By Miss M Williams and

Miss H Deacy

Excellent Schools: A vision for Excellent Schools: A vision for Schools in Wales in the 21Schools in Wales in the 21stst centurycentury

• The development of learning skills, or what is The development of learning skills, or what is increasingly being known as ‘learning to learn’ increasingly being known as ‘learning to learn’ is inseparable from good subject teaching.is inseparable from good subject teaching.

• Schools should develop clear policies and Schools should develop clear policies and strategies for teaching pupils to think, learn, strategies for teaching pupils to think, learn, work collaboratively and solve problems.work collaboratively and solve problems.

• Estyn 2002Estyn 2002

Expanding the capacity to Expanding the capacity to learnlearn

“ “The test of successful education is The test of successful education is not the amount of knowledge that not the amount of knowledge that pupils take away from school, but pupils take away from school, but their appetite to know and their their appetite to know and their capacity to learncapacity to learn.”.”

Sir Richard Livingstone, 1941Sir Richard Livingstone, 1941

Building Learning PowerBuilding Learning Power(BLP)(BLP)

• What is BLP?What is BLP?

• How we are implementing BLP in How we are implementing BLP in years 2 and 6years 2 and 6

• The next steps for the schoolThe next steps for the school

What is BLP?What is BLP?• BLP is Building Learning PowerBLP is Building Learning Power• Helping children to become more Helping children to become more

effective and independent learnerseffective and independent learners• There are four elementsThere are four elements

• ResilienceResilience• ResourcefulnessResourcefulness• ReflectivenessReflectiveness

• ReciprocityReciprocity

ResourcefulnessResourcefulness

• Questioning Questioning – Getting below the surface; – Getting below the surface;

being curious.being curious.

• Making LinksMaking Links – seeking coherence, – seeking coherence,

relevance and meaning.relevance and meaning.

• ImaginingImagining – Using the mind’s eye as a – Using the mind’s eye as a

learning theatre.learning theatre.

• ReasoningReasoning – thinking rigorously and – thinking rigorously and

methodically.methodically.

• Capitalising Capitalising – making good use of – making good use of

resources.resources.

ResilienceResilience•AbsorptionAbsorption – – The pleasure of being rapt in The pleasure of being rapt in

learning….awe and wonder!learning….awe and wonder!

•Managing DistractionsManaging Distractions – – recognising recognising

and reducing interruptions.and reducing interruptions.

•NoticingNoticing – – really sensing what’s out there.really sensing what’s out there.

•PerseverancePerseverance – – stickability; tolerating the stickability; tolerating the

feelings of learning.feelings of learning.

ReflectivenessReflectiveness

• PlanningPlanning – – working learning out in advanceworking learning out in advance

• RevisingRevising – – monitoring and adapting along monitoring and adapting along

the way.the way.

• DistillingDistilling – – drawing out the lessons from drawing out the lessons from

experienceexperience

• Meta - learningMeta - learning – – understanding learning understanding learning

and yourself as a learner.and yourself as a learner.

ReciprocityReciprocity

• InterdependenceInterdependence – – balancing self-reliance balancing self-reliance

and sociability.and sociability.

• CollaborationCollaboration – – the skills of learning with the skills of learning with

each other.each other.

• Empathy and listeningEmpathy and listening – – getting inside getting inside

others’ minds.others’ minds.

• ImitationImitation – – picking up others’ habits and picking up others’ habits and

valuesvalues

How teachers build How teachers build learning powerlearning power

• It is important to remember that teachers It is important to remember that teachers are the catalyst and scaffolder behind pupils are the catalyst and scaffolder behind pupils and their ability to develop as independent and their ability to develop as independent learners. learners.

• Teachers can build young people’s learning Teachers can build young people’s learning power by helping them to expand their own power by helping them to expand their own learning capacities. learning capacities.

• It is about adapting and adjusting to ensure It is about adapting and adjusting to ensure that you as teachers develop the way in that you as teachers develop the way in which you talk to children, the organisation which you talk to children, the organisation of your classroom, design of activities and of your classroom, design of activities and how you teach.how you teach.

• ExplainingExplaining

• OrchestratingOrchestrating

• CommentatingCommentating

• ModellingModelling

How teachers build How teachers build learning powerlearning power

‘ ‘ The classroom becomes a place The classroom becomes a place where pupils and teachers engage where pupils and teachers engage together creatively as researchers in together creatively as researchers in their own learning.’their own learning.’

Guy Claxton, Building Learning Power Guy Claxton, Building Learning Power 20062006

How we are implementing How we are implementing BLP in High Cross PrimaryBLP in High Cross Primary

Resourcefulness and Resourcefulness and ReciprocityReciprocity

Class 2HD and 6MWClass 2HD and 6MW

Implementing BLPImplementing BLP

• Developing ResourcefulnessDeveloping Resourcefulness

• - - Stuck Boards and PostersStuck Boards and Posters• These are a way of developing children’s These are a way of developing children’s resourcefulnessresourcefulness..

• They encourage children to think of all the resources they have They encourage children to think of all the resources they have around them in the classroom which support their learning.around them in the classroom which support their learning.

• Stuck boards and posters encourage the children to capitalise on Stuck boards and posters encourage the children to capitalise on the full range of resources available to them.the full range of resources available to them.

• The children use their stuck board or posters as a reference point The children use their stuck board or posters as a reference point when they get stuck and need some help.when they get stuck and need some help.

Stuck boards were introduced into Year 2 Stuck boards were introduced into Year 2 Autumn term 1.Autumn term 1.

First steps were to think, pair and share.First steps were to think, pair and share. With a partner pupils developed ideas on With a partner pupils developed ideas on

yellow sticky notes.yellow sticky notes. Each sticky note was shared to the whole Each sticky note was shared to the whole

class.class. Pupils decided which ideas were relevant to Pupils decided which ideas were relevant to

them. them. Now when they are stuck they use the Now when they are stuck they use the

board to help them.board to help them.

Developing Stuck boards in Year 2

Stuck BoardsStuck Boards

Stuck PostersStuck PostersStuck posters are designed and made by the children. They keep them in their trays for reference when needed.

On a termly basis two or three stuck posters are chosen, enlarged and displayed around the classroom as reference for others.

Stuck DisplayStuck Display

•Developing ResourcefulnessDeveloping Resourcefulness - Tour of the classroom- Tour of the classroom• Something that quite often hinders pupils ability to Something that quite often hinders pupils ability to

learn effectively, is unfamiliarity of their own learn effectively, is unfamiliarity of their own environmentenvironment..

• A tour of the classroom is another way of developing A tour of the classroom is another way of developing children’s resourcefulness. They encourage pupils to children’s resourcefulness. They encourage pupils to be curious, not afraid of not knowing and to make the be curious, not afraid of not knowing and to make the most of the learning resources.most of the learning resources.

• Tour of the classroom enables pupils to become familiar Tour of the classroom enables pupils to become familiar with their surroundings and to hopefully work out things with their surroundings and to hopefully work out things for themselves.for themselves.

Implementing BLPImplementing BLP

The pupils worked with their learning partner to think of useful things that they needed to find.

When ready the pupils put on their snazzy specs and went on a tour of their classroom.

Classroom TourClassroom Tour

The pupils searched high and low for items that they wanted to find.

The pupils recorded on a plan some of the items which they found.

Some cheeky chappies even sneaked a look in their teachers cupboards.

Classroom TourClassroom Tour

Implementing BLPImplementing BLPDeveloping Resourcefulness - Learning partners

• The children have a learning partner who they can ask for help when they are stuck. Learning partners are also used for some directed pair work activities.

• Learning partners is another way of developing children’s resourcefulness. They encourage children to use the resources available to them so becoming more independent in their learning.

• Learning Partners support the stuck posters and develop the children’s capitalising skills drawing on a full range of resources available to them.

Learning Partners in Learning Partners in Year 2Year 2

Learning PartnersLearning PartnersThe children are paired up in different ways depending on the activity;

Ability

Mixed ability

Friendship group

Children use their learning partner to support learning during directed time and also independently for help when they are stuck.

Learning PartnersLearning PartnersThe children often complete their language and Maths work using the laptops.

By working with their learning partners on the laptops they can share ideas and use each others strengths to achieve the task set in the best way they can.

Sometimes learning partners are TA’s in the classroom.

Implementing BLPImplementing BLPDeveloping Reciprocity - Q and A Cards• These are a way of developing children’s reciprocity.

•The children use their question and answer cards within a lesson to decide very carefully about which questions they want to answer and which questions they want to ask as they can only use their cards once.

• Q and A cards encourage children to stay focused on the lesson listening to others views and opinions making decisions about the right time to contribute their thoughts and ideas

• Q and A cards encourage the children’s empathy and listening skills and encourage everyone in the lesson to make a contribution whilst making their own decisions about their learning.

Q and A cardsQ and A cards

Q and A cards are handed out at the start of the lesson. Different children are given different numbers of cards.

Children choose very carefully when they would like to use their card to answer a question or ask the class or teacher a question.

All children have to use the cards they are given.

Implementing BLPImplementing BLP

Developing Reflectiveness - Keying in

• After a piece of work has been completed pupils reflect on their own work by commenting about what they have learnt. This is also known as Meta-learning.

•Pupils begin to know themselves as a learner and talk about the learning process.

Pupils commented on the skills they used and what they felt they had learnt. Their comments were added to a display based on their work.

Reflecting in Year 2Reflecting in Year 2

Reflecting in Year 6Reflecting in Year 6

Following our work on rock idol, the children reflected on their learning and recorded their thoughts in a speech bubble for

the display.

Next Steps for the Next Steps for the SchoolSchool

• To filter BLP into every classroom. To filter BLP into every classroom.

• To support staff in implementing BLPTo support staff in implementing BLP

• To have 101 Ways training as part of To have 101 Ways training as part of an inset day in the Spring Term.an inset day in the Spring Term.

• To hold a presentation based on BLP to the To hold a presentation based on BLP to the parents. This will be to help them understand parents. This will be to help them understand what we as a school are doing and an to what we as a school are doing and an to develop an understanding of the language that develop an understanding of the language that their children might use at home.their children might use at home.

• To liaise with staff to help them to implement To liaise with staff to help them to implement BLP in their classrooms and to provide a BLP in their classrooms and to provide a support network for them.support network for them.

• Develop the language of BLP with the pupils to Develop the language of BLP with the pupils to produce icons that represent BLP to make it produce icons that represent BLP to make it more child friendly.more child friendly.

Action Plan for Action Plan for ImplementationImplementation

Learning to learnLearning to learn

“ “ Since we cannot know what knowledge Since we cannot know what knowledge will be needed in the future, it is senseless will be needed in the future, it is senseless to try to teach it in advance. Instead our to try to teach it in advance. Instead our job must be to turn out young people who job must be to turn out young people who love learning so much, and who learn so love learning so much, and who learn so

well, that they will be able to learn well, that they will be able to learn whatever needs to be learned.”whatever needs to be learned.”

John HoltJohn Holt

Thank you for listening. Thank you for listening.

Any questions?Any questions?