Enjoy access to millions of ebooks, audiobooks, magazines, and more from Scribd. By using this site, you consent to the placement of these cookies. Stretch and Challenge sounds punitive and confrontational - when it should sound and feel more like 'Encourage and . Students are notoriously bad at acting upon the feedback given to them by their teachers. Work with the apprentice and employer to set ambitious, yet realistic targets. Professor Dylan Wiliam, in his book Embedding Formative Assessment, explains that students sharing, clarifying and understanding learning intentions is a key part of assessment for learning; those students who have a clear picture of their learning journey are more able to reflect on their progress over time and take responsibility for knowing how to move forward. Following an intensive 2-day internal CPD event at one outstanding school, I asked the teaching staff to complete a survey; the number one area that they requested more input on was stretch and challenge. However, this type of differentiation is the most time-consuming for teachers in terms of planning. Studies have shown that teachers tend to use far more closed questions than open ones, even though open-ended questions lead to more challenge because they require higher-order thinking. It combines great stories with stimulating discussion and probing debate. Linked to this, they will need to be taught to think in specific ways so that, when they face difficulties, they can draw upon subject-specific strategies and questions to ask themselves to help them select the right domain of knowledge to complete a task.Where a student has access to support from a teaching assistant, it is vital that the student doesnt fall into the trap of learned helplessness. Her book The Ultimate Guide to Differentiation is published by Bloomsbury. . Ask any teacher what they want from their students and nearly all of them will say I want them to be more independent. Stretch and Challenge More Able Children in the Early Years Foundation Stage Support and challenge the most able children within your early years practice. This approach has meant that classrooms can take on adopt an 'access and challenge' agenda. From understanding pronouns, appropriate language and providing practical tips to drive change to using visual cues and creating safe spaces for students, the . Since academic vocabulary knowledge is at the heart of being a good speaker, reader and writer, it is important that teachers dedicate enough time to explicitly teaching academic vocabulary in their subject areas to challenge students to express themselves with confidence. The best group work is when the cognitive demand of the task actually necessitates more than one students input.Graham Nuthalls research in The Hidden Lives of Learners found that most of the feedback students get is from their peers and that, alarmingly, 80 per cent of it is wrong! Third Space Learning. Pupils learn at different rates and it is with this in mind, that lesson content is broad, enabling a child reaching a level that reflects success, interesting strategies to incorporate in all lessons. M3 3HN. Every school has a range of ability levels and challenge activities should be designed to move classroom thinking forward. Ofsted reports have identified a range of good practice in parental engagement. Using an apprenticeship software like OneFile tomeasure progress will motivate learners to complete more learning, increase their progress and reach their targets. Rather than waste time getting students to copy down vague learning objectives and outcomes, move towards an enquiry question that will anchor the learning and everything the students do in a lesson or series of lessons to respond to the question posed by the teacher. As Director of Academic Practice in Distance Education, I lead on innovation, evaluation, research, and practice development in online and distance education at the University of London. These types of frameworks enable teachers to design learning experiences that can move classroom thinking into new territories. Therefore, it is vital that when offering students choices they are held accountable for the work they produce. You can measure prior learning, build apersonalisedcurriculum, track progress, and set stretch and challenge activities in one place. stretch and challenge ofstedjack paar cause of death. Stretch and Challenge Begin by providing a description of the word before asking students to create their own description and example in their own words. Differentiation is the process by which differences between learners are accommodated so that all students in a group have the best possible chance of learning. Alongside her webinar for NACE members, author and teacher trainer Sue Cowley shares five ways to ensure all learners are stretched and challenged its differentiation, but not as you might expect! Activate your 30 day free trialto unlock unlimited reading. In regards to Stretch & Challenge, what is working for you and your students? This practical planning and delivery tool enable educators to design challenge teaching strategies that really gets everyone thinking. Robert Marzano and Debra Pickerings book, Building Academic Vocabulary, shares a structured approach to teaching academic vocabulary. 4 March 2015. With the Learning Hub, apprentices can . In this approach, the childs thinking is developed through the use of a serve and return conversation in which open-ended questions are asked to build understanding. Also make time for students to construct their own questions and pose them to their peers. Stretch and Challenge. . This requires a depth of awareness of where each child is and . The act of having to rephrase or reconceptualise something in order to teach it requires the learner to build empathy, understand alternative perspectives and think laterally. This posts looks at one way to subtly signpost observers to the stretch and challenge in your lessons over time. Having given this some thought I am of the view that this is an oversimplification. and challenge, and high expectations. Graham Nuthalls research in The Hidden Lives of Learners found that most of the feedback students get is from their peers and that, alarmingly, 80 per cent of it is wrong! Using frameworks such as solo taxonomy and blooms enables educators to explore the academic potential by subtly reframing the learning objective. Challenge is the key. Some of their recommendations are below. differentiation The teaching assistants role needs to be clearly defined. In that undoubtedly privileged context, teachers developed habits around high challenge, high trust and high intellectual demand that were fully embedded in the culture. I See Reasoning UKS2 - Gareth Metcalfe. Places cost 99. Select a date. Please fill in the details so we can send over the resources. Whatever they are, make sure theyre personal to each learner. Something went wrong while submitting the form. In order for this to happen, set up a series of structured questions that require students to think hard and ensure students have enough time to grapple with the difficult concepts. To get over the problem of setting homework for homeworks sake, an alternative is to create a Homework Challenge Bank featuring a range of tasks that require students to consolidate and master key concepts and apply their knowledge in different contexts. More activity by Ellie. A classroom where stretch and challenge is embedded is one where students know the standard they are aiming for, actively seek out feedback to reach that standard, and have the tools to move their own learning forward by using this feedback to develop their knowledge, skills and understanding. In the many feedback conversations Ive had this term differentiation is a reoccurring area for development; in particular stretch and challenge. Don't bolt on challenge - build it in. I am Director of the Centre for Distance Education, coordinating a team of 42 leading experts in digital and distance education. This chapter introduces and discusses individual learning plans (ILPs) and their use, particularly regarding the setting of learner targets. Instead of ability streaming, teachers can create lesson plans that have different tangents embedded within them. Follow along to this full body stretching routine to get flexible fast - perfect for anyone from beginners to. With OneFile, you canpersonalisestretch and challenge activities easily. Setting up choice can be a tricky one to get right and, if done badly, can be detrimental to stretch and challenge if students choose less cognitively demanding tasks. However, if you stay resolute and communicate with students the changes you are making and the benefits these changes will bring, they will end up appreciating your high expectations of what they can achieve. Posted at 13:44h in mr doob sandpile by zach charbonnet scouting report. She is the co-author of Lesson Planning Tweaks For Teachers and is one half of @TeacherTweaks. Book your free demonstration today. stretch and challenge across a wide range of learning contexts. Where a learner has extensive prior knowledge of a topic, ask if they would like to present some of the knowledge they have to the class this can help build confidence and presentational skills. This however has to be achieved without increasing work load or work sheets. A classroom where stretch and challenge is embedded is one where students know the standard they are aiming for, actively seek out feedback to reach that standard, and have the tools to move their own learning forward by using this feedback to develop their knowledge, skills and understanding. It is probably true that consistently, deliberately and purposefully pitching learning just beyond a child's present ability, that point between confusion and boredom, is perhaps the hardest part of teaching. 2) Categorise those benefits into different criteria? In other words, we are not asking the child to simply do 'more stuff', we are asking them to think about the concept in different ways thus developing a greater depth of knowledge. Calls for Secondary Schools to "improve the quality of teaching and the curriculum to increase opportunities for pupils to work independently, make links with other subjects and tackle more challenging tasks." . critical thinking Introduction This chapter addresses two related concepts: differentiation and 'stretch and challenge'. SecEd prides itself on being written by teachers, for teachers and offering a positive and constructive voice for Combining these two techniques, the teachers expectations of the students is that a student has not finished until their response is 100 per cent accurate and they have developed their thinking using academic vocabulary and a range of examples. Take on a different perspective that they are not necessarily comfortable with. Most students can be a bystander rather than an active participator. How to stretch the more able: go off-piste, dene differentiation and avoid time-wasting marking Conference chair Ian Warwick addresses some of the questions posed by delegates at the 'Stretch and Challenge the More Able' event. There is no real challenge posed if a student is told to go off and be independent if, once they get there, they dont have the knowledge or skills to complete the task successfully.The aim is to encourage students to work for extended periods of time without relying on the teachers constant input. Here are my 4 top tips for ditching the differentiation madness. Without it, the muscles shorten and become tight. Teaching assistants can ensure that they work alongside students to get into the habit of chunking tasks down into clear steps for success, asking metacognitive questions and verbalising their thinking, which will lead to the creation of excellent work. Speak to their employer too. 5) Imagine what life would be like without the Roman occupation of Britain? Ensure that students engage with academic vocabulary on a regular basis through discussion, word games and vocabulary notebooks to consolidate knowledge. Activate your 30 day free trialto continue reading. February 21, 2023, 1:00 PM GMT. Ofsted seem to be using 'most able' now, but of course, 'most' will depend on what the rest of your cohort looks like. The effective use of questions is vital for stretching your highest-attaining learners. One way is with OneFile's Learning Hub. They are likely to be autodidacts reading widely around a favoured subject at home to find out more. This will help you create a learning baseline to build upon throughout the, learners no matter their level. The teacher can use the framework to document wider knowledge and skills progression. Session 1: Examining the Evidence Around More-Able Learners in the Classroom. In each case the students will then have the remaining time to improve or add to their work. Explicitly teach students how to construct different types of questions to generate engaging discussion.Tasks, resources and groupingsFor many years, stretch and challenge was seen as something for the gifted and talented group. The best performing schools see additional learning opportunities throughout the curriculum to develop advanced knowledge. This by default means that everyone in the class is challenged. Second, it is the teacher who holds all of the power because they are the ones initiating the questions and deciding on the direction of the discussion.One way of embedding a stretch and challenge model is to experiment with different ways of encouraging greater participation in discussion. View other students as resources too; group work can prove a nightmare in the classroom if time is not given for students to learn how to operate effectively in a group they wont just be able to work together naturally. At times, their level of knowledge or skill might outpace yours. We've updated our privacy policy. This is not just 'more stuff' but new perspectives and ways of using that knowledge to achieve different goals. I was awarded two extensions and last week was informed I was. Work with the apprentice and employer to set ambitious, yet realistic targets. In March, I secured a 1 month secondment to the Research and Evaluation team at Ofsted. Ability to stretch and challenge students' abilities; Accountable for learning and achievements of students across the academy; Motivate staff - leading by example . Even though using a learning experience such as oracy doesn't always end up with written evidence in a book, progress can be documented with the right assessment approaches. We had an excellent team and all of us contributed to our end result, which was of course encouraging in the face of looming GCSEs. Combining these two techniques, the teachers expectations of the students is that a student has not finished until their response is 100 per cent accurate and they have developed their thinking using academic vocabulary and a range of examples. Encourage questions and answers to go from student to student, not student to teacher. In time, our members have also used attitudinal challenges. This may seem like a pretty obvious statement to make but often, without recognising it, we set a limit on what we think students can do.Stretch and challenge is knowing your students really, really well, through a combination of scrutinising a range of hard and soft data to enable us to make the best decisions when planning for students learning.Once youve diagnosed your students strengths and barriers to learning, there are a whole host of options you can implement to raise the bar in your classroom. 3. You are not alone looking for KS2 maths challenges for high attainers. To go one step further, the graphic organisers included in the membership are an engaging tool for adding shape to your pupils thinking. Enrol It seems the moment I use specific tasks to define challenge I have to abandon any non-subject specific description of high challenge. DEFINITELY AGREE WITH THIS ESPECIALLY; There is no real challenge posed if a student is told to As an early years practitioner, all pupils are given the skills required to set each child up to succeed. To get over the problem of setting homework for homeworks sake, an alternative is to create a Homework Challenge Bank featuring a range of tasks that require students to consolidate and master key concepts and apply their knowledge in different contexts. However, taking . It can also be hard to create stretch through this approach, because it is difficult to pitch tasks at exactly the right level. Question the process. Whatever they are, make sure theyre personal to each learner. Description. Students may struggle at first with the increased demands placed upon them. . Rather than waste time getting students to copy down vague learning objectives and outcomes, move towards an enquiry question that will anchor the learning and everything the students do in a lesson or series of lessons to respond to the question posed by the teacher. Create a Place for stretching (I used to have a fluffy rug in front of a mirror with my stick figure stretch routine where I . Keep it focused and manageable for yourself and relevant to your learners. Ofsted defines high-achievers as those achieving a Level 5 in both English and maths in national curriculum tests, commonly known as Sats taken in the final year of primary school. measure progress will motivate learners to complete more learning, increase their progress and reach their targets. Oops! If students see there is a choice of how much they will learn in a lesson, then it is too tempting for them to coast along doing the bare minimum.Learning intentions are an integral part of communicating to your students that you expect all of them to think deeply every lesson. This influences everything else. The awarding bodies were given guidance that 'stretch and challenge' questions should: use a variety of stems in questions - for example analyse, evaluate, discuss, compare - Have a clear mindset: "Maybe I was never flexible BUT, it's something I CAN work on". Participants will gain an understanding of what stretch and challenge should look like based on evidence from Ofsted and research. Ofsted - Excellence in English Good-quality oral work engages pupils, including boys and pupils who might otherwise take little interest, and yields benefits in all areas of English. Book Now ($74.35) Stretch and challenging is an effective ways to get even more out of your learners, and to encourage deeper levels of thinking. Not yet a NACE member? Prof Wiliam examines the importance of success criteria and pre-flight checklists in Embedding Formative Assessment. Neil Mercer's work has shown us that oral reasoning skills affect cognitive skills. Expert. Ego-driven feedback, focusing on the student rather than the task, and grades rather than comments, leads to a decrease in student progress. Once youve diagnosed your students strengths and barriers to learning, there are a whole host of options you can implement to raise the bar in your classroom. For me, the key to stretch and challenge is to pitch the learning at the higher ability learners. Introduction. Information for universities, Terms ont be repeating work or learning about things they already know, so theyll have more opportunity to progress. Top Revision Tips: 10 ideas for the classroom, The Knight in Shining Armour: coming to the rescue, Blue Peter Heres one I Prepared Earlier: pre-digested resources, Negator of Challenge: over simplifying and over scaffolding, Accepting the first response too readily and not grilling students, Life Support Machine: creating need not independence, The nodding dog: over praising and giving approval too readily, Have a starter that students can be doing from the moment that they enter the room to ensure a prompt start to the lesson, Use homework to prepare students for the learning in the lesson, Prepare learning resources that students can use independently without reliance on you, Set a strict time limit for speaking to the class. They said that education must challenge and support students at all levels, whilst identifying the most able and ensuring that they are stretched. By whitelisting SlideShare on your ad-blocker, you are supporting our community of content creators. Are your colleagues running any research projects or courses? A note of caution: sometimes students are given homework tasks that seem challenging because they require students to work independently on a project over an extended period of time. Students stick the essay pieces in order, onto a larger sheet of paper (A3 is good, but the bigger, the better). "The Physics Challenge was a great opportunity to stretch ourselves and also experience some competition from 15 other teams from local schools, which we promptly crushed. We sometimes forget that learning is hard work, particularly the thinking part. However, getting homework right makes such a difference to the challenge culture. The options discussed in this article all have one factor in common: a belief that all students can produce excellent work once they know what it looks like and are given appropriate tools and support to make it happen. The tasks that push pupils vary enormously by subject. Ego-driven feedback, focusing on the student rather than the task, and grades rather than comments, leads to a decrease in student progress.Feedback needs to be framed in such a way that it is clear to the student what their learning gaps are and how they can close them before moving onto new learning. The Ofsted inspector liked it too! In the Third Edition of 'Teaching Today' Geoff Petty (2004) there is an appendix which summarises differentiation . Apart from the issue of how time-intensive this model is, there are two ways it obstructs challenge. Prepare a speech to convince the rest of the class to take a particular action. As apprentices are progressing through the curriculum, you can set stretch and challenge activities to help them build advanced knowledge. Published. 3) Provide local examples of those benefits? Stretch and challenge is knowing your students really, really well, through a combination of scrutinising a range of hard and soft data to enable us to make the best decisions when planning for students learning. Covid-19 will change our outlook on education and BotDetect CAPTCHA ASP.NET Form Validation. You can read the details below. You are signalling to students that youve made a decision that only a few can reach the top. Whatever approach you take, embedding a stretch and challenge model in your classroom takes time. 2. Already I've been cautioned about the fixed mindset language of 'able' and 'gifted and talented' . Learning intentions are an integral part of communicating to your students that you expect all of them to think deeply every lesson. 4. One such way I'l share here. Free access to premium services like Tuneln, Mubi and more. The bank of Socratic and exploratory questions embedded within the framework enable teachers to turn a basic question into a more complex task that advances the level of thinking. The UTF actions can be carefully ordered into an engaging assessment methodology that gradually increases with cognitive complexity. Is your school embracing a stretch and challenge agenda? You can measure prior learning, build a. curriculum, track progress, and set stretch and challenge activities in one place. For many years, stretch and challenge was seen as something for the gifted and talented group. Session 2: Building Additional Stretch and Challenge into Activities and Tasks. Stretch and Challenge are concepts which occur with increasing frequency in Ofsted and Estyn reports. Youll need to find a way to measure the progression of learning, so you know when theyre ready for that extra push. Stretch and Challenge | CLF Conference. Instead of just providing additional learning materials for those who have finished the task, the framework enables children to deepen their learning experiences by changing perspectives and looking at topics from different angles. Yet what isnt as well promoted is that feedback can also have a negative impact on students. Having to have superior writing skills might act as a barrier for embracing a stretch and challenge for all policy. In 2019 I met Umair Shafique at the Service Design Fringe Festival in London, and heard . There is no Elder wand, or potions off the shelf to address the issue in a one size fits all scenario. Much classroom discussion centres upon the teacher initiating discussion by asking a question, choosing a student to answer and then acknowledging whether the answer is correct.This cycle is repeated several times with different students. They give employers validation that theirapprenticeship levyis being well spent. Posted in Advanced Practitioners, CPD for Teachers, Differentiation, Feedback, High grades for learners, Medals and Missions, Questioning strategies, Stretch and challenge, Teaching and learning | Tagged Differentiation, differentiation in group work, feedback for stretch and challenge, group work, Stretch and Challenge, stretching strong . Rather than accepting students first responses, giving students an opportunity to practise their response through oral rehearsal results in much more sophisticated thinking. If possible one should stretch daily, focusing on the lower . NHS apprenticeships: an interview with Lucy Hunte, HEE, Level 2 apprenticeships are key to social mobility. Stretching keeps the muscles flexible, strong, and healthy, which is needed to maintain a range of motion in the joints. Your 2021 New Year's Stretch Challenge is here! If you would like to talk anything through, please do get in touch for an informal conversation. The best group work is when the cognitive demand of the task actually necessitates more than one students input. This is the idea of entertaining a thought before accepting it. Stretch and challenge can be described as an agenda or philosophy as opposed to an outright teaching strategy. The new focus on progress measures in performance tables will reward schools that stretch their brightest pupils. Session 3: Stretch and Challenge Strategies Specifically Targeting More-Able Learners. Read our, Registered charity no: 1125907 Company no: 06604325, Membership Management Software Powered by, 5 key strategies for stretch and challenge, Registration open for the NACE Conference 2023, First two NACE Challenge Ambassador Schools announced, FREE WEBINAR: Getting the most from your NACE membership, Member meetup: Developing challenge for all through the new curriculum for Wales.