WoW: complement

 

Communication Focuses

READING

• Reading Widely
• Reading for pleasure

WRITING

• Spelling of subject-specific vocabulary (tier 3)
• Use of WAGOLLs to scaffold (visualisers, mini-whiteboards)

ORACY

• Purposeful and structured communication with others

Teaching and Learning Priorities

• Climate for learning(DMC) – working with NQTs and RQTs
• Vocabulary (ACH) – Middle leaders working on this at present
• Purposeful Interactions by all (CRO) – working with NQTs and RQTs

This Week:

OPEN DOOR WEEK! PLEASE GET INVOLVED!

• Trainees – meetings Tuesday 1 (9:15) and Wednesday 1 (9.15).
  • CPD this week TBC (rearranged from last week – RSW and PWA).
• NQTs – JMJ Tuesday 3; RHU – period 4
• Open Door Week – next week! Please make time to pop in and see your colleagues in action.  They are fab and it is such a privilege.   Raffle tickets in the staffroom – take one for each ‘activity’ that you are involved in (i.e. visiting or being visited).  Prize draw at the end of the week.
• Thanks – a huge thank you for your hard work and support with C. Morris’ visits last week.  This was very positive, overall. Further feedback to follow. 

 

Reflect on Your Practice:

Teaching and Learning Policy: Feedback – Plan - Teach

As we continue to walk-through our Teaching and Learning Policy (Feedback – Plan – Teach), this week, we consider the ‘Teach’ element. This is what our policy says about ‘vocabulary instruction’.  

 

1. Teachers must be explicit about the learning outcomes (or big question) and key vocabulary.

Students must know the knowledge and skills that you want them to learn and the language that they are expected to understand and use (tier 2 and tier 3 vocabulary).

 

Teachers must share the big question or learning outcomes (preferably written and verbally) with students and display key vocabulary for the lesson on the board/PowerPoint or presentation source.  The key vocabulary should be referred to and made explicit throughout the lesson.  The Frayer model should be used, where possible, to teach new vocabulary.  

 

Students must not copy down learning outcomes as a ‘control’ activity.  On rare occasion, this may be deemed appropriate (i.e. if the classroom climate is not as it should be and needs to be corrected by providing a focus).  Copying is definitely not a ‘flying start’ to lessons.

 

Instead, you may try:

• Asking for a reminder of the previous learning outcomes and key words; the class may then speculate as to what they may learn this lesson.
• Completing the first activity above and then asking the class to define the learning outcomes.
• Teach the lesson and then ask students to articulate the learning outcomes or big question.

 

Key words must be referred to throughout the lesson; otherwise mentioning them at all will be pointless.  The high expectations of the teacher will be represented in the teacher’s language and the key words will not be commonly understood unless referred to throughout the lesson.  There should be no more than two or three key words per lesson.

 

 

Teacher-Talk

There are always certain ‘buzz words’ surrounding education.  Those of the moment are pasted below. Significantly, Ofsted inspectors will expect us to know (and use) these words in our conversations with them.  Test yourself…which ones do you know?

 

Term	Definition	Further Reading/CPD
Class Feedback	Instead of marking every book closely and writing individual comments on every book, teachers read every book and only make the minimum number of interventions. Feedback is then provided on a proforma to the class.	https://www.teachertoolkit.co.uk/page/2/?s=class+feedback
Concrete Examples	The teacher introduces concrete examples and then sets up opportunities for learners to practise using concrete examples as part of spaced practice.	https://app.teachinghow2s.com/concrete-examples
Dual Coding	The teacher teaches learners how to combine verbal materials with visual materials as an effective way to study	https://app.teachinghow2s.com/dual-coding
Elaborative Interrogation	The teacher introduces Elaborative Interrogation then uses specific methods as part of Spaced Practice in class.	https://app.teachinghow2s.com/elaborative-interrogation
Interleaving	Combined with spaced practice, the teacher can use interleaving to return to previously learnt topics in a structured way.	https://app.teachinghow2s.com/interleaving
Live Marking	This is sitting with a student and talking through a piece of work, celebrating good work and identifying areas for improvement. It is a verbal dialogue.	https://www.sec-ed.co.uk/best-practice/case-study-a-marking-feedback-revolution/   https://www.teachertoolkit.co.uk/2018/03/04/live-marking-2/
Retrieval Practice	Bringing information to mind from memory.  Applying this information in new situations.	https://app.teachinghow2s.com/retrieval-practice
Reciprocal Reading	Reciprocal reading is a structured approach to teaching strategies (questioning, clarifying, summarising and predicting) that students can use to improve their reading comprehension.	https://educationendowmentfoundation.org.uk/projects-and-evaluation/projects/reciprocal-reading/
Spaced Practice	When learners space their studying, they take the same amount of study time and space it across a longer period of time.	https://app.teachinghow2s.com/spaced-practice
Vocabulary Instruction	Should provide students with opportunities for word learning by: encouraging wide reading; ... promoting word consciousness; providing explicit instruction of specific words; and. providing modelling and instruction in independent word-learning strategies.	https://educationendowmentfoundation.org.uk/tools/guidance-reports/improving-literacy-in-secondary-schools/

 

 

 

Top Tip Schedule

 

Subject Heads, please ensure that someone from your department is ready to share a ‘Top Tip’ on the designated date. 

 

2/03/2020	The Arts
*9/03/2020	Pastries and Progress - WEDS Reciprocal Reading JGA
16/03/2020	FRI - Pastoral – PCs Open Door Week
23/03/2020	English
30/03/2020	Drama

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

CPD Cascade

Study Groups 2019-20

A reminder of the key focuses within departments:

• Expressive Arts – improving engagement in Year 9
• Computing – Developing the use of Teams to allow learning beyond the classroom
• Mathematics – recall and retention
• Art – Engagement of boys
• English – use of knowledge organisers
• MFL – Speaking examination – extended pupil responses; Listening and reading: developing confidence
• Humanities - progress of middle attaining boys
• PE  – Link between theory at KS3 and KS4
• Technology – Developing the use of homework at KS3 to prepare students for KS4 course
• Science – personalised learning plans for each student in each science.

 

CPD Audit

Many thanks for taking the time to complete the CPD audit.  Feedback will follow shortly.