Leadership

Remapping The Cognitive And Neural Profiles Of Children Who Struggle At School

This research by the Medical Research Council has used machine learning to identify clusters of children who struggle at school of having learning difficulties, which did not match the previous diagnosis the children had been given.

The researchers from the Medical Research Council (MRC) Cognition and Brain Sciences Unit at the University of Cambridge say the research reinforces the need for children to receive detailed assessments of their cognitive skills to identify the best type of support.

Create an account to read this article

£7.00+ VAT

One-off purchase

Purchase and Download today

Register for free

No Credit Card required

Register for free
Access to 3 free articles
Free TeachingTimes Report every month

array(8) {
  ["distinct_key"]=>
  string(10) "post#39406"
  ["title"]=>
  string(24) "What are we testing for?"
  ["categories"]=>
  array(1) {
    [0]=>
    string(10) "Leadership"
  }
  ["url"]=>
  string(50) "https://www.teachingtimes.com/whatarewetestingfor/"
  ["post_date_timestamp"]=>
  int(1324646379)
  ["objectID"]=>
  string(12) "post-39406-0"
  ["_snippetResult"]=>
  array(2) {
    ["excerpt"]=>
    array(2) {
      ["value"]=>
      string(176) "British children are the unhappiest in Europe – and much of this is down to our
outmoded and damaging system of testing, says Aileen Brindley.
SLT Bumper issue 3.4/5"
      ["matchLevel"]=>
      string(7) "partial"
    }
    ["content"]=>
    array(2) {
      ["value"]=>
      string(386) "... pressureto achieve certain standards in literacy, numeracy andscience by a specific age, regardless of the significant effectsof socio-economic influences, and individual differences inboth the cognitive and affective learning profiles of pupils.Outdated and damagingThere is much in the literature to support my concerns; ourpresent system is seen as outdated ..."
      ["matchLevel"]=>
      string(7) "partial"
    }
  }
  ["_highlightResult"]=>
  array(4) {
    ["title"]=>
    array(3) {
      ["value"]=>
      string(24) "What are we testing for?"
      ["matchLevel"]=>
      string(4) "none"
      ["matchedWords"]=>
      array(0) {
      }
    }
    ["excerpt"]=>
    array(4) {
      ["value"]=>
      string(176) "British children are the unhappiest in Europe – and much of this is down to our
outmoded and damaging system of testing, says Aileen Brindley.
SLT Bumper issue 3.4/5"
      ["matchLevel"]=>
      string(7) "partial"
      ["fullyHighlighted"]=>
      bool(false)
      ["matchedWords"]=>
      array(1) {
        [0]=>
        string(8) "children"
      }
    }
    ["content"]=>
    array(4) {
      ["value"]=>
      string(5816) "96 Vol 3.4/5 n www.teachingtimes.comPrimary File AssessmentSchool Leadership TodayWhat are wetesting for?British children are theunhappiest in Europe – andmuch of this is down to ouroutmoded and damagingsystem of testing, says AileenBrindleyIbelieve that schooling should contribute to theattainment of happiness for our pupils. Unfortunately,in the most recent assessment of children’s well-being,the UK came bottom of the league tables (UNICEF, 2007).Something is going wrong if this international, independentreport judges our children to be the unhappiest in Europe.I also believe that one of the most powerful andunspoken obstacles to happiness for both teachers andpupils in primary schools is how children are assessed andthe impact this has on the curriculum. The measuring ofliteracy and numeracy for external accountability privilegesactivities that many children find boring and pointless. Thissets up a natural reluctance to engage, as children will bedistracted from activities unless they are interested.In such circumstances the responsibility to ‘makechildren do it’ lies almost solely with the teacher, and it isdifficult to do this respectfully and happily. Teachers andchildren struggle to find the contentment that comes whenchildren are motivated and happily engaged.97www.teachingtimes.com n Vol 3.4/5Primary FileAssessmentOn the surface, legislation, guidance and even statutoryrequirements in terms of the curriculum promise a full andmeaningful learning experience. However, the key factor thatactually determines what children do is not the orders forfoundation subjects like geography, history, art, music or PE(subjects children told the Cambridge Primary Review theyliked best). It is what their teachers are assessed on: numeracy,literacy and science. Criteria for assessment are set by externalmeans and both teachers and children are measured by it– level 3 in the core subjects is the holy grail at key stage 1 (theFoundation phase in Wales) and level 5 at KS2.Everyone wants those levels. Or at least almost everyhead does, and so do most of the teachers. They are thebenchmarks of excellence by which we are judged, andthose levels are revered and coveted. The only peoplewho don’t want them are many of the children, becausethe associated testing forces them to endure a curriculumprimarily centred around showing what they know on paper.The teacher’s central role, with the best will in the world, isto make them do tasks that ensure they will achieve highlyin the tests.This unhappy situation promotes mistrust,disappointment and reluctance to learn. Respect is hard tonurture in such a context. And the way schools are measuredin terms of success – comparing teacher against teacher,school against school, local authority against local authority– further distorts experiences of school life.In Wales schools are compared to each other by age-related teacher assessment based on levels and alsostandardised tests. At the end of each key stage in literacy,numeracy and science, this data is sent into the localauthority and from it schools are then compared. Those inthe lowest quartile in their group cannot expect to do wellin inspection, as the school data from these tests and levelsaffects the judgement of school performance.These judgements take little account of baseline data– the progress made from start to finish – which, as anyteacher knows, makes a profound difference. This meansthat in practice, teachers experience considerable pressureto achieve certain standards in literacy, numeracy andscience by a specific age, regardless of the significant effectsof socio-economic influences, and individual differences inboth the cognitive and affective learning profiles of pupils.Outdated and damagingThere is much in the literature to support my concerns; ourpresent system is seen as outdated and damaging by manyof our leading educators (Claxton 2008; Cullingford 2006;Egan 2005; Noddings 2003). They call for a curriculum that isrich in exciting learning experiences, which inspires children,takes into account what they would like to learn, and alsoprepares them more relevantly for life in the 21st century.The arguments against say that we shouldn’t expectall children to enjoy learning, claiming that children do notknow what is good for them, that children must becomeliterate, numerate and develop scientific thinking processesand be prepared for life, whether they like it or not; that ateacher’s job is to make them do it.I don’t argue with the fact that we do need to preparechildren for life and much of what we ask them to doshould be useful. We need to be able to use money, writeletters, read for pleasure, argue a point, understand basicscientific concepts so we can understand the world we livein and take care of ourselves and others. These are essentialskills for managing a happy life. The problem I have is thequantity, the timescale we do it in, the sacrifice of ‘now’ andthe damage we do in the process. Children form opinionsbased on their experience, and for many children the word‘learning’ has become synonymous with boredom, difficultyand often stress – certainly not a source of happiness.Where is it written, what worthy individual or groupdecreed, that it is really important that a six- or seven-year-old has to be able to “recognise negative numbers in thecontext of temperature” (DCELLS, 2008:49)? Why? Whatpossible need does a six-year-old have for this? Are theylikely to need to measure the temperature? The scenario thatthe use of this fact conjures up is laughable, and"
      ["matchLevel"]=>
      string(7) "partial"
      ["fullyHighlighted"]=>
      bool(false)
      ["matchedWords"]=>
      array(5) {
        [0]=>
        string(9) "cognitive"
        [1]=>
        string(8) "profiles"
        [2]=>
        string(8) "children"
        [3]=>
        string(8) "struggle"
        [4]=>
        string(6) "school"
      }
    }
    ["categories"]=>
    array(1) {
      [0]=>
      array(3) {
        ["value"]=>
        string(10) "Leadership"
        ["matchLevel"]=>
        string(4) "none"
        ["matchedWords"]=>
        array(0) {
        }
      }
    }
  }
}

Leadership

What are we testing for?

23 Dec 2011

array(8) {
  ["distinct_key"]=>
  string(10) "post#43791"
  ["title"]=>
  string(56) "Supporting a brain-injured child on the return to school"
  ["categories"]=>
  array(1) {
    [0]=>
    string(10) "Leadership"
  }
  ["url"]=>
  string(57) "https://www.teachingtimes.com/brain-injured-child_021017/"
  ["post_date_timestamp"]=>
  int(1506442319)
  ["objectID"]=>
  string(12) "post-43791-1"
  ["_snippetResult"]=>
  array(2) {
    ["excerpt"]=>
    array(2) {
      ["value"]=>
      string(309) "... and a lack of confidence and need that extra support to ensure they can succeed at the best of their ability. Here, Caroline Klage, Head of Child Brain Injury at Bolt Burdon Kemp, provides legal advice on how children with a brain injury should be supported when back to school."
      ["matchLevel"]=>
      string(7) "partial"
    }
    ["content"]=>
    array(2) {
      ["value"]=>
      string(392) "... consideration and parents can also provide feedback for school to consider.For more sensitive information, establishing lines of communication via email is quick andeffective.EnvironmentThe school environment can present so many challenges. Picture how a child with a brain injurymight struggle to cope with:• Too many children in close proximity ..."
      ["matchLevel"]=>
      string(7) "partial"
    }
  }
  ["_highlightResult"]=>
  array(4) {
    ["title"]=>
    array(4) {
      ["value"]=>
      string(65) "Supporting a brain-injured child on the return to school"
      ["matchLevel"]=>
      string(7) "partial"
      ["fullyHighlighted"]=>
      bool(false)
      ["matchedWords"]=>
      array(1) {
        [0]=>
        string(6) "school"
      }
    }
    ["excerpt"]=>
    array(4) {
      ["value"]=>
      string(521) "When a child suffers a brain injury, in particular after an accident, it can be difficult for them to reintegrate back into school. They could suffer from cognitive issues, behavioural difficulties and a lack of confidence and need that extra support to ensure they can succeed at the best of their ability. Here, Caroline Klage, Head of Child Brain Injury at Bolt Burdon Kemp, provides legal advice on how children with a brain injury should be supported when back to school."
      ["matchLevel"]=>
      string(7) "partial"
      ["fullyHighlighted"]=>
      bool(false)
      ["matchedWords"]=>
      array(4) {
        [0]=>
        string(9) "cognitive"
        [1]=>
        string(8) "profiles"
        [2]=>
        string(8) "children"
        [3]=>
        string(6) "school"
      }
    }
    ["content"]=>
    array(4) {
      ["value"]=>
      string(5700) "www.teachingtimes.comReports Summaries – a weeklyservice of essential summaries,in-depth reports and criticalanalysis that’s new and relevantto education, linked to originalsource documents.Detailed notes from teachers and teaching assistants and incident forms can be persuasiveevidence, as can reports from healthcare professionals instructed on a private basis if parentalfunds permit ie educational psychologist, occupational therapist, speech and language therapistand physiotherapist.Communication and the sharing of informationFrom the outset, observation and the constant sharing of information about the child byeveryone involved in his life is key. This will reveal patterns in behaviour which can inform theapproach to be adopted. For example, sharing information about how and when ‘meltdowns’occur may help to identify the potential triggers to meltdown and pre-emptive strategies canthen be introduced. Parents may notice how a child may present or behave when anxious, egsome children may laugh, others may lash out. Sharing this information with school will ensurestaff are alert that if the child laughs in a situation where this is out of context or begins to lashout, he may be anxious rather than being cheeky or deliberately disruptive and steps can betaken to reassure the child, rather than to punish him.To ensure excellent lines of communication are established not only between school staff butalso between school staff and parents, it is helpful to timetable regular communication andinformation sharing sessions, with key points being recorded and information being regularlyreviewed. Often, a home link book may assist, where staff can make notes about the schoolday for the parents’ consideration and parents can also provide feedback for school to consider.For more sensitive information, establishing lines of communication via email is quick andeffective.EnvironmentThe school environment can present so many challenges. Picture how a child with a brain injurymight struggle to cope with:• Too many children in close proximity to him• A noisy environment• The harsh sounding of a klaxon or school bell• Buildings that are hard to negotiate, particularly in older schools where buildings may havebeen extended and added to over the years• Changes in routine with no warning ie a supply teacher because a subject teacher isabsent or a change in the layout of the classroom or a change in the wall displays• At the secondary stage, interpreting a timetable, coping with the organisational nightmareof having to move to different classrooms with different teachers and possibly differentchildren for each lesson, or the multi-tasking demands of break times, where there is ashort period of time to go to the toilet, have a drink and snack and then visit the locker toput away any equipment and materials used in the last lesson and collect what is neededfor the next lesson• Trying to fit in socially, when processing speed is slower than before or it is difficult to followLegal BriefingLeadership Briefing – www.teachingtimes.comReports Summaries – a weeklyservice of essential summaries,in-depth reports and criticalanalysis that’s new and relevantto education, linked to originalsource documents.conversation in a group of peers• Coping in sports lessons and clubs when coordination and balance may be impacted• Struggling to keep up in lessons and forgetting what has been covered and what isexpected for homework• Where possible, steps should be taken to either remove some of the above difficulties,but where that is not possible, to manage them, for example:• Allowing the brain-injured child to leave lessons five minutes earlier and encouragingthem to arrive 5 minutes earlier to avoid crowded corridors and stairwells• Allowing the child to uses a quieter side entrance to enter the school in the morning andto exit in the afternoon• Providing ear defenders where the child struggles to cope with noise• Ensuring the child has a quiet and safe space to retreat to when they are overwhelmedand anxious• Giving the child good and regular notice of any changes in routine can help them bettercope with change• Ensuring there is a calm and more structured lunchtime/break-time activity on offer if thechild is struggling to cope with the hustle and bustle and also the unstructured nature ofbreak-times• Providing additional assistance with organisation and planning• Ensuring extra-curricular clubs are available that meet the child’s interests• Organising small groups set around a particular activity where the child can developsocial skills on the advice of the local speech and language therapist eg Lego club whichcan involve Lego therapy• Giving some consideration as to whether lessons and lesson materials need to bedifferentiated for the child. Usually, specialist educational psychology advice can assistwith this. Some children may need information to be broken down into smaller chunksand may benefit from a member of staff going through what will be covered in a lessonbeforehand and/or reinforcing what was covered afterwards. Some children may not beable to cope with the entire lesson• Staff members may need to assist the child to note down homework and ensure thechild has a full understanding of what is required of him, perhaps communicating this toparents too. Homework requirements may need to be moderated where a child fatigueseasily• Staff should consider whether offering to scribe for the child or providing an IPad oflaptop may aid communication• It might also be"
      ["matchLevel"]=>
      string(7) "partial"
      ["fullyHighlighted"]=>
      bool(false)
      ["matchedWords"]=>
      array(3) {
        [0]=>
        string(8) "children"
        [1]=>
        string(8) "struggle"
        [2]=>
        string(6) "school"
      }
    }
    ["categories"]=>
    array(1) {
      [0]=>
      array(3) {
        ["value"]=>
        string(10) "Leadership"
        ["matchLevel"]=>
        string(4) "none"
        ["matchedWords"]=>
        array(0) {
        }
      }
    }
  }
}

Leadership

Supporting a brain-injured child on the return to school

26 Sep 2017

array(8) {
  ["distinct_key"]=>
  string(10) "post#44060"
  ["title"]=>
  string(25) "The three Rs of behaviour"
  ["categories"]=>
  array(1) {
    [0]=>
    string(13) "Special Needs"
  }
  ["url"]=>
  string(44) "https://www.teachingtimes.com/ecjthethreers/"
  ["post_date_timestamp"]=>
  int(1523879758)
  ["objectID"]=>
  string(12) "post-44060-2"
  ["_snippetResult"]=>
  array(2) {
    ["excerpt"]=>
    array(2) {
      ["value"]=>
      string(142) "In the third part of MST’s series on behaviour Geoff Moss and John Bayley consider the ‘three Rs’: roles, routines and relationships



"
      ["matchLevel"]=>
      string(4) "none"
    }
    ["content"]=>
    array(2) {
      ["value"]=>
      string(430) "... In nurture groups, for example, we will see adultsoperating as the ‘good parent ’. The y will be activelymediating between the child’s current state of cognitive,emotional and social competence and the expectationsof the school organisation. So we must remember thatBehaviour managementBehaviour managementBehaviour managementBehaviour managementBehaviour managementManaging Schools Today June/July ..."
      ["matchLevel"]=>
      string(7) "partial"
    }
  }
  ["_highlightResult"]=>
  array(4) {
    ["title"]=>
    array(3) {
      ["value"]=>
      string(25) "The three Rs of behaviour"
      ["matchLevel"]=>
      string(4) "none"
      ["matchedWords"]=>
      array(0) {
      }
    }
    ["excerpt"]=>
    array(3) {
      ["value"]=>
      string(142) "In the third part of MST’s series on behaviour Geoff Moss and John Bayley consider the ‘three Rs’: roles, routines and relationships



"
      ["matchLevel"]=>
      string(4) "none"
      ["matchedWords"]=>
      array(0) {
      }
    }
    ["content"]=>
    array(4) {
      ["value"]=>
      string(5656) "and what is saidnext is triggered by those immediate feelings rather than byany considered strategy: “That’s it. I’ve had enough. There’salways somebody who has to spoil it for the rest. Well for thatyou can all sit in absolute silence with your arms folded for therest of the lesson!” (“…so there!”)WeaknessAt other times adopting the child role the teachersounds unsure and unc ertain, pleading for betterbehaviour, more like a victim b eing bullied, negotiatingto be treated better from a position of weakness: “Nowplease, let’s behave shall we? If you can all finish thistask by the end of the lesson you c an have a merit pointfor goo d behaviour.”When teachers and pupils adopt any of these roles inthe classroom their communication style may trigger acomplementary role in the other. They are ‘transactions’ –in a two-way process in which the role adopted by oneperson prompts the other to make a reciproc al response.If I address you in my parent role the communicationprompts you to respond in child mode, and I expect thatrole from you. When someone enters that ‘child’ role in anaccommodating mo de they ma y communicat edependence, passivity, accepting the guidanc e of theother. But equally they may prove unco-operative in thatrole, communicating anger, defiance, rebellion – in themanner of an emotionally immature child: “Talk to me likea child and I will act like a child.”There are, of course, positive versions of both parent andchild role. In nurture groups, for example, we will see adultsoperating as the ‘good parent ’. The y will be activelymediating between the child’s current state of cognitive,emotional and social competence and the expectationsof the school organisation. So we must remember thatBehaviour managementBehaviour managementBehaviour managementBehaviour managementBehaviour managementManaging Schools Today June/July 200660there is the idea of the good parent or child as well as thenegative aspect of these roles.Now we can apply a similar thinking to the ways inwhich the three faces of discipline may be used in theclassroom. There is positive aspect of each of the facesand there is a negative side to o. The truth is that in someill-managed classes one would be hard pressed t oidentify whether there was any particular style in use atall. What we are seeing then is probably a mismatchbetween the needs of these pupils and the role theirteacher adopts. When classes are still significantlychallenging with their behaviour demands, but theteachers struggle to employ a confront–contract or evenrelationships–list ening style instead of a rules–consequences appr oach, then because the level ofteacher assertiveness will be that much lower, they adopteither a hostile or passive orientation to the role.AttitudesWe can see how this happens if we look back at the threefaces of discipline we identified in our previous article.Each of these faces suggests a particular set of attitudesand behaviours in the classroom. When there is amismatch between the needs of the class and the face orstyle the teacher uses, then there will be conflict. Equally,if the faces are not managed properly we can see howattitudes and behaviours can break down.When the teacher is using the rules–consequencesmodel, the locus of control is firmly in their hands. Theteacher teaches the routines that are required, gives cleardirections and judiciously provides supportive feedbackand takes correctiv e action in order to structure thebehaviour of the children. Although we would still expectsuch a teacher to discuss rules and routines withstudents, there is no doubt about where the power lies.It is important that the positive consequences stronglyoutweigh the negative consequences. This is because itis a more effective way to teach behaviour and it is alsobecause of the importanc e of building a positiverelationship between the studen ts and the teacher.When this model is being used well we see strong pupilawareness of the behaviour plan, clarity of direction fromthe teacher and a wide range or rewards and incentivesbeing deployed.I f the rules–consequences model is not appliedappropriately, though, it is likely to break down in either apassive or hostile direction. In the passive direction,sanctions are not followed through, rewards and incentiveare intermittent, and children are not systematically taughtappropriat e direc tions. In the hostile direc tion, thebehaviour plan is used as a punishment machine – a kindof detention conveyor belt whereby reinforcement is usedonly as an optional extra, and children are rarely re-taughtrules and routines.I f we move on to the confront–contract model, wecome across a different set of teacher behaviours. Theclassroom is rather more informal and the teacher’sbehaviour suggests that students are trusted to managethemselves. Prompts and directions are likely to be low-key. The teacher is more likely to use encouragementthan p oints and prizes (“Good, Jack – you are doing agood job of keeping your group on task”). On the otherhand, this teacher is no soft touch. If students choose toveer to o far off course they will find themselvesc onfronted by structured questions: “What did you do,who did you upset, what can you do to put things right?”I f these questions do not give satisfactory results, theywill be followed up elsewhere or the teacher mightchoose right now to revert back to a more structuredrules–consequences approach.Again, this model can be used inappropriately in a eithera passive or aggressive direction. In the"
      ["matchLevel"]=>
      string(7) "partial"
      ["fullyHighlighted"]=>
      bool(false)
      ["matchedWords"]=>
      array(5) {
        [0]=>
        string(9) "cognitive"
        [1]=>
        string(8) "profiles"
        [2]=>
        string(8) "children"
        [3]=>
        string(8) "struggle"
        [4]=>
        string(6) "school"
      }
    }
    ["categories"]=>
    array(1) {
      [0]=>
      array(3) {
        ["value"]=>
        string(13) "Special Needs"
        ["matchLevel"]=>
        string(4) "none"
        ["matchedWords"]=>
        array(0) {
        }
      }
    }
  }
}

Special Needs

The three Rs of behaviour

16 Apr 2018

array(8) {
  ["distinct_key"]=>
  string(10) "post#55630"
  ["title"]=>
  string(42) "Teaching Independence with Current Affairs"
  ["categories"]=>
  array(2) {
    [0]=>
    string(32) "Creative Teaching & Learning"
    [1]=>
    string(20) "Independent Learning"
  }
  ["url"]=>
  string(73) "https://www.teachingtimes.com/teaching-independence-with-current-affairs/"
  ["post_date_timestamp"]=>
  int(1553597220)
  ["objectID"]=>
  string(12) "post-55630-0"
  ["_snippetResult"]=>
  array(2) {
    ["excerpt"]=>
    array(2) {
      ["value"]=>
      string(268) "Strong critical thinking skills can strengthen social and cognitive development at all stages. Chloe Taylor shows how her classroom has implemented the Socratic method in the English classroom by teaching current affairs and getting students to read the news."
      ["matchLevel"]=>
      string(7) "partial"
    }
    ["content"]=>
    array(2) {
      ["value"]=>
      string(329) "... class of young people can be a challenge. Time constraints, on top of the fact that it can be overwhelming to address contentious topics while remaining as neutral as possible, means that the subject area is often overlooked. However, encouraging students to think through their own reasoning on a topic ..."
      ["matchLevel"]=>
      string(7) "partial"
    }
  }
  ["_highlightResult"]=>
  array(6) {
    ["title"]=>
    array(3) {
      ["value"]=>
      string(42) "Teaching Independence with Current Affairs"
      ["matchLevel"]=>
      string(4) "none"
      ["matchedWords"]=>
      array(0) {
      }
    }
    ["author"]=>
    array(1) {
      [0]=>
      array(3) {
        ["value"]=>
        string(12) "Chloe Taylor"
        ["matchLevel"]=>
        string(4) "none"
        ["matchedWords"]=>
        array(0) {
        }
      }
    }
    ["excerpt"]=>
    array(4) {
      ["value"]=>
      string(268) "Strong critical thinking skills can strengthen social and cognitive development at all stages. Chloe Taylor shows how her classroom has implemented the Socratic method in the English classroom by teaching current affairs and getting students to read the news."
      ["matchLevel"]=>
      string(7) "partial"
      ["fullyHighlighted"]=>
      bool(false)
      ["matchedWords"]=>
      array(1) {
        [0]=>
        string(9) "cognitive"
      }
    }
    ["content"]=>
    array(4) {
      ["value"]=>
      string(5653) "The digital age has brought with it a rapidly changing and often unpredictable media landscape. Heightened accessibility to media sources means that everyone is increasingly aware of the world around them—adults and children alike. As educators, we have a responsibility to ensure that our students are trained to identify reliable news sources, understand a range of perspectives and be receptive to current affairs outside the classroom walls. Teaching current affairs often lies within the remit of Humanities lessons, but there is no reason that it cannot be incorporated into other lessons such as science and maths. The challenge is ensuring that current affairs teaching remains neutral and engaging. While the media landscape can be challenging to navigate, nevertheless, training students on how to effectively dissect the news will help them develop key critical thinking skills which will strengthen their social and cognitive development, and translate into the world outside the classroom.Teaching current affairs neutrallyThe Socratic method of teaching is considered the world’s oldest and most powerful way of fostering effective critical thinking skills. Socrates’ method places emphasis on the power of asking questions to encourage a student to self-evaluate and arrive at an answer independently, rather than simply conveying information in a hierarchical teacher–student manner. The method stimulates key critical thinking skills, such as self-evaluation, risk evaluation, accountability for one’s own reasoning and seeing the bigger picture of a problem or situation. As an English teacher, the importance of the Socratic method resonates with me since pupils often look to me for a ‘right answer’ on texts we are studying. By facilitating discussion through well-focused questioning I am able to steer students away from the concept of ‘right’ and ‘wrong’ answers in literature, instead nudging them to consider a plurality of equally viable interpretations.The Socratic method gains particular significance for teachers looking to teach current affairs in an appropriate and accessible manner. As I’m sure many teachers will agree, broaching current affairs with a class of young people can be a challenge. Time constraints, on top of the fact that it can be overwhelming to address contentious topics while remaining as neutral as possible, means that the subject area is often overlooked. However, encouraging students to think through their own reasoning on a topic helps teachers to navigate the line of neutrality, and will enable pupils to digest real world issues by considering how it impacts them and those around them.By stimulating critical thinking skills with the Socratic method, we encourage students to take a sustained interest in current affairs. As educators, part of our job is to nurture this interest by drawing students’ attention to real and relevant news in an age-appropriate and exciting way. Teaching current affairs should be creative and inclusive of many perspectives—indeed, reflecting the world itself. Bringing variety to the classroomA resounding lesson that I have learned as a teacher is the significance of a varied and dynamic school day, in terms of both content and format of lessons. In the same way that the Socratic method encourages a student to think through different outcomes independently, lesson formats should facilitate independent exploration, reasoning and discovery.To demonstrate this, at Ormiston Shelfield Community Academy, we recently participated in a current affairs enrichment programme, held in partnership with The Week Junior magazine. The programme was designed to be enjoyed by our Year 7 and 8 students and aimed to help them make sense of the world’s most important and exciting news and events.  Our goal was to empower students to form and share their own opinions on news and current affairs topics, boosting their literacy, debating and critical thinking skills.During the programme, I found that teaching current affairs in an interactive way unlocked students’ critical thinking skills. My students got stuck in to a range of activities, from gaining first-hand journalism career experience with The Week Junior’s editor Anna Bassi, to diving into lively debates about current affairs using the news resources available. These debates were integral to the students’ development and proved key to exercising their critical thinking skills, for several reasons. Taking part in active discussions means a student must identify their opponent’s argument and quickly gain a nuanced understanding in order to respond effectively. Engaging orally rather than in written format, the student must consider how to convey a convincing argument in a way that can be understood by their peers. Finally, learning how to ‘disagree’ in this way is vital to developing essential social skills, as students understand that they are accountable for their own reasoning, and they learn to exchange ideas in a way which is mutually respectful—something which translates fundamentally from the classroom to the wider world.During the enrichment programme, students also took part in a Roving Reporter Competition, which turned them into mini-journalists. I found here that debating and reporting go hand-in-hand. Whereas debate sessions encouraged students to rapidly respond to new perspectives in a group environment, the Roving Reporter Competition enabled them to experience researching a topic independently, before channelling their ideas into a concise piece of writing."
      ["matchLevel"]=>
      string(7) "partial"
      ["fullyHighlighted"]=>
      bool(false)
      ["matchedWords"]=>
      array(5) {
        [0]=>
        string(9) "remapping"
        [1]=>
        string(9) "cognitive"
        [2]=>
        string(6) "neural"
        [3]=>
        string(8) "children"
        [4]=>
        string(6) "school"
      }
    }
    ["categories"]=>
    array(2) {
      [0]=>
      array(3) {
        ["value"]=>
        string(32) "Creative Teaching & Learning"
        ["matchLevel"]=>
        string(4) "none"
        ["matchedWords"]=>
        array(0) {
        }
      }
      [1]=>
      array(3) {
        ["value"]=>
        string(20) "Independent Learning"
        ["matchLevel"]=>
        string(4) "none"
        ["matchedWords"]=>
        array(0) {
        }
      }
    }
    ["tags"]=>
    array(2) {
      [0]=>
      array(3) {
        ["value"]=>
        string(12) "Independence"
        ["matchLevel"]=>
        string(4) "none"
        ["matchedWords"]=>
        array(0) {
        }
      }
      [1]=>
      array(3) {
        ["value"]=>
        string(20) "Independent Learning"
        ["matchLevel"]=>
        string(4) "none"
        ["matchedWords"]=>
        array(0) {
        }
      }
    }
  }
}

Creative Teaching & Learning

Teaching Independence with Current Affairs

26 Mar 2019