Creating an accelerated learning school
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Creating an Accelerated Learning School
Teachers’ Standards, Part One: Teaching
4. Plan and teach well structured lessons.
5. Adapt teaching to respond to the strengths and needs of all pupils
Accelerated Learning is:
q A structured approach to learning.
q Based on an easily followed model.
q Adaptable to all abilities, ages and subjects.
q Practical, proven and refreshing.
q Departments building up ideas that work.
Accelerated Learning is not:
q Fast tracking.
q Drinking water, eating bananas and listening to Mozart!
The Accelerated Learning Cycle to be used as a
Lesson Planning Tool and Meshes with
Hargreaves’ Five Phases of the Lesson
(entrance – settling down – lesson proper – clearing up – exit)
Create the Learning Environment
(Display which is relevant – if you
really want to display pupils’ work
put it in a public area).
Tone of voice, welcome and body
language of teacher.
Music with purpose.
Review Connect the Learning
(Clearing Up) (Entrance Phase)
What pupils learned - refer Two or three minute activity to learning outcomes. to connect pupils to
what they did last time. Can include a
starter activity.
Activity The Big Picture
(Clearing Up) (Settling Down Phase)
Allow pupils to process new Where does learning fit information and demonstrate it. into entire module or big
How will they learn? picture?
Introduce New Information Share the Learning
Outcomes
(Prepare Lesson Proper Phase) (Settling Down Phase)
Key words and statements Write on whiteboard
ready for Lesson Proper Phase or on smartboard before
lesson begins.
Establish success criteria
(Targets, level indicators,
GCSE grade e.g. of a GCSE
exam question?)
Multiple Intelligence Theory
An Overview
Howard Gardner first proposed the existence of separate “intelligences” in his 1983 book ‘Frames of Mind’. In this book he identified seven specific intelligences (although he later added two more).
They are as follows:
Interpersonal Intelligence (P) (the ability to understand others)
This is at work in people who are naturally social and work well with other people. They learn best if allowed to discuss ideas with others.
Intraperonal intelligences (I) (the ability to understand oneself)
These people have easy access to their own feelings and emotional states. They work best if allowed to work on their own to internalise ideas and information.
Spatial Intelligence (S)
Involves a high capacity for perceiving, creating and recreating pictures and images. People who are dominant in this intelligence will take in information more easily if it is presented to them visually and with colour.
Verbal-Linguistic (V)
Manifests itself in an ability to manipulate words for a variety of purposes.
Logical-Mathematical(L)
These people are often good at sequencing, putting items in a logical order and finding pattern.
Musical Intelligence (M)
People who are dominant in this intelligence will have a capacity for music, rhythm and tempo. They will respond and appreciate and be moved by music and sound.
Bodily-Kinaesthetic Intelligence (B)
These people are very physical; they need to be up and around. They can generally handle objects or make precise bodily movements with ease. They have a highly developed tactile sense.
Implications for Classroom of Multiple Intelligences
· Look for opportunities within our lessons for pupils to work within their dominant intelligence.
·
This does not have to be all the time.
Ideas
· discuss ideas with others
· work alone to process information
· present work to pupils visually and with colour
· manipulate words for a variety of purposes
· look at patterns
· use music and sound
· use movement and touch
See Handbook on Accelerated Learning
Planning an Accelerated Learning Lesson
Is learning connected to what has gone before?
Is it clear how students will be successful in their learning outcomes?
Is there an embedded or interesting question around which the lesson is constructed?
Does the “intro” engage the learner emotionally, i.e. is there a “hook”?
Is new information introduced through VAK?
Do the activities deliver the learning outcomes?
Are activities chunked?
Do activities meet the needs of different learning styles?
Do activities encourage higher order thinking skills?
Is there an opportunity for students to show what they know?
Are the main points of lesson reviewed?
Are students taught how to remember what they have learned?
“EACH ONE TEACHES ONE”
Observation
What to look for:
YES NO
· How do the students enter the classroom?
What is there for them to do immediately?
· Does the teacher greet the class positively and use praise
throughout the lesson?
· Does the teacher create a stimulating and non-threatening
learning environment?
· Is the lesson linked to previous learning?
· Is it made clear what students will learn/achieve by the end
of the lesson?
· How long does the introduction last? Does it refer to
prior learning?
· Is there a brisk/differing sense of pace in the lesson?
· Does the teacher cater for different learning styles?
· Is the learning “chunked”?
· Are students encouraged to raise questions and search for
solutions?
· To what extent do the questions/activities help students to learn?
· In what ways did the lesson engage the students’ emotions?
· Are the students motivated and engaged?
Do they persist when things get difficult?
· Do the tasks relate to the lesson’s key learning points?
· Does the teacher recognise and respond to individual needs?
· Do the students demonstrate their new learning?
· Does the teacher review that what has been taught, has been
learned and understood?
· Does the teacher deal promptly and effectively with
negative behaviour?
· Are support staff used effectively?
· Is the lesson summarised and reinforced at the end?
· Are students encouraged to review their learning?
· Does homework develop active and creative learning?
What have the students learned?
………and how do you know?
Planning Lessons Using the Learning Cycle
1. Connect The Learning
Remind the pupils of previous learning that is related to this lesson. A Bell Activity can connect the learning.
2. The Big Picture
Within 3 – 4 minutes, explain how this lesson fits into the whole topic of work. This is particularly important at the beginning of a topic.
3. The Learning Outcomes
Within 5 minutes of the start of the lesson tell the children what they will have learned by the end.
4. Input / Introduction, 10 Minutes
Present new information through as many of the senses as possible, V A K.
5. Activity
This is the main chunk of the lesson, provide a variety of activities based on the multiple intelligences. Activity (10 mins), review (2 mins), new activity (10 – 15 mins). Stop and review.
6. Demonstrate
Pupils demonstrate in some way what they have learned perhaps by sharing with a partner or by producing a picture, rhyme or writing.
7. Review and Preview, 5 Minutes
Refer to the learning outcomes. Use memory hooks to help pupils remember.
Ideas for Accelerated Learning Strategy
1. Overall responsibility – Teaching and Learning Co-ordinator.
2. Use Professional Development Days which are planned well in advance to focus on whole staff teaching and learning.
3. Establish a ‘learning to learn’ course for intake Year 7 to give them skills they need to fully engage in Accelerated Learning lessons.
4. Develop an Induction workshop to ‘teach’ new staff Accelerated Learning strategies.
5. Support Accelerated Learning through ICT.
6. Provide a Teacher Planner with an 11 page guide to using Accelerated Learning cycle.
7. Disseminate a quick, easy to read bulletin on practical teaching and learning styles every two weeks.
8. Appoint learning coaches who work with teachers in classrooms and across departments.
Please place the above in order of importance
Task
· Read page six, the introduction
“Howard Gardner first proposed the existence of separate “intelligences” in his 1983 book ‘Frames of Mind’. In this book he identified seven specific
intelligences (although he later added an 8th and is presently adding a 9th)”.
· Write down five words to help you remember what this passage is about.
· Now put a symbol or whatever you need to do to help you remember each word.
Share your findings with the person next to you.
· Which multiple intelligences does your method of learning relate to?