How do we ensure equality of opportunity for pupils with English as an additional language (EAL) so that all pupils make progress and achieve? Iram Fazal

Importance of inclusion 

As British schools have become more multicultural over the years, teachers have to face the challenge of overcoming the language barriers for the EAL (English as an Additional Language) pupils. Each child brings a unique contribution to the classroom and inclusive education needs to respond to more diversity. The children’s rights alliance article 28 states that “All children, no matter what their ability, interests or background, have a right to an education that will help them achieve their potential without discrimination” (CRAE, 2014: 66). EAL pupils are protected by law under Race which is a ‘protected characteristic’. The Equality Act (2010) states, schools must not discriminate against any pupils, in the way they provide education, afford access to facility/service and must not subject them to any other detriment. EAL pupils are not a homogeneous group; therefore, schools need to be aware that each pupil and group has different needs according to their language proficiency (NALDIC, 2012). According to DfE (2016), from autumn 2016, schools are required to categorise their EAL pupils using the categories of A (new to English), B (early acquisition), C (developing competency), D (competent), E (fluent) and N (not yet assessed). As each EAL pupil is at a different level of understanding of the English language, this task becomes more challenging for teachers as for how to cater for each EAL pupil without disadvantaging other pupils. This essay will now examine EAL as a whole-school educational issue with possible solutions. 

English as an additional language 

According to Ofsted (2015), ‘English as an additional language (EAL) refers to learners whose first language is not English’. The understanding and fluency of English for each pupil might have a different level and different social, cultural and economic background. They may have acquired other languages prior to or at the same time as acquiring English language (NALDIC, 1999). An additional language could be a necessity for learners since arriving in Britain. For example, at my previous school, a Bulgarian pupil has learnt Romanian within 2 months of arriving in the UK because the pupils she associates with are mostly Romanian. However, this pupil may not use Romanian outside school or in her community. EAL pupils face a range of difficulties: they have to acquire a new language before they can access the school curriculum or socialise. The burden of responsibility lies with schools on how to adopt appropriate strategies which are designed for each EAL pupil’s needs. In some schools in England, the number of EAL pupils has risen considerably, 20% of the UK school population is EAL resulting in the requirement for a change in pedagogy. EAL pupils in English schools have doubled from 7.6% in 1997 to 16.2% in 2013 (Strand et al, 2015: 5). This example demonstrates that pupils not only have to learn a new language; they also have to become accustomed to mainstream English schools. Schools must take this into account when assessing new EAL arrivals and when planning provision for those pupils. Second language acquisition stages can be explained by Cummins models. In his early work, Cummins (1979, 1981, 1984) has demonstrated the second language proficiency through BICS (Basic Interpersonal Communicative Skills) and CALP (Cognitive Academic Language Proficiency). According to Cummins, “BICS describes the development of conversational fluency in the second language whereas CALP describes the use of language in decontextualised academic situations” (NALDIC, 2011). 

Cummins BICS and CALP (1976 - Present) 

Cummins who introduced the Iceberg Model; suggested “that learners first develop conversational skills in face-to-face contextualised situations and then further develop language for academic success. BICS is described as surface fluency for simple conversations, it relies on visual and non-verbal support i.e., body language, facial expressions and is not cognitively challenging. BICS is used by the learner in social and communicative context” (Cummins, 1979). BICS can take up to two years for EAL pupils from the date of arrival at schools. CALP is used in context reduced academic situations, no diagram or visual support is required. CALP is a cognitively demanding stage and is needed for expressing higher-order thinking, i.e., analysis, synthesis and evaluate (Bloom’s Taxonomy, 1956) in both oral and written modes, concepts and ideas that are relevant to success in academics. Based on these studies, the majority of schools today plan and design their ‘intervention classes’ for the inclusion of EAL pupils and decide the time frame for that support accordingly. In my present school, 92% of pupils are termed as EAL. There are interventions in place for the new arrival (EAL pupils) to the school. 

Acquisition of Second language: A Conceptual Model 

Many studies have been carried out on how EAL pupils acquire proficiency in a second language while learning how to access the academic curriculum in their new country. One study widely used and recognised is Collier’s conceptual model, also referred to as ‘the prism model’ as it is multifaceted. The model has four major components: sociocultural processes, linguistics, academic and cognitive processes (Collier, 1995). At the centre of this prism, Collier placed the sociocultural processes, in other words, what an EAL pupil experiences at school and home including their interaction with non-EAL and EAL communities and cultures. The progress of these pupils depends on the positive and negative interaction experiences at school and in their social settings. The second facet of Collier model is the linguistic process that contains subconscious aspects of language development. Collier states that it is an innate human ability for oral and written acquisition of a language system (Collier 1995). The learner must have a high cognitive level in their first language (oral and written) through their primary school education to achieve an academic success in the second language. The third element of Collier’s model is an academic development which consists of all school work in different subjects. As pupils progress, the academic work becomes increasingly cognitively challenging because of the complex language domains. According to Collier, “all subject lessons (science, maths etc.) must take place side by side with linguistic development lessons so that conceptual transfer can be done across both languages” (Collier, 1995). In my previous and also present school, EAL pupils have ‘intervention classes’ whereby they are only taken out of the non-core subject i.e. Humanities, to provide second language lessons (English reading/writing) to ensure their progress in core subjects. This method allows EAL pupils to be able to interact with their peers and teacher in mainstream classes. The fourth and final element is called the cognitive development. Collier states that it has been mostly neglected and ignored in the 1970’s (Collier, 1995: 3). Cline and Frederickson (1996) suggested that cognitive abilities and context are interlinked as I witnessed in a year 9 end of the topic test in biology. An EAL pupil (Italian) who had a BICS level of second language comprehension could not attempt any question as she was unable to understand certain words in the questions without any visual or contextualised aid. Moreover, Collier (1995) pointed out that the first language was ignored earlier, therefore leaving pupils cognitively unchallenged in their first language. 

Issues affecting EAL pupils in schools 

The issues and challenges faced by EAL pupils are vast depending on their level and comprehension of second language. Each pupil will have a different level of English: it is a school’s responsibility to ensure pupils are given appropriate second language support. Pupils are assessed by the school on their knowledge and understanding of English and given the support they need for inclusion. In my present school, pupils are assessed on their arrival so that they can be placed in the appropriate intervention classes. According to MESH, “EAL learners face a triple challenge in their learning”, they have to learn conversational and academic English, they must comprehend the curriculum and finally they must integrate into their newly acquired school and social culture (MESH, 2015). In my previous school, a year 8 pupil (despite intervention classes), was completely mute at all times, the EAL support stated that it is due to the emotional trauma the pupil has suffered leaving her home, pet and friends behind. The pupil was placed on pastoral support to help her overcome traumatic experiences. The EAL pupils also have to familiarise themselves with the different education system from that of their native country, where everything from curriculum to teaching method to classroom routine could be completely alien to them (Cameron et al, 1996: 230, Mackey & Polio, 2009). The layout of the classroom, pupil seating plan, notebooks/textbooks and ways of entering/leaving classroom can be completely new to them. This can be confusing for pupils as they have to become accustomed to a new system of education in a foreign language. The objectives set out by teachers must be made easier and clearer for EAL pupils through differentiation (TS 5.4) and must provide them e.g., with keywords, visual aids, and diagrams to keep them motivated and engaged throughout the lesson to ensure equality and inclusion. 

Inclusion of EAL pupils to ensure equality and progress 

To ensure EAL pupils progress, schools and teachers must address these issues that hinder EAL pupils’ inclusion in mainstream classes. The issues have to be recognised in theory and then solutions must be implemented in practice for pupils’ successful integration. To measure and record progress, schools use various tools and approaches in the acquisition of second language but use similar procedures for all newly arrived EAL pupils. In my previous and present school, when EAL pupils arrive, they are assessed based on data received from their previous schools and are given a baseline test that is planned and design by qualified EAL support. Assessments are carried out every six months and depending on the results pupils may move up a level. EAL pupils also sit CAT test (cognitive abilities test) to assess their verbal, non-verbal and quantitative (thinking with numbers) abilities. In my present school, EAL pupils of year 7 and 8s are then given 5 hours per week for speaking and listening classes and one grammar lesson as part of their integration programme. Pupils are given a login for online programmes like Lexia and flash academy for reading, comprehension and phonics. This intervention continues until pupils’ requirements are met and they are proficient in their second language. Pupils in year 9-11 are not taken out of the lesson and are encouraged to continue with their language development in the lesson. Pupils are also given EAL pack on arrival; this includes dictionaries, literacy, reading and comprehension books. There are online programmes and apps available to support teachers in my present school, for example; Widget online, Bell foundation, Twinkel and simplified books. 

Conclusion 

EAL pupils face a number of challenges on arrival at their new school including second language acquisition, new school environment, completely different curriculum and a new culture. The majority of schools have procedures in place to combat the challenges and make integration possible for EAL pupils. These procedures are well designed and thought out to ensure EAL pupils’ progression and academic achievement, however, there are still limitations, e.g., many schools only have a 2 years provision programme for EAL pupils due to limited funding, then intervention classes cease. Schools using separate classes must ensure that integration is done quickly and smoothly. Schools should know that as second language acquisition progresses (CALP) in EAL pupils their cognitive abilities develop in parallel. It is also important that schools adopt a structured and systematic approach suggested by Collier, to progressive learning objectives and assessments; Bloom’s Taxonomy provides for these aims and a means of challenging pupils. From my research and experience, despite limited government funding, it is evident that schools strive to ensure equality of opportunity and that EAL pupils are integrated and given the best start possible in their education

Iram Fazal

Recommended Reading - Cold Calling

Take a look at this blog from Inner Drive 'Does cold calling help shy girls learn?' 

The blog delves into some of the research into cold calling and the impact is has on learners as well as a fine summary of how to implement the stratedy without any lethal mutation!

Austin's Butterfly - The power of feedback and practice - Ian Stonnell

Are you aware of the story of Austin's butterfly? If you are not you should spend 5 minutes taking a look at this video featuring Ron Berger and his feedback method to support student progress. 

Right, now you have watched it, have a think - what strategies helped Austin improve? I see two significant ones (I know there are more) - firstly the feedback that is given from peers and secondly, the opportunity to act upon it multiple times (practice). Through these two strategies Austin, it could be argued, is attaining mastery at this particularly skill - drawing a butterfly.

Now reflect, how often do we give students regular feedback and then give them the immediate opportunity to act upon it? I would argue, in the way that Austin has recieved it, not very. This video is daunting isn't it? The practicalities of every day secondary school teaching make it nigh on impossible to give every student in our classes the kind of intesive experiece that Austin has recieved. 

Consider:

• How often do we ask students to complete a complex task (e.g. draw a butterfly, write an essay, make a translation, verbally explain a challenging concept or idea, complete a complex mathematical problem).
• When we ask students to perform these tasks, how quickly do students recieve feedback?
• When students recieve feedback, how soon, if at all, do students get the opportunity to act upon the feedback, practice and improve?

No doubt we may all feel that sometimes the frequency of feedback we give and the opportunity we give to students to practice may sometimes be limited. If this is the case how can we integrate a culture of feedback and student response to it in the classroom that mirrors the principles of Austin's butterfly? 

Marginal Gains Pedagogy

Well one way (amongst many) is to look at our marginal gains pedagogy of questioning and feedback that we have been focussing on as a school and realise how powerful it can be.

A simple way to apply the principles of Austin's butterfly.

Consider, in a 'think, pair, share' activity students in the think stage, can recall and practice a skill or piece of knowledge; in the pair stage they can recieve feedback from a peer immediately based on their response (verbal or written). Finally, through the share stage, coupled with cold calling questioning (to ensure all students are held to account), a student's verbal answer can then be given immediate feedback from the teacher. Then by moving on to 'say it again better' the student can have the chance to practice and improve (as could the whole class). Is this not Austin's buterfly in action? I would argue it is.

Further reading:

• Adam Porter - Did Austin actually learn anything? An interesting take on the use of feedback.
• David Didau - The feedback Continuum: Why reducing feedback helps student learn. - A good blog cosidering how much feedback we should give and when.

The use of interleaving to enhance pupils progress in science - Iram Fazal

The use of effective learning techniques is required in classrooms to improve the educational outcome of pupils. There are various techniques already deployed to enhance pupils learning. Interleaving is one technique that has been shown to considerably enhance long-term memory, the retention of information, leading to improved academic outcome for students. As the name suggests, it involves that mixing of different topics or practice to aid learning. It is believed that interleaving works by leveraging several cognitive mechanisms used by the brain in forming long-term memory.

According to Abbott, “college pupils who did ‘practice tests’ acquired higher grades in their exams” (Abbott, 1909). The correct retrieval of an answer from memory can have a direct effect on the memory, i.e. “Enhances retention by triggering elaborate retrieval processes” (Carpenter 2009: 768)   Moreover, a failure to answer correctly indicates that a pupil needs to practice the answers (Dunlosky, 2013: 3).  Roedger and Butler state that “The retrieval of information from memory through practice tests produces better retention than restudying the same information for an equivalent amount of time and has been termed the ‘testing effect’” (Roediger and Butler, 2011: 20). Walters & Kandel showed that long-term memories are formed through the repeated stimulus of an existing pathway in the brain causing additional connections between brain cells by newly formed proteins (Walters & Kandel, 1982). 

In contrast to the current practice of “blocking” adopted by schools, where a single topic or skill is practised at a time before moving on to the next (Dunlosky et al 2013: 40, Tylor & Rohrer, 2010).  In my research, the interleaving technique was used, which is based on Eric Kandel’s discoveries from experiments on the neurons of Sea Slugs, and has yielded impressive results. The technique involves mixing or “interleaving” practice sessions covering a number of topics or skills.  “Interleaving ensures that practise of any particular skill is distributed or spaced and is not consecutive” (Taylor and Rohrer, 2010).   Instead of practice topics following the format “aabbccdd”, a mixed practice format such as “abcdcadbdcba” is followed, e.g., mixed up homework questions on “Food and nutrition”, “Combustion” and “Metals and their uses”. The way long-term memory forms and the success of interleaving have important implications for teaching; research suggests pupils will retain more of what they learn in their long-term memory, improving their success in examinations.

Who knew research into sea slugs would translate into classroom practice!?

In my study, I introduced interleaved practice quizzes and 6 mark questions with a high ability year 8 group. The study was carried out in the spring term over 6 weeks, one lesson per week for quizzes from the previous topics.

Another study was completed in the summer term over 6 weeks, one lesson per week for 6-mark questions from the previous topics.  While pupils are of high ability with good knowledge of the topics being taught, they tend to score low marks in 6-mark questions at the end of unit tests and exams. 

At the end of both trials, the data was collected; a survey was carried out to evaluate the study and techniques used in this experiment. 

6 mark question sample

The results showed that interleaving practice had a positive effect on pupils’ learning (as prevous research has suggestd). Student scores showed an improvement in recall and the survey and interviews with puplis showed that 97% of pupils thought the interleaving technique was effective and allowed them to revise topics and remember more information by the time they sat their end of year exams. 77% of the pupils supported using interleaving as an effective technique for revision in the classroom. 

Further Research

• The scope of this study was a limiting factor in the evaluation of the results. The time constraint of 12 weeks was short for a study of long-term memory and the sample group was small in size. 
• A further difficulty was pupils’ unwillingness to do practice tests within the required time frame which was integral to the study.  Limited time also meant the resource could only be tried on one group of high ability. 

Recommendations

It is clear that interleaving can have an impact on the longer term memory and recall of students. Interleaving, coupled with retrieval practice, should inform the sequencing of curriculum and schems of learning.

Further Reading

• Interleave your teaching - InnerDrive
• Interleaving: How Mixed Practice Can Boost Learning
• Embedding of interleaving and retrieval practice within a new Key Stage 3 history curriculum - SSAT

12 tips for successful behaviour management - Andrew Smith

We've all had one - the class or the pupils we would rather avoid. It's normal. However, we can minimise the impact disruptive behaviour can have on our classrooms with sound pedagogy.

When developing a culture of positive behaviour in your classroom it is important to focus on the key aspects that achieve the right climate for learning. 

The fundamental skills required to develop successful behaviour management within your lessons should focus on the following points:

1. Relentless routines
2. Remaining calm and always being respectful
3. Having clear boundaries and a mutual respect
4. Building positive relationships
5. Creating the right classroom environment
6. High expectations… accept nothing less
7. Scaffolding learning to help support all abilities to achieve
8. Making sure every student in your lesson is appropriately challenged
9. Appropriately challenge  poor behaviour
10. Acknowledging and recognising excellent learning
11. Always follow up with concerns
12. Never be afraid to ask for support or help

1. Relentless routines

By developing relentless routines within your lessons as a teacher it allows you to reinforce your expectations, raise standards and highlight to the pupils the importance of making a quick prompt start to your lesson.  Some key points that should be focused on when developing relentless routines:

• Establish a clear routine and run through it with your pupils to raise awareness.

• Ask questions to check their understanding of the routine

• Show them where the routine can be found and its purpose

• Catch learners doing the right thing and acknowledge this

• Celebrate the success of your class in following the routine

2. Calm and respectful manner

As professionals working with pupils it's really important to create a safe and calm teaching environment where mutual respect is given by both the teacher and pupils in the classroom. Teaching environments which are calm allow for pupils to develop confidence and also work independently when set challenging activities. As a teacher it is always important to reflect on your body language, facial expressions and also your tone and use of voice. 

When in front of a class pupils are always observing the way teachers engage and interact with the pupils. As professionals it is critical that we model the calm approach needed for the relevant environment which we want the pupils to learn in. If the climate for learning becomes hostile, hectic and unorganised then the focus on learning is impacted and the calm situation soon turns into a classroom of drama.

3. Clear boundaries and mutual respect

As a successful teacher it is important to develop clear boundaries within your classroom. If clear boundaries are shared with pupils and regularly reinforced within the lesson then it allows the lesson to flow creating a healthy environment for learning. When teachers don’t set clear boundaries and high expectations pupils take advantage of the situation and can disrupt the lesson and learning of others. A simple boundary which can be created for pupils is to set a cold calling rule for questioning - students will know calling out is unnacceptable and also be aware that at any point they may be asked a question so need to remain engaged.

4. Building positive relationships

From my own personal experience, building positive relationships with pupils is one of the most important skills to develop as a teacher. When relationships are positive with pupils they respond better to challenging situations. One way to build positive relationships with pupils is to engage with them during break and lunchtimes. Another way to build positive relationships with pupils is to ask what they might do outside of school during their own time.  By showing an interest beyond your classroom and subject area shows the pupils that you are human and do care. As a teacher we come into contact with pupils everyday and to develop a positive relationship with all pupils they need to see and know that you are more than just their teacher who they see twice a week. Pupils need to feel a sense of trust and loyalty towards staff before positive relationships can be built.

5. Creating the right classroom environment

Creating the right classroom environment for learning is key to engaging and motivating pupils. Positive classroom environments can be created through visual displays, room layouts, seating plans and also the energy a teacher gives off when the pupils first arrive at the start of the lesson. When meeting and greeting pupils at the start of the lessons it's important that you acknowledge their arrival, welcome them into the classroom and set the tone, expectation and pace for the lesson. As a teacher we stand at the front of the classroom looking to inspire, engage and motivate pupils through the subject topics and learning that we teach. One easy way to create a positive classroom environment is at the start of the lesson to smile and actively engage with the pupils as they enter.

6. High expectations…..accept nothing less

Teachers who reinforce high expectations will develop a stronger culture and climate for learning.. High expectations can be reinforced effectively with all pupils no matter what starting ability they are at. High expectations need to be communicated clearly to the pupils so they are aware of the common focus and goal that as a class you are trying to create and achieve. There will be times during your lessons when you will need to take a few minutes to reinforce your classroom expectations. The key to this process is not to focus on all the expectations but identify the key principles that you recognise might be missing from your lesson at that time. In some cases these expectations might only need to be reinforced to one or two pupils and this could take place individually with the pupil or pupils outside the lesson. There might be a time during the lesson when you might need to reinforce the expectations to pupils outside the room. Either way its important to recognise that one's behaviour should not play or have a detrimental impact on the learning of everyone in your lesson.

7. Scaffolding learning to help support all abilities to achieve

As teachers it's important that we pitch our lessons to pupils making sure that we are catering for all pupils and their abilities. Successful teachers will have a variety of adaptations that they can change, implement and reinforce if pupils are struggling in a lesson. If a pupil has missed a fundamental key aspect of knowledge or has a misconception then it’s important to rectify the issue so that learning can take place. As teachers we need to be aware of the pupils that we are teaching and during the lesson look to build on their confidence through a variety of different pedagogical approaches that best suits the pupils need and abilities 

8. Making sure every student in your lesson is appropriately challenged

As teachers we are employed to provide pupils with appropriate challenges. It's important when planning lessons that we take in account the content of the learning that we are delivering to the pupils; making sure that it is challenging, engaging and also is made up of a variety of learning tasks that explores pupils creativity, resilience and focuses on independent learning.

Some common disruptive factors that can impact pupils learning in your classroom might relate to the following points:

• Seating Plan (Wrong pupils sitting next to each other)

• Not being able to see the board

• Previous learning missed due to absence

• Not understanding the task

• Task too challenging

• Task too easy

• Outside influences on learning that you are not aware of

• Other negative influences within the lesson.

When focusing on a pupil's learning in a lesson it is very important to identify the barrier that is impacting their learning. The only way to do this is watch the pupil and have a conversation with the pupil to see what barrier is affecting their learning. When the barrier is identified it is then important to act appropriately to support the pupil to get back on task.

9. Appropriately challenging poor behaviour

In situations where teachers need to address poor behaviour, it's important that you remain calm, don’t give the pupil public status and also take away from the situation the feeling that it’s the pupil versus you in front of the whole of the class. 

One way to do this is to speak to the pupils separately when an independent activity is underway. Another way to do this is to ask the pupil to step aside the classroom for a few minutes to calm down. When speaking with a pupil it's important that you continue to reinforce the expectations and classroom boundaries. It is also important to reinforce to the pupil something positive that the pupil has done in your lesson or during previous lessons. 

When allowing the pupil to re enter the classroom you have a few options at your disposal:

• Changing the seating plan

• Giving the pupil a warning (not in front of peers)

• Offering the pupil a chance to stay behind at the end of the lesson if it continues

It’s really important before the pupil returns back into the lesson that they acknowledge the  behaviour they are showing and that it needs to stop. The pupils need to be made aware of the next steps if their behaviour continues to disrupt learning.  Reinforce to the pupil that if the behaviour doesn't improve then you will have to escalate the situation via steps to success, detention, contacting home or referring the incident to the Head of Department or their Head of Year.

10. Acknowledging and recognising excellent learning

As teachers we are always very quick to recognise problems or concerns within our lessons, however one of the most powerful tools in our armour is to acknowledge and reward pupils who are working hard and doing well. By shifting the focus from a negative to a positive creates a positive ethos and climate for learning within your lesson. It's important to recognise and acknowledge those pupils within your lesson who are consistently engaged, showing high levels of motivation and who are working independently. By celebrating success in your lessons it reinforces expectations and raises the standard of work within your classroom.

11. Always follow up with concerns

As a teacher it is always important to practice what we preach. If a pupil within your lesson has misbehaved then its important to action the sanction that you have given or explained to the pupil. If you show a lack of inconsistency with your approach and don’t do what you have stated to the pupil or even follow through with the sanction or contact with the parent then next time you teach the pupil you might struggle and have similar concerns with them. It is always important to make sure that a followup conversation with the pupil is had before the start of the next lesson so the pupil knows that the incident is in the past and the next lesson is a fresh start. If the above process is not implemented then you may experience hostility and a negative atmosphere from the pupil at the start of the next lesson and as professionals and the adult it is important that you address the situation in the appropriate manner.

12. Never be afraid to ask for support or help

As teachers working very closely with all pupils it is important to take time to reflect on your lessons and day to day practice. Every teacher in education can have an off day and by taking the time to reflect, share information with colleagues and also talking through your own teaching experiences and day to day practice can help improve your pedagogical approach.

As qualified professionals in teaching, every member of staff needs to be reflective on their own teaching. Not one teaching style suits all and it's important to recognise that teachers and pupils are very different. Taking time to reflect, sharing good practice and liaising effectively with colleagues might be all is needed to make a slight tweak to improve the quality of your lessons.

Don’t be afraid to ask for help!

Further Reading:

• When the Adults Change, Everything Changes: Seismic shifts in school behaviour 29 Jun. 2017
• After The Adults Change: Achievable behaviour nirvana Paperback – 31 Mar. 2021.
• Behaviour management strategies for teachers: how to handle difficult students

Andrew Smith - Assistant Headteacher

You can follow Andrew on Twitter @Mr_SmithDenbigh

The Curriculum - Razna Choudhury

A good curriculum in a secondary school is an inclusive learning journey on which the student acquires knowledge and skills that prepare them for a successful life after school. It also involves developing or enhancing key attributes to ensure students lead a successful, happy, healthy life and they are actively engaged with the world around them. It sounds simple, yet to achieve this is a complex task... so how should we plan our curriculum? In this blog I'll attempt to provide you with some ideas.

Curriculum Coherency

In Mary Myatt’s book, ‘Huh’ she argues for coherence within curriculum planning through proper identification and teaching of concepts. She points out that these are the golden threads that run through subject's ‘baskets’ which hold meaning and signpost underlying structures. Myatt goes on to say that a well-planned, coherent curriculum, where concepts are revisited in different contexts, helps students to make sense of learning. This also enables them to build on prior learning and understand how it is related to the new knowledge they are acquiring.

Marry Myatt argues that curriculum coherency is crucial to help students develop deep understanding.

Mary Myatt also talks about the 'curse of content coverage' - there is a temptation to think that covering more must mean that students learn more. But I believe that we cannot teach the next lesson or part of the scheme if students have not grasped what we are currently teaching.The idea that we should move on because that is what the schemes of learning says sends the message that the curriculum plan is more important than the students. 

Identifying the key concepts

Identifying the key concepts within the curriculum is crucial for learning. The concepts are important because they contain the big ideas and when students grasp these big ideas, learning becomes more efficient. We need to be mindful that if too much curriculum planning is focused on task completion, which is a bad proxy for learning, this may not lead to deep understanding.  When students grasp the concepts, their learning is more secure than if they have just completed a few worksheets or exercises from a textbook. Covering a lot of content may give the impression that students have learned a great deal when, in fact, all that may have happened is that students have completed some exercises, the learning is then superficial and will not stay in the long term memory. Students need to be able to say in their own words what they have learnt and how it relates to the bigger picture. If we ensure that the curriculum plans support conceptual development, we make planning easier and learning deeper.

When students understand concepts, this makes new knowledge secure. If students have access to, understand and are able to use the conceptual, technical vocabulary expertly and confidently, they are entering the territory of long term memory. So when we are planning, we have to identify the key concepts we want students to learn. When we identify these and do work around their original meanings, we take students into a deeper understanding of the subject.

Covering content does not guranteed understanding. It is crucial curriculum design provides the flexibility to promote deeper understanding of core concepts.

Thoughtful Sequencing

When the curriculum lacks coherence, it is harder to teach and harder for students to learn. It is tempting to think that because students have been taught something, they have got it. Careful consideration must be paid to the organisation and sequencing of the material to be taught. Topics must be rethought in order to avoid confusion. This needs to be held in mind when long and medium term plans are constructed and also during the daily delivery of lessons. We need to remind ourselves and our students of how what we are learning today fits into a bigger picture. 

Knowledge Transfer

I believe that it is important to show students that the learning process is not as isolated as it seems during the school day rather, in reality, it consists of many interconnected pieces. Learning does not end after one timetabled lesson but there are strong links within topics in a subject and across the wider curriculum. Learning is a continuous process not an event.

One way to show students the relevance and interconnectedness of learning is through cross-curricular teaching. Heidi Hayes Jacobs defines cross-curricular teaching as “a conscious effort to apply knowledge, principles, and/or values to more than one academic discipline simultaneously.” The goal of cross-curricular teaching is to bring together seemingly isolated subject areas by incorporating the knowledge and skills of one area into the work done in the others.

One of the benefits of cross-curricular teaching is that the more connections the mind makes, the better it is able to learn and retain information. Cross-curricular teaching helps students make more connections and gives more meaning and relevance to the subjects and skills they are learning. You can at least begin to show students that the things they are learning do have practical applications beyond an isolated classroom.

The more connections students can make between different subjects they learn the more developed there schemas become -this helps to promote deeper understanding and longer term memory and recall.

If we want our students to see and understand the connections between various subject areas, then teachers themselves need to look at each other subject's schemes of learning and identify common topics leading to a discussion on knowledge, skills, pedagogy, similarities and differences and making this explicitly clear to students. Sharing and using the same resources in different subjects allows students to see key concepts in different contexts and having discussions about the different meanings of keywords will lead to less confusion. Doing prior knowledge checks before starting a new unit of work or brainstorming curriculum connections to a new topic with students could lead to an opportunity for teachers from different disciplines to work collaboratively. Leaders need to ensure lesson planning time is used effectively and encourage working collaboratively across the curriculum which will reduce workload in time and forge better working relationships with teachers from different departments.

Further reading:

• Mary Myatt - Blogs on the Curriculum
• Tom Sherrington - Blogs on the Curriculum
• Jacobs, H. (1989) Interdisciplinary Curriculum: Design and Implementation. ASCD
• Myatt, M. (2021) Huh. John Catt Educational LTD
• Turner, S. (2016) Secondary Curriculum and Assessment Design. Bloomsbury.

Razna Choudhury - Assistant Headteacher

You can follow Razna on Twitter @RC_Denbigh

What do we mean by Intervention? - Sandrine Florand

Interventions in education will help to address any gaps in a student’s learning, improve their progress and attainment, and help them overcome any barriers to leaning.

There are three waves of intervention:

Wave 1: Inclusive quality teaching first

The available evidence indicates that quality teaching is the most important thing to improve students’ attainment, particularly the most disadvantaged students. Quality teaching will develop knowledge and skills, will lay firm foundations for later learning, and ensure long-term retention of knowledge and fluency in key skills.

The best intervention is great teaching in the classroom.

According to the Sutton Trust and Educational Endowment Fund, the most effective strategies are:

1. Cognitive strategies (Developing the thinking skills that will make students strategic, flexible learners. e.g. memorisation techniques, methods to solve problems).
2. Metacognition and self-regulation strategies  (empower students to think about their own thinking, ‘learning to learn'.
3. Feedback
4. Outside the classroom: Homework.

The impact of homework on learning is consistently positive especially in secondary schools (leading to on average five months’ additional progress). Homework is most effective when used as a short and focused intervention and when it is an integral part of learning, rather than an add-on.  

Wave 2: Additional interventions to enable students to work at age related expectations

Some pupils may require additional support alongside high-quality teaching in order to make good progress that will take place outside the normal classroom. The interventions will help close the knowledge and skills gaps, so pupils are expected to “catch-up” with their peers and as a result and are able to work effectively at their Key Stage level.

In the second wave interventions are designed to help students fill gaps in learning enabling them to make rapid progress. These interventions usually have an academic focus.

The school should provide bespoke interventions appropriate to the specific skills gaps and needs of individual learners. These interventions take many forms, guided by the needs of the pupils. They can include:

• Small group support
• Focused numeracy and literacy sessions
• Mentoring
• Peer mentoring
• EAL Support
• Parental engagement

With wave 2 inverventions it is important to identify barriers, plan the interventions accordingly and evaluate the impact. They work best when they are short-term, intensive, focused, and tailored.

• Short-term: ideally less than a term
• Intensive: with three or more sessions a week rather than one and short in length 20 to 50 minutes 
• Focused: on specific aspects of learning rather than generic topics.
• Tailored: Assessment should informed of the gaps and interventions need to be tailored to the needs of the pupils to address these gaps

Clear outcome:

Wave 2 interventions should be precisely targeted with measurable outcome, and be clear about what success will look like for example raising attainment, expediting progress in a particular aspect of subject knowledge or skill, improving attendance, improving behaviour, reducing exclusions, improving parental engagement and so on.

Evaluating impact:

Then the impact of wave 2 interventions should be clearly monitored, and changes should be made when interventions are proven to be ineffective.

Wave 3: Highly personalised interventions 

Additional intervention and provision are needed to enhance the progress of identified children where stages 1 and 2 are not, on their own, having the desired effect.

These can include:

• personalised workshops
• alternative provision
• reduced timetable
• external support

With wave 3 interventions schools evaluate their strategies and determine which practices and interventions are effective in their own contexts.

Further Reading:

• To address underachieving groups, teach everyone better - Tom Sherrington 
• 5 steps to effective interventions - Provision Map
• Effective Interventions in Education: Types and Examples
• General and targeted interventions - SecED

Sandrine Florand - Assistant Headteacher

You can follow Sandrine on twitter @sandrinflorand