Summer Term 9th May

Whole School CPD Focus:

Oracy for Writing

Walkthru Cluster:

Mode B Teaching

Walkthru:

Independent Learning: Pre-Reading

Reflections…

Flipped learning: this will conjure different images for different teachers.  The concept is not a new one but like all things in teaching, approaches often become reinvented or re-packaged.  Flipped learning, as Sherrington suggests, ‘probably began when books were invented.’  If students are positive about their learning and have the resources that they need, it is possible for teachers to ask them to read material in advance of a lesson.  And here is where this Walkthru supports our whole school focus on reading.  Students come to the lesson having read something about the topic.  This then allows for a ‘flying start’ to the lesson, with students tuned in to their learning from the outset.  As we all know, empowering our students by compelling them to take ownership of their learning will benefit them in their academic studies and also their lives beyond us.

So, what are the five steps for embedding this Walkthru?

Stage One: Construct Structured Comprehension or Research Tasks

It is not enough to say ‘read this for next lesson’.  Students must be given a specific goal. This could be to find certain words and concepts in order to explore their meaning; it could be to summarise the text into three sentences; it could be to turn the text into a series of images/diagrams.  Purpose matters.

Stage two: Model the Completion of the Tasks

This is important if you are to gain buy-in from students and if you want the task completing to an appropriate standard.  Show students how to skim and scan text to find words and definitions; show them how to organise notes.  Set the standard. Use standard routines that can then be used again when a ‘pre-reading’ homework task is set.

Stage Three: Set Tasks for Independent Completion

Give students the tasks to complete, relating to the text.  Then set a timeframe and a date for the lesson where they will need to share their learning.  It is important to check here that all students have access to the materials/technology that they need.

Stage Four: Invite Reponses and Check for Understanding

In the designated lesson, invite students to deliver their learning.  You could use:

• Cold Calling – selecting students to give an extended exposition of the key points
• Paired Presentations – pooling and then presenting findings
• Retrieval Challenge – generative quizzes and questions to test depth of reading
• Problems and Errors – provide problems containing misconceptions or errors and ask students to solve them, using what they have learned

Stage Five: Review the Process and Repeat

Review the process of pre-reading and then tweak and adapt it ready for next time.  Return to the exemplars and model as needed or provide further guidance.  Practice and routine is key.

During this intensive revision season, this Walkthru works well to test that students have learnt key information.

Previous blogs and Walkthrus in this cluster:

• Applying our CPD to-date (no Walkthru)
• Collaborative Learning Principles
• Oracy: Instructional Inputs

CPD Cascade

National College

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