January 2019

TEACHING, LEARNING & ASSESSMENT NEWSLETTER

Sharing Best Practice Workshops
The INSET of 2018 was rounded off with a number of teaching, learning & assessment workshops based on the great things that have been observed
around college, which we felt all teachers would benefit from seeing and having a go at. All strategies were aimed at incorporating stretch & challenge
into teachers’ everyday practice, a key TLA focus for this year.

An Experience of Quality First Teaching

Led by Rhian (SENDCo), this session provided staff with an experience of quality first teaching.
Quality First Teaching (QTF) ensures that all learners, regardless of their specific learning needs, have these met through the planning and delivery
of each lesson. Key features include:
 Highly focused lesson design with clear, shared objectives
 High demands of pupil involvement and engagement with their learning
 High levels of interaction for all pupils
 Appropriate use of teacher questioning, modelling and explaining
 An emphasis on learning through dialogue, with regular opportunities for
pupils to talk both individually and in groups
 An expectation that pupils will accept responsibility for their own learning
and work independently
 Regular use of encouragement and authentic praise to engage and moti-
vate pupils.
 Clear targets that are specific, measurable, achievable, relevant & time-
based.

How to Develop Oracy within the Classroom

Led by John (Literacy Co-ordinator), this session had staff take part in a strategy
aimed at developing student oracy through a ‘fishbowl discussion’.
The aim of the ‘fishbowl discussion’ is to promote general oracy and critical think-
ing skills using structured classroom talk.
Top Tips: When someone enters the inner circle, the inner circle is frozen for 1
minute to give the conversation a chance to develop. Give an upper limit to the
amount of time/turns one person can stay in the inner circle for. Have students in
outer circle write questions down on whiteboards as they occur to them to keep
track. Questions may be posed from the outer circle to the inner circle, but to re-
spond students must enter inner circle. Lower limit of 2 and upper limit of 4 in the
inner circle. For larger classes, try two different fishbowls running simultaneously in
two groups which can then share ideas afterwards.

How to use DIRT Effectively

Led by Julia (DTLA A-Level), this session aimed to ensure the green pen in assessment folders really does
demonstrate learner progress.
The effectiveness of DIRT rests on the quality of teacher feedback during the marking process. Feedback
should not give students the correct answers but should guide them to work out how to improve their work
independently. This is what DIRT is all about: making progress.
Effective feedback should fall into the following two categories. 1. Easy to respond to based on good feedback, eg. The key points made in paragraph 1 &
2 require supportive examples from the text. This ensures all students can make some progress during DIRT. 2. Difficult to respond to based on good feed-
back, eg. You have identified a number of accurate strengths, but what are the limitations? By using higher order questions, learners are challenged further.
 How to Embed Effective Questioning
Led by Stuart (DOF), this session revisited some of the ideas from last year’s CPD to refresh the practice of existing members of staff and to introduce new
members of staff to effective questioning strategies.
Which Questioning Strategy? The questioning strategy adopted makes a big difference to the proportion of students who participate, both mentally and
verbally, in lessons. Below are the questioning strategies that can have the most impact.
Important factors to consider include, the participation rate, how representative the feedback is to the teacher, the quality of the students’ feedback, the
given thinking time and the comfort of the student. Below are some of the most effective questioning strategies.

Pair checking —Teacher asks a question,
and students work alone to answer it.
Pairs then compare their answers and
each individual says something positive
about their partner’s answer and one
thing that would improve it. The teacher
now gives the correct answer. Pairs sug-
gest another improvement to their part-
ner’s answer. This can be done with pairs
combining into fours to compare their
answers. The teacher listens to some stu-
dent conversations throughout.
Buzz groups: nominees answer—
Students work in small groups, or
pairs, to answer a thought-provoking
question, or do a calculation or similar
task. The teacher asks each group in
turn to contribute part of the answer.
The teacher nominates the student in
each group who will contribute that
group’s answer(s). The teacher only
chooses which student will give the
group’s answer after the group dis-
cussion.
Assertive Questioning — Buzz groups work on a
thought provoking question. The teacher asks
individuals to give their group’s answer. These
individuals are usually nominated by the teacher,
but they could be volunteers from the group. The
teacher gets a number of answers without giving
the correct answer away. The teacher then en-
courages the class to discuss their various an-
swers, and to agree, and justify a ‘class answer’.
Minority views are allowed, but the aim is consen-
sus. Only when the class has agreed its answer
does the teacher ‘give away’ the right answer.

How to Use Group Work Effectively in the Classroom

Led by Gemma (DoF), this session introduced staff to a number of strategies to support the use of group work in the classroom, a crucial skill for A-level, BTEC
and GCSE teachers.
Employability is one of the main reasons for why we are encouraged to use tasks which are ‘peer led’. If students don’t know how to work effectively in
groups, they can’t live up to that common line- ‘I am able to work independently and as part of a team’. However, for group work to be effective there
are some key features that must be adhered to.
Firstly, make group work a habit. It may be tricky to get all your students working collaboratively the
first time you try it, but as with everything, practice makes perfect. Secondly, group work should be tai-
lored to the needs of individual students wherever possible. This is also crucial for QFT. Thirdly, find some
quick wins so group work does not lead to additional planning and preparation. Have a bank of effec-
tive group work strategies which don't need many, if any, resources that can be used any time during a
lesson. Finally, and perhaps most importantly, every student should have a role in group work as op-
posed to just a leader. This ensures that group work is meaningful for all students.
For some effective group work strategies see the shared area/CPD INSET/2018_19/December/Group
Work Strategies

How to Assess Learning in BTEC Lessons

Led by Becky (DTLA BTEC) and designed specifically for BTEC teachers, this session shared numerous ideas for
assessing the progress of learners during lesson whilst staying within the boundaries of BTEC guidelines.
As BTEC teachers will only be too aware, assessing learning can be tricky in a subject where guided feedback
on how to improve is forbidden. Thus, it is crucial to have a repertoire of alternative methods to assess the pro-
gress students are making during the formative stages of the course.
The key really, is that students are fully aware of how to achieve, leading to competent self-assessment. This
not only ensures learners are working at the required level, but also reduc-
es reliance on staff.
Becky has put together a pack of ready to use strategies (see shared area)
that ensure learners are familiar with command words, know how to reduce
and transform information, recognise the significance and importance of
information, as well as chunking information in preparation for assignments.
In fact, these resources are not only useful for BTEC students but A-level and
GCSE also!

For more information about any of these training sessions, go to the Staff Shared/CPD and INSET/INSET/2018-19/December
Also, don’t forget about our TLA website with loads of useful ideas to use in your classroom.
(www.connelllearningcommunity.weebly.com)
 Sharing Best Practice Around Connell College
Over the past term we appreciate staff have had been observed on numerous occasions. From their formal observation & learning walks, to SCITT
trainees and those embarking of the first steps of their teaching career.
As a result we have had the pleasure of seeing and hearing about some fantastic teaching practice. Below are some of those ideas, with a specific focus on
the use of technology, to inspire you in 2019.

PODCASTS INSERT LEARNING

Podcasts are a great way to increase the amount of learning students do Scan the QR Code to find out more!
outside the classroom as well as providing quick and easy ways to stretch
and challenge the most able learners.
Most students have smart phones and can download a podcast player
free or charge, for example

If not, links can be emailed to students to be listened to through a PC. MINI VISUALISER
Top tips for using podcasts to improve learning:
Projector technology is coming back in fashion!
 Make sure the podcast has a purpose. Students should have to
do something with the information they have listened to, such as The use of a visualiser is a great way for teachers and students to
answering some questions, have ‘fishbowl discussion’, flipped model learning whilst projecting it to the rest of the class or a specific
learning. group, eg, a calculation on a calculator, a science practical. It is also
a useful way to show students a specific paragraph/image in a
 Make sure the podcast is from a
textbook.
reputable source, eg, The Guardian, the BBC,
you, etc. For more information
 This may sound silly, but please ensure speak to Malcolm, who
you have listened to it first so you know it is already uses a visualiser
accessible and relevant. really effectively in his
lessons.
If you think this would be
a useful addition to your
classroom, speak to your
DoF.

For those teachers yet to try Flipgrid, this is a great way to engage
GO PRO
students with the assessment process simultaneously, to develop oracy
and to document student feedback electronically. The TLA department now has its own Go Pro that can be lent out to
teachers wanting to use it to reflect on their TLA.
Top tips for using Flipgrid to improve learning:
 Whether using it for individual or group feedback, make sure Top tips for using a Go Pro to improve learning:
students have a clear structure you expect them to use, including  Go Pros have a wide lens so the
time frames. whole class can be recorded. This
 Factor in planning time so that students can feel fully prepared, can enable you to see aspects of
including an opportunity for a practice run. the lesson that may not be visible
from your teaching position. This
 When using Flipgrid in groups, differentiate by giving students
can also be used to share best
different roles/different questions or ideas to address.
practice with other teachers.
 Being on camera can be a big deal for some students, so do take
that into consideration, particularly those with SEMH concerns.  Ask as member of the class to
wear the Go Pro on their head or chest, so you can have an
insight into what the lesson looks like from a student
perspective.
DIAGNOSTIC QUESTIONS NEWSEUM
 Wear the Go Pro on your head or chest so you can revisit
Scan the QR Code to find out Scan the QR Code to find out
aspects of the lesson from your perspective and see how it
more! more! compares to memory.

 Please be mindful of our data protection policy. Any

recording of students can only be used within college and
between teachers, unless students have signed the relevant
form.
If you would like to borrow the TLA Go Pro, please email Becky
Clark.
 TEACHER PROFILES
After a gruelling term, a number of teachers have emerged as deserving some additional recognition for their
contribution to the student experience and life of the college as a whole. Incidentally, they are also all new to
the college this year, so let’s take this opportunity to get to know them a little better and discover why they are
so highly rated by students and staff alike.

Name: Reza Ghanavati Subject(s): Maths

Name: Abigail White
Subject(s): History
Years teaching: 5
You have clearly made a very good impres-
sion on students so far this year. What is
your secret?
Showing them that you care about them as an
individual, and be assertive but fair. I read a
blog from someone once that said never prom-
ise to treat students equally, as you can never
do this with their individual needs, but you can
promise to be fair.
What is your best strategy for making your
lessons engaging?
Varying your learning activities and stealing
ideas from other people and subjects to apply
them to your situation. Twitter is absolutely full
of great ideas that people are sharing and I
get so many ideas from there. Some work, some
don’t, but it’s good to give things a go.
What words of wisdom would you pass on
to new, aspiring or even jaded teachers?
It’s cheesy but I have in my planner a sticker
that says “Be who you needed when you were
younger” which really reminds you why you
came into this profession.
What accomplishment(s) have you been
most proud of this year (does not need to be
teaching related)?
Getting a work life balance! I still work hard,
but I now enjoy a weekend and evenings much
more and I’m a better teacher for it as I’m less
stressed and happy in the classroom.
Years teaching: 6
You have clearly made a very good impression on students so far this year. What is your
secret?
Providing full support for students at all times, that includes supporting via email when I am not on
site.
What is your best strategy for making your lessons engaging?
Having the right amount of challenge for everyone, students can access the work and be challenged
in the lesson.
What words of wisdom would you pass on to new, aspiring or even jaded teachers?
Everyone learns in their own way, there are no set ways of learning.
What accomplishment(s) have you been most proud of this year?
Engaging my least motivated U6 students to the point that they are
talking about A and A star grades.
Name: Ryan Usher
Subject(s): BTEC Sport – CITC
Years teaching: 1
You have clearly made a very good impression on students so far this year.
What is your secret?
No specific secret, just putting the components of my teacher training into practice
has been successful so far.
What is your best strategy for making your lessons engaging?
For the students I teach, making lessons as practical as possible suits their needs the
most. Team building activities in lessons this year have created healthy student rela-
tionships and a positive classroom environment.
What words of wisdom would you pass on to new, aspiring or even jaded
teachers?
Be energetic! This is something I feel can be mirrored by students, in particular in the
final weeks before holidays/breaks.
What accomplishment(s) have you been most proud of this year (does not
need to be teaching related)?
I have surprised myself about how quickly I have settled into my first teaching job.
This has been helped by consistent support from my department and other members
of staff across Connell.

Name: Jennifer Innes Subject(s): BTEC Science Years teaching: 13

You have clearly made a very good impression on students so far this year. What is your secret?
Interesting, innovative and interactive activities. Always being available to students even in free periods, lunch time and after college
to provide support. Constantly changing and intriguing wall displays to produce an engaging environment for learning.
What is your best strategy for making your lessons engaging?
Thorough research and plethora of resources. Visual aids are always a bonus. A good exciting starter soon motivates the students to arrive on time and fosters
eagerness to participate.

What words of wisdom would you pass on to new, aspiring or even jaded teachers?
Always be willing to listen. Never think any answer is ridiculous. Be approachable. Think outside the box.

What accomplishment(s) have you been most proud of this year?

Helping my brother with his dream proposal, planned in the middle of a major supermarket. Arranging over 200 roses into a large bouquet with the ring. Lis-
tening to his rehearsed romantic speech, only to watch him forget every word through nerves and shedding a tear after she said "Yes".