Web viewThe suggested word limit for Recognition 1 is 1500 words so if you feel you have already communicated something do not feel obliged to repeat it later on

Teaching & Learning Academy

Recognition 1 Writing Frame

Guidance Notes

This writing frame template provides a structure and supportive process to enable you to complete a Recognition 1 Project. Its use is optional and is not a guarantee that your project will be recognised.

The writing frame should always be used in conjunction with the TLA Recognition 1 verification criteria. These can be found at www.tla.ac.uk together with the TLA Recognition Project Cover sheet which needs to be sent in with your project.

The template is divided into three parts, each with expandable text boxes:

1. Preparing for the Learning Journey2. Planning the Learning Journey3. On the Learning Journey

The first and third sections (Preparing for the Learning Journey and On the Learning Journey) have prompts, headings and questions to help you. They provide a basic framework to get you started but you will need to check your answers cover all the verification criteria before handing in your project. Don’t just rely on the prompts.

If you want to do a written project, you can either write under the headings or you can refer to these as you write in continuous prose. The suggested word limit for Recognition 1 is 1500 words so if you feel you have already communicated something do not feel obliged to repeat it later on. If you want to present in other media e.g. audio or video clips, you may find the prompts useful as a reference or you could ask your coach/mentor to use these as interview prompts/questions.

The second section (Planning the Learning Journey) must be presented in written form and it is strongly recommended that you use the template as the headings and questions cover all the requirements for this part of your Learning Journey. This section can stand alone if sections one and three are presented using other media.

Led by the TLA Consortium- a partnership of Higher Education Institutions with a strong commitment to Continuing Professional Development

http://www.tla.ac.uk/

Please remember that you can complete the different sections during as well as at the end of each part of the journey, refining and amending what you have written before submitting your final version of your project. You can also delete the italicised prompts before you submit the project to be verified.

Section 1- Preparing for the Learning Journey

Deciding upon your learning and change focus

It is important to establish a clear and manageable focus for your learning by considering what you already know and identifying where you might find out more. Such a knowledge base can include literature, research findings and pupil data. It will often include evidence from your own and other colleagues’ practice, gathered through experience, dialogue or observation.

Work in dialogue with your coach/mentor to decide upon and refine your learning and change focus. It is a good idea to have a learning agreement with your coach/mentor and ensure that you plan opportunities throughout the learning journey with them to provide support and challenge and to assist in the review and evaluation.

1.1 Briefly describe your working context

I currently work at Barbara Priestman Academy, a school which caters for students with special needs. There are currently 119 pupils on the school role. 68% of these (81 individuals) are diagnosed as ASD, 24% (28 individuals) are diagnosed as AS, whilst the remaining 8% (10 students) have another diagnosis. 4% of the ‘other’ have similar barriers to learning as those with ASD.

I am employed as the School Smallholding Manager, having the responsibility for the care and management of a range of animals within the school environment, as well as a number of growing spaces and wildlife areas. In addition I deliver courses on Animal Care and Land-based Studies and have overseen an intern during both practical work and whilst working towards a Compass Rabbit Care qualification.

This lesson study project was initially designed to benefit a specific group of students, with a view to considering its application across the curriculum to the benefit of all pupils and staff.

1.2 Access to coaching and mentoring

The lesson study group consisted of four members of the school teaching staff. The schools’ Leader of Creativity took the role of coach and held responsibility for teacher research. Two other experienced secondary school teachers acted as mentors. All three have extensive knowledge and understanding of pupils on the autistic spectrum. As the final member of the group, I have limited secondary school experience but more extensive FE/HE experience (15 years).

The group met on a regular basis to discuss the progress of the project. Observations were carried out on all members of the group.


1.3 What is the focus for your learning

The focus for learning is the narrative framework which is used in speech and language. The framework, which breaks a complete story into six ordered sections – ‘when’, ‘who’, ‘where’, ‘problem’, ‘solution’ and ‘in the end’ – is used by the schools’ speech therapist and the English teacher to help structure stories. As it is very visual, it is especially suitable for visual learners (it is often claimed that people with autism learn in such a way and that they ‘think in images’). The narrative framework is to be used as an intervention strategy for a Year 10 group who have been identified as needing support with their writing.

If it is seen that pupils use the narrative framework well in English, it is the intention of the lesson study group to consider whether it can be used in other subject areas or can be adapted for other tasks.

1.4 Analyse in what way your learning focus is relevant to your pupils, directly or indirectly?

The aim of the use of the narrative framework is to improve writing attainment and organisational skills within a specific group. If it proves to be useful as a tool for learning it can be transferred across the curriculum and will thus help other groups.

1.5 What do you hope will change as a result?

As a result of the use of the narrative framework it is hoped that students will show improvement in the organisation and production of their story writing and will become capable of showing more independence in their work. Students will be able to use the narrative framework alongside other strategies which are in place within the school e.g. In Print.

It is envisaged that, if successful, use of the narrative framework will be applicable across other subject areas and may be adaptable to new tasks.

1.6 What ethical considerations/issues have you identified?

A specific Year 10 group was chosen for this project, as they had previously been identified as a group which needed intervention strategies as regards their writing skills, although other groups were involved once the target group had taken part.

All students within a chosen group participated in the activity and anonymity was maintained throughout, thus allowing individuals to work to the best of their ability without peer pressure regarding individual selection.

1.7 What diversity/equal opportunities have you identified in relation to e.g. gender,


ethnicity, language, disability and SEN or G&T?

All students within both the identified Year 10 group and subsequent groups have a statement of special needs, primarily relating to their ASD/AS. The majority of the group is male. All students observed were Caucasian with English as their first language. Each class has a Learning Support assistant attached, although they were not available on two occasions.

Check that you have covered the following in this section, amending what you have already written or providing additional information in this box:

Section 2 Creating a Plan for your Learning Journey

At this point you create your plan in dialogue with your coach/mentor.

Please confirm your intended learning and change focus here:

The learning focus is on the way in which the narrative framework can be used as an intervention strategy to assist pupils who have been identified as requiring support with their writing attainment and organisational skills during English lessons. The project further considers whether the narrative framework can be used across the curriculum and whether it can be adapted for other purposes.

Action Plan: What are you going to do to ensure that you meet your learning objectives?

Make sure that you have included all key activities on your plan e.g

o Refining learning focus with coach/mentoro Contact with coach/mentor including progress review, evaluation opportunitieso Reading, observing, dialogue with.... (i.e. Accessing the Knowledge Base)o Evaluation Plan (How and when do you intend to evaluate your own learning and

changes to practice? E.g. feedback from colleagues or pupils, recorded observation, data collection)

o Sharing learning with other colleagues (give details of what and who)

Actions Timescales/Key dates

Resources/People inc. Sources of

Success Criteria

Comments/amendments to plan


support and challenge

1. Discuss project with lesson study group.

5.11.12 Coach, mentors, self (lesson study group).

Focus project.

2. Observation of chosen group for baseline assessment.

1.3.13 Lesson study group, selected pupil group, pupils’ written work.

Group observation complete. Written work collected.

3. Lesson study group discussion of pupil baseline assessment.

11.3.13 Lesson study group. Agreement re. demonstrated ability of pupil group.

4. Observation of chosen Year 10 group in English (session delivered by the coach).

9.4.13 Lesson study group, selected pupil group, narrative framework formsN.B. Students have prior knowledge of the elements of the story.

Completion of the narrative framework by pupils – own story. Writing achievement and organisation shows improvement.

5. Observation of chosen Year 10 group in Drama (session delivered by a mentor).

26.4.13 Lesson study group, selected pupil group, narrative framework forms, powerpoint, internetN.B. Students have prior knowledge of ‘Macbeth’.

Completion of the narrative framework by pupils – recall and record a specific section of Macbeth. Successful application of its use in new curriculum area.

Use of the narrative framework in a different curriculum area.


6. Lesson study group discussion

3.5.13 Lesson study group, completed written work to date.

Completion of the narrative framework by pupils shows improvement on writing achievement and organisation in both cases.

7. Observation of students in Humanities (session delivered by coach).

6.6.13 Lesson study group, selected pupils, narrative framework forms, powerpoint, internetN.B. Lesson topic delivered by a variety of methods before use of the narrative framework i.e. Students have prior knowledge of ‘The Spanish Armada’.

Completion of the narrative framework by pupils – recall and record the historic events involving the Spanish Armada. Successful application of its use in a new curriculum area.

Use of the narrative framework in a different curriculum area.

8. Observation of 6th form group in Animal Care session (delivered by self).

14.6.13 Lesson study group, selected 6th form group, narrative framework forms, DVD.

Narrative framework used to structure given information and provide a clear pathway to develop problem solving skills.

Use of the narrative framework in a different curriculum area and as a problem solving tool.

9. Meeting with coach to discuss results of lesson study.

1.7.13 Coach, self, narrative framework forms, feedback from other group members.

Agreed that writing attainment and organisational skills had improved with the use of the narrative framework in all areas of the curriculum. Limited improvement in problem solving skills


which may improve with repeated use.

10. Whole school INSET

2.9.13 Lesson study group. Discussion of chosen strategy and results.

Check the following, amending what you have already written:

For each action have you been clear about the intended timing, any resource implications, and by what criteria you will judge the success of the action in terms of its contribution to your journey? Are any changes made to your plan obvious?

Have you covered all the verification criteria for Planning the Learning Journey?

Section 3 On the Learning Journey

At this point refer back to your plan with its key dates and actions and consider your progress.

3.1 What has been the influence engaging with the knowledge base?

Consistently engaging with the knowledge base has allowed the development of a new teaching strategy and given the opportunity to apply, evaluate and develop that strategy to the benefit of staff and pupils.

3.2 How did mentoring or coaching influence the way you learned and/or the outcomes of your learning?

Mentoring and coaching allowed me to see the way in which the project was applied by experienced teaching staff, and thus allowed observation of the ways in which the students responded to it. Such observations indicated to me that although the narrative framework may not be directly applicable to my own teaching it may be possible to adapt the technique. Discussions with the coach and mentors provided guidance with this adaptation, and feedback on its use.


3.3 What, if any, changes were made along the way? What impact did the review have on the remainder of your learning plan?

Initially the narrative framework was applied as originally planned within the chosen group. However it was further developed for use by other students and as a problem solving tool. In this context the students were able to use it to organise given information, clarify outstanding problems and propose solutions.

3.4 How did you evaluate your intended learning outcomes?

In evaluating the project, examination of the students’ work before and after the use of the narrative framework showed later written work to be more structured and detailed. Observations over time indicated that as pupils were becoming more au fait with the process they were able to use it more efficiently.

As regards the use of the narrative framework as a problem solving tool, the students were seen to become slightly more proficient in its use over time, producing relevant solutions a little more swiftly and with a little more ease each time it was used.

Additional evaluation was carried out when each group member was observed by all others and thus feedback from a teacher perspective could be given during group meetings and in the final review meeting.

3.5 What has changed as a result of your learning?

As a result of this project I will promote the use of the narrative framework across the curriculum during the next academic year. I intend to use it both in its original form and, with more able students, as a problem solving tool. I believe that pupils will be able to use it more effectively as they become more familiar with it and will become more practiced at transferring skills across the curriculum.

3.6 How did you share your learning with others?

Learning was shared within the lesson study group via lesson observations, regular group meetings and the final review meeting, during which times all group members had the opportunity to provide feedback to each other. In addition all research was collated so as to provide the students with access to it if required. It is also intended that an INSET day will provide the opportunity to share relevant information with the whole school. This document will also be recognised as a TLA submission.

3.7 Refer back to the ethical issues you identified in Preparing for the Learning Journey and show how these were considered and if necessary, addressed.


The initial target group for this lesson study was a Year 10 group who had been identified as requiring support with their written work. All students were required to complete the narrative framework during their lesson, thus avoiding peer pressure due to individuals being singled out to participate. Work was carried out anonymously, thus relieving pupils of the pressures of preconceived expectations. This process was continued when the use of the narrative framework was extended to the other groups.

3.8 Refer back to diversity/equal opportunities issues you identified in Preparing for the Learning Journey. Show how these were considered and what actions you took to secure best possible outcomes.

All students involved in the study have a statement of special educational needs, allowing lessons to be designed which take into account individual needs. This allowed pupils to use the narrative framework to the best of their ability, as did the fact that all were required to complete the task and did so anonymously.

It may be suggested that not all pupils had equal opportunities when taking part in this study, as two lessons took place without an LSA to support them. However members of the lesson study group took on this role when necessary during observations so that pupils did not suffer adverse effects from the lack of an LSA.

Check

Have you covered all the verification criteria for On the Learning Journey, amending what you have already written or providing additional information in this box:


Documents

Web viewThe suggested word limit for Recognition 1 is 1500 words so if you feel you have already communicated something do not feel obliged to repeat it later on