where possible, aim to observe the following guidelines for monitoring and feedback.

· Monitor individuals, groups and the whole class in a balanced way.

· Engage proactively, not just waiting for pupils to seek help. Use questions or requests which encourage pupils to explain or think more deeply, such as 'Take me through what you have done so far', 'What are you doing at the moment?', 'Why have you done this?'

· Encourage pupils to check each other's work and to use other pupils as a first source of help. (You could model this for the class with a role-play exercise.)

· When appropriate, draw the class together to deal with common issues or difficulties, getting members of the class to help where possible.

· Give constructive comments on samples of written work. (Research evidence clearly indicates that this is far more likely than marks or grades to help pupils improve their work.)

Task 4

Classroom assignment: teaching learning skills 90 minutes

Choose a learning skill to develop

Using the checklist you prepared in task 2, decide what learning skill or skills you will focus on with your chosen class. The basic learning skills to develop in pupils are:

· organising and sequencing their work;

· appreciating when they need to seek help or ask questions.

Alternatively you might decide to focus on a learning skill you saw successfully taught by the teacher you observed in task 3, for example:

· working effectively in small groups: pupils are given a clear brief, strict time limits and specific feedback points to prepare;

· working on a skill not previously given much attention in your subject (e.g. drafting and re-drafting, much practised in English lessons, could be used in science to help pupils to develop written explanations).

Whatever you choose, keep it specific and fairly simple. That way you are more likely to see a clear positive response from the class.

Plan and teach the lesson

Plan your lesson, giving specific attention to how you will:

· model the task and the learning skills for the class;

· monitor and give feedback, involving pupils as much as possible.

Teach the lesson, then do an evaluation. Consider whether the class, or at least some of the pupils:

· began to show more independence in the area you were trying to develop;

· showed fewer signs of disorganisation or over-reliance on others.

Continue to develop the same learning skills with your chosen class, modelling a variety of tasks in subsequent lessons. It will take time for the new skill to be embedded into everyday learning.