Exam Preparation

This week, led by Michelle Turnbull (Teacher of Maths), we shared ideas about how to prepare students for exams in our subjects. Here are some of the activities that we use to improve exam skills:

• Ask students to write their own exam questions.

• 'Pass it On' - students start a response to a question and then pass it on after several minutes, the next students then add to this and so on, trying to pick up extra marks each time it is passed on.

• Maths explained how they turn shorter exam questions into a game of bingo.

• Ask students to set the learning objectives using the exam mark scheme.

• Let students complete their answers in groups and then use the visualiser to share their work with the class.

• Using a 3x3 grid, put a revision activity in each square and ask students to complete three in a row in any direction (vertically, horizontally or diagonally).

• Set up an 'Exam Race', students complete questions and bring them to the teacher to be marked, with the aim of gathering as many marks as possible. Alternatively you could task the more able students to act as teacher or expert, give them a mark scheme and allow them to award marks for other students' work.

Please share any other revision activities that you use with your classes below...

Effective Learner Behaviours

Nurturing Outstanding Attitudes to Learning

This week Amanda McHugh (Director of Learning SNF) led Swap Shop. During the session we discussed how we could encourage and nurture effective learner behaviours. Preparing students to take an independent approach, in order to take control of their learning, is hugely beneficial to a student. As educators, it is our responsibility to equip them with approaches that will help them to learn how to learn.

By learning how to learn, students will continue to learn effectively throughout their lives. 

Amanda explained the 5Rs of learning (These can be found below and in the Swap Shop folder in the shared area). During Swap Shop we talked about putting these posters on display in classrooms,using them to set learning outcomes and referring to them frequently during lessons. 

If you have any further suggestions about how to use the 5Rs, please share your ideas in the comments box below.

The Five 'Rs'

A responsible learner knows to:

stay calm

get on with it

plan ahead

make good choices

help others

The reflective learner:

asks “why?”

stays calm

listens to different options

learns from mistakes

uses memory techniques

A resilient learner: 

sticks at it

has a positive attitude

finds interest in what they are doing

sets targets

practises

A resourceful learner uses:

Imagination

learns in different ways

asks good questions

takes risks

 

The learner who reasons can:

take their time

gather all the evidence

say which is better and why

choose the best method

 

Independent Thinking and Revision Tactics

This morning Ed Thorndyke (Teacher of PE) demonstrated an activity that all teachers can adapt for their subjects. The activity required energy; it really woke us up at 8.30am and got us moving!

How to use the activity:

1. Students work in small groups for this activity.
2. They are given a large sheet with different areas to investigate. (See picture below).
3. Each topic on the sheet is colour-coded: green, blue or red (in order of difficulty).
4. Around the room there are sheets of information, which are also colour-coded. (Again, see picture below).
5. Students must then move around the room finding information, they cannot bring the sheets back with them, they must read and remember the information and add it to the sheet on their desks.

The activity worked really well and by the end of Swap Shop all of us had filled an A3 sheet with information about 'Drugs in Sport'!

This activity has the potential to be adapted in many ways. Ed explained how it could be used to develop and extend writing; in English for example, you could colour-code sentences in a way which progresses students from C-A*.

How could you use it in your subject?

Students Thinking Like Specialists.

This week's Swap Shop was delivered by Nicholas Sampson (Science Teacher and Second in Department) and Halima Alam (Science Teacher). We explored an exciting way of adapting lessons to encourage students to think like specialists.

Teachers were encouraged to think of specialists associated with their subjects. Lessons are then planned so that students can adopt these roles. 

The science department explained how they have been adopting this approach:

Lessons were then planned with this model in mind:

The Science Department have found this approach to be a really effective learning and teaching tool, which challenges students to become independent and allows them to develop and use subject specific vocabulary.

Teachers should support students by modelling how specialists would think, speak and write...

What subject specialists could you use in your lesson planning? Please share your ideas below...