Teaching and learning in the secondary classroom.
Teaching methods constantly evolve, but the essence of the pedagogical approach in the secondary classroom is the reciprocal relationship between teaching and learning. Effective teaching practices ensure effective learning takes place, which generally results in independent, self-motivated learners. Teaching and learning covers a wide spectrum of classroom practices and approaches.
Teaching Models
Teaching presents the following complex problems: assessment, raising attainment and standards, subject specific issues, curriculum models and ensuring a variety of experience in the classroom. Teachers constantly review and cultivate their practice to meet the demands of the transient classroom. The Dfes publication, "Pedagogy and Practice: Teaching and Learning in Secondary Schools: Unit 2: Teacher Models" clearly illustrates five teaching models to enhance learning in the classroom: inductive teaching, develops students’ thinking skills; deductive teaching focuses on concepts; synectic teaching promotes the idea of looking at a familiar idea from a new perspective; concept attainment teaching explores and develops concepts; and finally, constructivist teaching encourages students to apply knowledge, skill and critical thinking processes.
Structured Learning
Effective learning and teaching begins with structured lesson design. In successful lessons, students are given the opportunity to use an assortment of skills to engage in the lesson. A well planned series of lessons secures fruitful learning. Each lesson forms a series of episodes. The first episode contains a lively starter activity to engage prior learning and identify any gaps in knowledge. The next episode introduces the learning objective and is followed by the development episode, reiterating prior learning. Plenary sessions, at the end of the lesson, review learning and allow students to understand what and how they have achieved the learning outcome. Schemes of work exist as a series of cohesive lessons to be delivered in a particular order. The first lesson provides an overview of the long-term learning objective and informs students what they will be expected to achieve by the end of the unit.
Conditions for Learning
Conditions for learning directly affect the level of students' involvement in the lesson and classroom seating arrangements contribute to new ways of learning. John Beresford, in "Cooperative Learning Spaces: Seated and Ready to Learn," advises that seating arrangements need to be considered based on educational considerations and the content and purpose of a scheme of work. He further suggests that carefully chosen seating arrangements are conducive to keeping apart poor listeners and promoting a supportive environment to enhance the learning and teaching experience.
Assessment for Learning
Assessment for learning allows students and teachers to fully understand improve attainment. The Dfes publication, "Pedagogy and Practice: Teaching and Learning in Secondary Schools: Unit 12: Assessment for Learning" defines assessment for learning as, "The process of seeking and interpreting evidence for use by learners and their teachers to decide where the learners are in their learning, where they need to go and how best to get there." The principles of assessment for learning require teachers to share learning objectives with their students as well as a learning outcome and criteria for success. In turn, this helps the student understand and recognize the standards they are aiming for. The students are then able to peer and self assess their work according to the success criteria; and provide feedback to each other and themselves.
Thinking Skills
Meaningful learning demands higher order thinking skills, collaborative learning and critical and creative thinking skills in order to establish transferable expertise to be used across the curriculum. Edward de Bono's "thinking hats" can be a springboard for developing a range of thinking skills. Metaphorically wearing the white hat requires information to be gathered or recalled; the red hat requires the "wearer" to think intuitively; the black hat encourages judgment and problem solving; the yellow hat focuses on thinking about values and positive aspects; the green hat nurtures creative thinking and the blue hat helps with managing the thinking process. Thinking hats can be used in conjunction with strategies for talking, including paired talk, group talk and whole class discussion.
PLTS
The curriculum aims to create successful and independent learners, as well as well-rounded citizens. The personal learning and thinking skills (PLTS) framework includes generic skills, which need to be incorporated into schemes of work and lessons. The six areas of PLTS are as follows: independent inquiring, team working, self-managing, effective participating, reflective learning and creative thinking. For PLTS to be effective, schools must tailor them to their students' needs.
Tags: thinking skills, creative thinking, seating arrangements, Secondary Schools, Dfes publication, Dfes publication Pedagogy