Spring Term - 7th February 2022

Whole School CPD Focus:

Purposeful Writing (Explaining and Modelling)

Walkthru Cluster:

Explaining and Modelling

Walkthru:

Abstract Models with Concrete Examples (Pg. 76)

Reflections…

As we all know, one of the biggest challenges is for students to transfer their understanding by connecting concrete examples with abstract conceptualisations. This might involve students understanding how words behave grammatically; how material properties relate to their particle structures; how mathematical ideas relate to specific problems; how simplified diagrams relate to the complex real world.  This sounds obvious but Sherrington suggests, in this Walkthru, that teachers can help through linking examples and models deliberately and explicitly.

So what are the five stages of Sherrington’s Walkthru?

Stage One: Demonstrate an Example

In this first stage, Sherrington suggests introducing an idea with a specific example and he suggests the following examples:

• Michael’s room was a disaster area. This is a metaphor. Suzanne hung her head like a dying flower.  This is a simile.
• Magnesium (a metal) burns in oxygen to make Magnesium Oxide (a white powder). 2Mg+O₂ ® 2MgO. This is an example of metal combustion. Link symbols to particle model too.

Stage Two: Define the Concept in General Terms

Provide a general definition of the concept or state a general rule that applies in all cases.

• A metaphor is…whereas a simile is…  They are similar/different in the following ways…
• The combustion of metals:

Metal + Oxygen ® Metal Oxide. Illustrate with this general equation.

2X + O₂ ® 2XO

Or

4Y + O₂ ® 2Y₂O

Link back to the original example to show how the examples and the general abstract expression or model are connected.

Stage Three: Provide Further Concrete Examples

This stage is the game-changer and the key to allowing students to make those connections between abstract and real-world problems.  For each abstract concept, provide multiple concrete examples, highlighting how the connection works.   So, using the examples above, you would provide:

• Further examples of metaphors: The wheels of justice turn slowly. She was all at sea. His face was wooden.
• Zinc + Oxygen ® Zinc Oxide

Iron + Oxygen ® Iron Oxide

Carbon + Oxygen ® Carbon Dioxide: Not a metal but the combustion reaction is the same.

Stage Four: Check for Understanding

At this point, you will need to bring in a strategies from a previous Walkthru (Check for Understanding) to ensure that students can judge whether further examples fit into the general pattern of abstract definition.  Set tasks that make the students generate examples, look for errors, spot exceptions and odd-one-out.  Engage them in practice activities where they have to categorise examples according to their abstract characteristics. So the English teacher may provide a list of examples of metaphors, along with non-examples.  Students would categorise them and then summarise the features that define the metaphors as such.

Stage Five: Engage in Retrieval Practice

Use the Concrete Examples routine (stage 3) so that students can recall and explain specific concrete examples fluently for the concepts that they have learned. Students cannot be said to have fully understood what a metaphor is or how a metal reacts with oxygen if they cannot remember the examples.  Include concrete examples in your routine, daily, weekly and monthly review activities.

The third and fourth stages of this Walkthru will really help students to know and understand more, which is the key to deep learning.  By adding in those concrete examples, students should be able to feel secure in their learning and will have firm foundations upon which to build.

CPD Cascade

National College

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