Strategies for
Stretching
all Students
13th November 2009
Ideas from the staff of
Dame Alice Owen’s School
on how they stretch their
students
Contents
Area / PageResearch Skills & Independent Learning / 3-4
Calculations & Proofs / 5
Developing Evaluation Skills / 6-7
Enhancing Tasks and Pace to Extend / 8
Strategies for Stimulating Curiosity / 9
Use of Groups and Pair Work to Stretch / 10-11
Using Thinking Maps / 12
Extended Writing / 13
Extra Curricular Opportunities to Stretch / 14
Extension Strategies in Practical Subjects / 15
Research Skills & Independent Learning
Tip / Department or teacher this is used by:1 Division of Year 12s into pairs, allocated a topic. Have to produce 3 things: PowerPoint (guidance model given), plenary at the end of the activity, produce crib notes. List of resources given. / Lucy Goldwater, RE
2 Performance Enhancing Drugs – choice of campaign, how would they spend an allocated budget? Storyboard of an advert campaign, makes them look at the negative effects. Leading to producing videos of adverts. / Steph Belcher – PE
3 Earthquakes – improving research skills (trying to avoid wikipedia!) News websites, google.news, geography websites. Selection of key information – space constraints to a 1 page factsheet. / Oscar Payne – Geography
4 Setting Year 13s independent research in the form of a historical journal article, rather than just an essay. Forced them to take into account key dates, key features, timelines, biographies, breaking down the information into chunks and crafting an argument from that. / Charlotte Grove – History
5 Rotation of research, followed by peer learning of different topics. Stops students just reading from a PowerPoint. / Steph Belcher – PE
6 Collecting of the information and facts is just the beginning, the research then needs to go further. Using persuasive writing in a presentation, to persuade other people in the class of their opinion. Just facts are not enough. / Sheila Compton
7 Teaching note-taking and reading skills, allows students to make their own notes with a greater sense of autonomy. / Charlotte Grove - History
8 Produce own revision booklets. Have to cover key terms, following a certain format. Given a 10 minute spot to teach topic to the class. Write their own exam question for the topic, rewrite the paper as of it were an exam question. / Lucy Goldwater – RE
9 Give students a cartoon/diagram, and ask them to formulate questions. Taking questions up the taxonomy to stretch. Students can then answer other groups’ questions. More open ended, offers students’ choice in their learning. / Oscar Payne - Geography
10 Choice within a scheme of work – colour coded information to allow students to answer questions of their choice. Giving levels beforehand and allowing students to choose which level they work at. / Lucy Goldwater/Sophie McNeill - RE
Research a sport that was unusual – 10 slides that lasted no longer than 10 seconds and prepare a presentation for that to feedback to the class – introduced topic and evaluation of what they had gained – used for an exam where they need to talk for short periods of time using key terms. / Jonathan
Set a question and have to look further for the answer - journals and books and using a variety of resources answer longer questions (not to rely just on the textbook). / Kathy
Sheet given to students on ways to look at art which can be given to students when they conduct extra curricular visits to art galleries – they can then discuss and present to other students using the directions/criteria on the sheet. / Art
Sharing good websites in lessons/amongst students / Lucy
To try to overcome the cut and paste scenario – scaffold the research e.g. the most unusual fact or the oldest/up to date fact – therefore interrogating the research that they conduct – stretching the low ability. Develop by adding on that other students may ask you questions on the topic. / Pam
Overground/Underground map – teacher gives them an overview on large paper and break down topics into pairs and they go into more detail thus creating an underground. / Pete
Teach them the tools of the trade – e.g. how to use grammar resources so that they can be independent learners. / Languages
Take students to the library and give them directions on how to use the books / Art
Murder Game – solve a murder in the countryside – some that have different strengths and they rely on each other to solve the murder e.g. those that are better at geography will use the maps / Languages
Give students a confidence form to assess what they do/don’t know – time to ask questions about what they know less about or ask the other students who do. / RE
Calculations and Proofs
Tip / Department or teacher this is used by:1 - Break derivations or proofs into very small steps and structure it into a sheet of short questions. This allows pupils to do the proof/derivations themselves. / SP (Physics)
2 – Requiring a sentence of explanation with each line of working in a calculation question. / BD (Chem)
3 – Laminated cards of each step of a proof and sequence it.
(possibly use blanks to extend the most gifted). / MPJ (Maths)
4 – Spotting the mistake in a proof / derivation on the board. / MPJ (maths)
5 – Reducing the steps need in a proof by spotting a shortcut/alternative method. / MPJ (Maths)
6 – Using questions from Olympiad and challenge competitions for A* questions of the week. / BD (Chem)
7 – Exercise where you get pupils to break a proof or derivation down into smaller steps to make it clear exactly what is happening. / PM + NR (Phys)
8 – Split questions into easy/medium/hard sheets and pupils race to complete one and then progress to the next. (Could let them choose which ones they start with) / MPJ (Maths)
9 – Paired race to complete a set of calculations against the rest of the class. / SP/KF (Physics)
10 – Give a set time and pupils work to produce the best explained answer to a calculation question (could be on poster paper, in pairs, groups or individually) / MPJ/BD/SP (Science/Maths)
Developing Evaluation Skills
Tip / Department or teacher this is used by:1. Essays in History require students to consider many factors in coming to a conclusion. It is important to get the students to weight the arguments or sources so that their conclusion is more valid. / Claire, History
2. In exams, students have to evaluate an unseen experiment in order to judge if it was good or not. They are good at spotting the bad aspects but could extend this by attaching a weighting to the worst aspect of the experiment. / Lia, Biology
3. At A2, students have to evaluate a sporting performance. Not only do they have to spot the good and bad points but consider ways of improving the bad points. This is more difficult in unfamiliar sports but the concept of modelling is important so the students can see what they are aiming for. / Michael, PE
4. Students can often identify which are the weaker areas of a performance but find it difficult they find it hard to articulate. Things that can help is to equip students with the relevant terminology and using a perfect model that the students can compare to. / Kath, PE
5. Use the visualiser to show the class an introduction to or a conclusion from an essay. Students have to identify the good and bad points of the paragraphs and consider ways in which they can be improved. / Mike, History
6. Setting a task that requires students to come up with as many tactics/formations in order to score generates lots of different alternatives. Getting the students to judge these in terms of which is the best (e.g. the quickest, most likely, most defensive etc.) enables them to evaluate. / Karen, PE
7. Evaluation is often done at the end of a piece of work but in Design and Technology, it is useful to start with an evaluation of an existing product in order to asses what is good and bad about it. This can stimulate many new ideas and force students to be evaluative throughout their work. / Pam, D&T
8. Students work in groups to make a model. All are given scorecards which they must use to assess other groups’ models. Importantly, they must justify their scores referring to important criteria e.g. accuracy etc. / Debbie, Biology
9. When students have completed work in which some errors have been made, give then alternative answers to each question e.g. 3 alternative answers. The students should decide which is the ‘best’ route to the answer considering its efficiency, accuracy etc. / Steven, Maths
10. Interestingly, the Bank of England don’t spot notes by purposefully trying to find the errors on a forgery. Rather those responsible have such an accurate knowledge of a real note (i.e. the model), they can easily identify a fake. / Rose, Learning Support
Key ideas:
· Having a ‘model’ (e.g. perfect throw!) is useful so that students can assess the idea/concept/demonstration against it.
· If many factors are to be judged, weightings can be useful to help a valid conclusion be drawn.
· Getting students to justify their arguments is important.
Demonstrations:
1. The black dot – what other information could affect things that aren’t in the passage/data? DAOS example
2. Rank and Compare – Which argument against foreign aid was the biggest problem and why?
3. The Star System – Separate out the pros and cons of recent immigration. Star each factor according to its importance (5 for most important, 1 for least).
Enhancing Tasks and Pace to extend
Tip / Department or teacher this is used by:1 Pace – Countdown timer/fast paced music or verbal countdown. Use time limits and stick to them. / PE, Science, Maths, MFL, English, Geography
2 Pace – Just a minute, students have one minute to talk about a topic without pausing, stuttering etc. / PE
3 Pace – Carousel of activities so students are doing different things at different times / Science
4 Pace – Competition/games / Science, MFL
5 Pace – Ambassador game where students have to sell information – keeps them focused on the task in hand / English
6 Enhancing tasks – Personalised activities and targets / English, Science
7 H/W – Starter is to think of a question that you know the answer to but that stumps the rest of the class / PE
8 Being the teacher – many structures for this, / Geography
9 Creating the mark scheme – success criteria that work will be marked on / PE, Science
10 Utilising 6th form helpers to work with the more able to extend / Maths
Strategies for Stimulating Curiosity
Tip / Department or teacher this is used by:1 Big issue questions e.g. global warming / Geography, Louise
2 What is good art? Open and deep. / Art, Lorna (also Eng and Music)
3 Element of surprise-new learning environment / Music, Eleanor
4 Taking students out of comfort zone / Music, Art
5 Looking at topic from a different perspective e.g. politics of music. / Music
6 Beliefs of past mathematicians – changing/developing views / Maths, Catherine
7 Developing technology
8 How subject changed history, e.g. codes in WWII
9 Visual/audio stimulus.
10 challenging accepted ideas
11 Newspaper clippings
12 Real world issues
13 Physical activities, with mysteries
14 Storytime
15 Open, unexplained stimulus
16 Drama, roleplay
17 Problem solving activity
18 Controversial statements and debate
19 Real life stories about people passionate about subject (newspaper articles/documentaries)
20. Use objects to stimulate discussion e.g. gas mask / English
21. Teacher in role to introduce a story / English
22. Teacher acting in an unusual manner e.g. Back of class. / German
23. Stimulate the senses e.g. Describe the taste of a sweet (English) Smell unpleasant chemicals (chemistry) / Various
24. Science can’t explain everything-unsolved problems / Science (Physics)
25. Word of the week e.g. Cheeky badger in German / German
26. Get away from straight jacket of exams (especially SATs) / Science, English
Using Group and Pair work to stretch
Tip / Department or teacher this is used by:1 e.gs of punctuation, symbolism, writing structure, level of engagement, interpretation – using relevant quotations to support = critical analysis / English
2 Be responsible in groups of 4 for an aspect of learning re current topic / English / German
3 Use A3 sugar paper blu tack onto the board and each group presents in plenary
4 Proof read in pairs / amend in different coloured pens and make suggestions
5 Oral group work: in pairs converse in subject language / Q & A in pairs / present to class or use flip cam
6 Like speed dating – move on after gleaning knowledge – one question per stop
7 Hot seating
8 Grouping and success re activity – important that group dynamics are carefully considered for maximum potential
9 Carousel with student “experts” teaching aspects of a subject to a non-expert / A Jones – English
10 Approach a difficult task (e.g. listening in MFL, a higher order question) starting in pairs, then in 4s, then in 8s / R Copsey – MFL
11 Group analysis of a painting using IWB / Art
12 Share a drawing – continue a drawing already started / Art
13 Groups researching aspects of text to present to class / English
14 Groups planning essay title together to feed back to class / English
15 Topic in a nutshell (exam question planning and sharing ideas) / Science
16 Reading lots of info, then summarising it for others / Psychology
17 Giving a group a question to research on their own / Psychology
18 Peer assessment – find 3 things that are positive and 3 that require improving / English
19 Sharing ideas as a group – pairing weaker and stronger students / Science
20 Activ-vote answers (points – competing) / Science
21 Snowballing – in 2s play game, then in 4s then in 8s / Maths
22 Topics – get students to write a revision package for a GCSE topic / Maths
23 6 questions – grades high to low – test. Find someone in the room who has not answered a question / Maths
24 Choreograph a sequence, teach to partner who mirrors and adds to their sequence / PE
25 Assume role as coach, manager, official in a game / PE
26 Giving roles to groups of 4s / Food/ Textiles
27 Variations on Kim’s games for learning parts of machine / Textiles
28 Teaching on another in pairs / History
29 Retail therapy from Teachers’ Toolkit / ME /History
30 Marking / moderation sample essay / Sociology
31 Role playing terms / concepts for class to guess or modelling with dough / Sociology
32 Building up definitions – answers to pairs and then to 4s / Sociology
33 Use theatre forum, so that when students run out of an idea they can help each other / advise / replace / Drama
34 Starting line / ending line improvisation (spontaneous in pairs) / Drama
35 Competitive essay writing – write a paragraph, then class judge whether it is better than a paragraph written by another pair / History
36 Write / improvise a scene that is not in the play – the missing scene / Drama
37 Research breaking down a topic into an individual topic or present back
38 Mind mapping and actual GCSE question and feed back to class
39 Paired discussion – one is expert and the other is a questioner (each given 10 minutes to prepare their roles)
40 Peer assessment – one person giving feedback to the other about their work
41 Allocating jobs within a group – presenter / scribe – ensure all contribute
42 In groups prepare / research presentations for all class note making (they teach class)
43 Mock trials – everyone working as a team (prosecution / defence)
44 Interview a character in pairs
45 Groups of 4 montage a different line in Othello (one stepped out of montage to talk about character’s feeling in the role) / English
46 Visual montage in groups based on a theme
47 read in pairs a poem or script
48 Radio programme based on poem studied – info presented / English
49 Groups sit in a circle. Concepts / vocab on bits of paper – one minute to plan – each explain / guess. Swap so all can explain
50 Social Economic aspect of Science. Role play / Dave Mitchell /Science
Thinking Maps