Ensure that students have clear instructions and success criteria (mark schemes), now build in DIRT (directed improvement reflection time) for your students. It could be 10 minutes at the beginning or end of the lesson, or use DIRT directly after an activity.
When a pupil answers a question, the teacher can ask another pupil to comment on that answer.
AFL : Introduce a ‘Newsflash’
Stop the lesson at any point and ask a pupil for a 2 minute news report on what they have learnt so far.
G&T and Least able: Fuse Box
Pupils write down what they have learnt under 4 headings.
Facts = what facts or formulae do they know.
Understanding= which concepts have they understood.
Skills = which skills are required for this topic.
Explanation = what are the key concepts relevant to explaining this concept to another pupil.
AfL: Exit ticket
A plenary which helps the teacher planning the following lesson. Pupils are asked to answer a question/create a question/list key words/complete a sentence related to the lesson and give it to the teacher as they leave the classroom.
Literacy: Ariculate
Encourage articulation: Students have post-it notes stuck on their backs. The post-its have keywords or concepts written on them. Students ask each other questions to establish what their word is.
G&T and Least able:
Ban boring words -Give students a subject specific paragraph that uses boring connectives such as ‘and’, ‘said or ‘like’. In teams they change the boring words to more interesting words.’
Focus on Differentiation
EAL:
Make sure the key words are explained at the start of the lesson. In addition, you could provide EAL learners with a glossary of all the key terms that are going to be used (where possible try to include pictures within this glossary).
BfL: Classroom Layout
Make sure that your class is laid out in such a way to improve behaviour and stimulate learning. Think about how you’re going to arrange the desks and seats. Where is your area going to be? What displays and resources can you use to create a stimulating environment?
Stretch and challenge: Silent Debate
A question/topic is posed and written down on a large sheet of paper. Students respond to the question/topic and to one another’s comments in silence. Works best with A3 paper and students working in groups of 4 – 6 for 2 – 3 minutes.