Pace & Engagement

Challenges of a 2 hour lesson

“students think they have all lesson to complete one task”

“……it really starts to drag”

“Nothing can compete with their ipods, X boxes and phones”

A few ideas to try

Plan 2-3 shorter lessons within the single lesson, perhaps each ‘mini’ lesson will allows students to work towards the next levelled objective?

Use time targets for each task and put students in charge (either to time, agree challenging targets, or sounds – there are some great ones free to download)

Employ a variety of short tasks (used as starters and plenaries) to break up a longer lesson

Check out ‘The Plenary Producer’ when stuck for ideas

Tasks should allow students to identify progress made and identify next steps

Use each opportunity for praise and rewards, even for the actual transition

Odd one out

Copper, iron, magnesium

Paper, cardboard, tree, acetate

Sister, brother, mother

3, 7, 9, 10, 13, 17

Could be pictures

Good as an early task as all responses are valid when given with a reason

Very good in lessons where comparisons are required

Thinking about outcomes

I must identify strategies to improve the pace and engagement of students in lessons

I should trial strategies

I could apply strategies in lessons and evaluate

Starter:What evidence could you provide to demonstrate you have met some or all of the outcomes above?

What things could you do to provide this evidence?

What will you do to provide this evidence? Why? Hint: learning styles

Plenary:What have you done to meet the outcomes?

What progress have you made? What level are you?

How could you improve your work to meet the next outcomes? What evidence can you produce?

Peer Assessment

After first 20 minute task:

Ask you partner to demonstrate that they have met the necessary objectives for their target level.

What level do you think they are? Which objective have they met? How? What could they do to improve the quality of their demonstration?

Thinking hats

How would each ‘colour hat’ respond to the following tasks:

1. Soldering the electrical components in a nightlight

2. Carrying out a written essay

3. Calculating the height of Gloucester without a ladder

• WHITE – info needed? what do I need to know? How will I find out?

• RED – gut reaction / instinct

• BLACK - negative• BLUE - chairperson• YELLOW - positive• GREEN -creative

Learning Styles

In pairs list as many learning styles as you can

What kinds of activities demonstrate each learning style?

What can you do in one of the learning styles which is good for you, to meet the objectives?

It can be effective to get students to prepare a revision activity of different levels in different learning styles

Active ideas

Modelling - Use card/plasticine/materials to show/demonstrate………..

Whiteboards

Act the answer (non-verbal)

What’s the question?

What’s your question?

Card sort

Feedback – planner colours, thumbs etc.

Brain Gym – nonsense but useful

• Name writing (you need 2 writing implements)• Circles and pats• Heads shoulders knees and toes, then

backwards!• Warms them up in the winter• Relate this to how we learn and how we can use

this to learn new things• Students might suggest a similar way to learn

the facts for the lesson

WordyActive Vocabulary

Mitochondria

Phlebotomist

Mitosis

Meiosis

Carbohydrates

Riddles

Pneumonic & word associations

Tom

Bought a

Bunch of Old

Apples

• BFARM - vertebrates

Huh? DemonstrationsCarry out the activity.

Do not make any comment

Allow time for questions to begin to flow

20 Questions

Keyword, idea or person

Emotive Picture -what question would you ask? What do you think is happening? How does the person feel?

What is it?Unusual object is looked at and students work out what it is? Or its purpose.

Student is blindfolded or item is in box and they need to use other senses to work out what it is

Students describe item to the ‘student in the dark’ until the item is identified