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Case study 3: Training on teaching and learning styles
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Case study 3: Training on teaching and learning styles
This case study shows how a school trained its staff to help them stretch gifted and talented students and develop their thinking skills.
mixed comprehensive school with Beacon status
running an initial training day for three key staff members
training the whole staff through a series of active workshops
teachers are using a greater range of approaches to learning
students' thinking skills have improved
more gifted students are being recognised
after-school and weekend classes are better attended
Background
The school is a mixed comprehensive in the north-east of England. It has Beacon status and places a strong emphasis on teaching and learning. Following a suggestion from the Excellence in Cities initiative, the school arranged staff training on teaching and learning styles for gifted and talented students, with a focus on how the brain works. Its aim was to help teachers stretch gifted and talented students and develop their thinking skills.
Implementation
The training began with an initial training day for three key staff members from the pastoral and academic teams. This was then followed by training for the whole staff (and for staff from a small neighbouring school). The training centred on a series of active workshops on four key topics:
- the power of problem solving;
- cooperative learning;
- learning by active listening;
- the non-stop search engine.
The problem-solving workshop began with an exercise in which small groups had to interpret and crack a code by discussing mathematical clues. The group scribe was only allowed to write down the answer when everybody in the group had agreed to it. This approach can be adapted to encourage constructive group decision-making across a range of subjects (eg sorting out science clues for a murder mystery, or piecing together the choreographed steps in a dance routine). Later on in the workshop, the teachers investigated how people use sensory skills to pick up information and establish facts (eg by handling, examining, observing and listening to others). This emphasised the fact that students may learn visually, aurally or kinaesthetically.
In the cooperative learning workshop, each group of teachers read and absorbed the key points from a different information sheet. They then produced a brief summary of the information as a poster. One group member remained to teach the information to others, while the rest dispersed to seek information from other groups. Eventually, the 'information seekers' went back to their team base to teach the new information they had learnt to the team member left behind. After this pooling of information, all the staff took a common test on all the topics.
In the learning by active listening workshop, a series of interactive exercises raised teachers' awareness of the many components of good speaking and listening (communication skills), including the effects of body language. The aim was to enable teachers to remind students what makes quality listening (eg eye contact, concentration, focusing on the speaker and offering verbal and non-verbal responses).
In the non-stop search engine workshop, staff were asked to construct a timeline on medical history by answering questions and making use of information sources in the room (books, video and PowerPoint presentations).
Impact
This was a very successful staff development exercise, which improved the general quality of teaching to all students. In lesson observations after the training, senior staff noticed that teachers felt confident in using a greater range of approaches to learning.
Many departments have tried the INSET activities (for example the active listening skills exercise) with students. Teachers are giving students greater opportunity to explain issues in depth, bringing out their independent learning skills and capabilities. As a result, more students' gifts are being recognised.
Teachers are also using more visual and sensory aids to learning. In subjects like design and technology and maths, this has developed some students' thinking and understanding to a much higher level. Some teachers have started to use a quiz approach to information gathering as part of problem-solving and teamwork activities. They find that this adds fun to the learning process and sharpens students' thinking skills.
As a result of the fresh approach to teaching and learning, many after-school and weekend courses are better attended and parents seem more available to help with transport.