The longer a teacher talks for, the more likely it is the number of pupils paying attention decreases. The trick to sustaining attention is to ask pupils questions and to expect 100% participation DURING an explanation. Questions interrupt the loss of attention. If done well, questions do not interrupt the flow of your explanation, as … Continue reading Choral Response and ‘I Say You Say’
planning
Checks for Listening: 100% Participation
It is natural for students to lose attention during an explanation. In this post, I share two of the highest leverage strategies you can use to secure 100% attention. I explain why this should be our goal in my previous post. Strategy 1: All Hands Up Cold Calling I disagree with the way lots of … Continue reading Checks for Listening: 100% Participation
Curricular Narrative
It is tempting for science teachers to dive into each topic as it comes and teach its ideas as discrete lessons. Learning about Punnett squares? Let's just focus on teaching how to draw them for a few lessons and then move onto selective breeding in the following week's lessons, which is the next topic on … Continue reading Curricular Narrative
Clear Teacher Explanations 2f: Dual Coding Mistakes
As dual coding becomes more popular, its definition also expands. This post intends to clarify the difference between dual coding and graphic design. The key idea is that aesthetically pleasing diagrams do not necessarily translate into better learning. If teachers invest time adding lots of diagrams to their resources with the mistaken belief that it … Continue reading Clear Teacher Explanations 2f: Dual Coding Mistakes
Clear Teacher Explanations: 2e – Visual Models
Analogies & models are excellent tools for delivering clear teacher explanations when used judiciously. Diagrams can prove very useful at explaining the different parts of the analogy and how they map onto the knowledge they represent. Some models act as lenses through which pupils can appreciate the same idea from different perspectives. For example, in … Continue reading Clear Teacher Explanations: 2e – Visual Models
Clear Teacher Explanations 2d: Faithful Diagrams
Diagrams can help an explanation in two ways. Firstly, to organise a complex web of information such as: A process or sequence in time Multi fact definition Complex concept Some procedures Secondly, to depict things: either faithfully from real life or as models. I call this type of dual coding 'representative visuals'. Diagrams are powerful … Continue reading Clear Teacher Explanations 2d: Faithful Diagrams
Clear Teacher Explanations 2c: Procedures
Effective teacher explanations are integral to teacher-led lessons. Clear explanations are best delivered when teachers begin with concrete examples before sharing abstract and generalised ideas. Clear diagrams also help teachers to effectively communicate their ideas. Diagrams elucidate the relationships in a sequence. Diagrams can also make definitions memorable and complex ideas easier to follow. All of … Continue reading Clear Teacher Explanations 2c: Procedures
Clear Teacher Explanations 2b: dual coding – definitions & complex ideas
Dual coding involves the use of diagrams to support an explanation. In my last post, I explained that there are two types of diagrams: organising visuals & representative visuals. I discussed how organising visuals are diagrams which make the hidden structure behind an idea visible to pupils. There are four types of organising visuals, the first … Continue reading Clear Teacher Explanations 2b: dual coding – definitions & complex ideas
Clear Teacher Explanations 2a: dual coding – processes
Dual coding is in vogue. I’m excited by this because the use of diagrams can make an explanation significantly clearer and more memorable. However, I’m also worried, because ideas in education have a tendency to mutate and be misapplied. In my next few posts, I explain exactly how I teach using diagrams. I will do … Continue reading Clear Teacher Explanations 2a: dual coding – processes
Designing a Science Curriculum: my #rEDRugby talk
On Saturday 9th June, I was lucky enough to attend and speak at my first reserachED in Rugby, hosted at the stunning Rugby School, by the marvellous Jude Hunton. Here, I share my talk with some additional thoughts I didn’t have time to explain. This talk represents my vision for a curriculum. Introduction I find … Continue reading Designing a Science Curriculum: my #rEDRugby talk
Bunsen Blue 