Differentiation and challenge: Research and Development
Group Cycle 1 2015-16Meeting 1: selecting the issue
The Rationale
The focus on this group is to examine how we respond and plan to support the needs and progress of individuals, particularly in light of our changing cohort.
We aim to explore and develop strategies to nurture high performance and challenge for all students.
Aims
•Understand the process and culture of a
research and development group.
Share our experiences of life long skills for differentiation and
challenge and consider research
Decide together how to progress by identifying
a focus question that we all want to work towards
answering.
Listening
Mutuality
Enquiry
Enablement
QuestioningCo-creation
MotivationPartnership
Commitment
Alignment
Action
Accountability
Learning
Respect
Sharing
Process & Culture
Risk Taking
Discuss AimsDiscuss the issues that we want to
investigate further? (Based on research and
experience)
w/c 2nd
Share and PlanPlan our research and decide
upon how to gather evidence of impact.
w/c 23rd
Reflect and ReviewDiscuss actions and evidence so far. Plan further development.
w/c 1st
Review & Evaluate Reflect upon what we have learnt individually and as a
group.
w/c 18th
Ofsted think these are the problems with stretch and challenge for talented pupils:
• Lack of opportunity in secondary school • Disadvantaged most able students are much
less likely to succeed • Links between secondary and primary schools
are not effective enough • Lack of challenge at the start of Key Stage 3 • Teaching that does not challenge the most able
in Key Stage 3 • Assessment and tracking at Key Stage 3 is not
effective • Quality of guidance about courses, universities
and jobs is still not good enough 18Are any of these areas we are interested in?
What problems do we have with stretching and challenging the most able?
Here are some of mine• The most able students finish the quickest.• The most able students can answer even
the most challenging questions.• The most able students are reluctant to
answer the questions.• The most able students like to feel confident that they are right so do not
really want to be pushed as hard.
The story of Gifted educationNurturing high performance rather
than just pushing gifted and talented children.
Evolving practise to support able student
Possible practises we could begin to explore
Tom SheridanA range of differentiation
techniques for the most able.
Challenging the particularly able Encouraging giftedness. KS3KS4KS5Pupil choiceEngaging pupil interestExtension Reading Discussion Success criteriaPeer work Literacy Written skills Oral presentationGifted and talentedExam preparation and revision Exam techniqueLife long skills for learningEssay writing. Seminar style learning Flipped learning
Put into sort cards.
What is our group research question?
Next steps
Think about what you need to do to prepare for the next meeting.
Research: • Theory
• Action with a class of your choice
Collaborate with members
of your department for
support, ideas and to help
the learning travel.
Pupil choice Questionnaire
Name: never Hardly ever
Not very often
Some of the time
Often Very often
All of the time
I am given a choice of tasks in my RE lessons 1 2 3 4 5 6 7I am given the choice of how I present my work in RE lessons
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Choice is something I am given a lot of in my lessons
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
I enjoy having choice in my learning 1 2 3 4 5 6 7Giving me a choice of skills questions would help me develop my weaker areas
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
If given a choice I would always opt for the easy option
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
I would like more choice in my learning 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
When I am given choice I find this unnerving 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Action research- an example
Date for the diary
Share and Plan-triangulate our evidence so far and use that to plan our further
research and development