Taking Time to Connect with the Home Learning Environment

For effective parent and carer engagement in the home learning environment you need two things: trained Early Years practitioners who are both confident and competent in developing parent/carer partnerships and parents and carers who understand their role and are confident and have the capacity to support their child. Maureen Hunt explains how to support the parents and carers who need it the most.

There is a weight of evidence that concludes that the greatest impact on children and young people’s learning arises from the things that parents/carers do with them at home, so it is not hard to understand that if you have someone behind you, encouraging and supporting you in something you will be at an advantage.¹

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      string(243) "Action research in South Wales has proven it’s never too early to teach children how to think. Researchers Russell Grigg and Helen Lewis report on the strategies uncovered to extend and deepen pupils’ thinking – even at a very young age."
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      string(5663) "use them quickly and almost automatically (for example,rattling off ‘I see… I think… I wonder…’ without external prompting). Oncefamiliar and well-known, routines can be transferred to situations beyond theclassroom, and applied to many aspects of daily life.The ‘thought-full’ classroomThe literature on thinking skills reveals many differences over what is meant bythinking, what ‘good’ thinking looks like in practice, whether it can be taughtseparate to knowledge, and how it can be assessed. Monitoring and assessmentof thinking development is complicated by the fact that young children maylack the language capability to tell us what they’re thinking about, and howthey’re thinking about it. Often practitioners can only make a best guess as tothe thinking that is going on.Despite these challenges, there is broad consensus over the kinds of practicesthat promote ‘thought-full’ classrooms. These include:n providing challenging tasks – what Adey and Shayer refer to as ‘cognitiveconflict’5, whereby teachers set activities that are just beyond pupils’ current11Volume5.3nCreativeTeaching&LearningThinkingSkillscapabilities but, with appropriate support from the teacher and more ablepeers, stretch the mindn sharing thinking vocabulary in everyday conversation and displays – e.g. ‘sort’,‘reason’, ‘predict’, ‘connect’n encouraging curiosity where learners are not worried about making mistakes– e.g. asking questions, trying things out, taking risksn providing opportunities for purposeful dialogue – e.g. through role-playscenarios, group projects or real-life investigationsn using a range of purposeful questions and prompts – e.g. Can you say whatyou now think/know? What do you want to find out? Why are you doing this?Would you do things differently next time? Why?n using a range of written and audio-visual resources to stimulate thinkingn modelling thinking strategies and dispositions – e.g. ‘thinking aloud’ whenworking through problems, asking ‘why’ questions, the disposition to wonderand be adventurous.Everything we learn takes place in a social and cultural context, and children’sunderstanding of the world develops as they handle things, play with friends andinteract with teachers. So, for example, although problem solving is somethingthat is carried out ‘in the head’, it can be improved through interactions withcritical friends, teamwork, group projects, mentoring and using cultural tools suchas the internet, books and language.Sometimes social learning canreinforce negative thinking – forexample, if children learn prejudicialviews or a poor work ethic from a group.Tishman et al. point out that teachersneed to ‘enculturate students intogood thinking’.6 In such classrooms,teachers encourage pupils to speculate,challenge, and seek explanations.A thinking culture is created whenpupils learn to value evidence andwhere thinking is named, noticed andcelebrated. Classroom displays mightinclude posters of thinking in action, suchas a girl with a thought-bubble above herhead showing her reminding herself tostand back. Adults might also modelhow they go about tackling problems,sharing their thoughts aloud, while alsodrawing on exemplars from the world ofscientists, historians or artists.The teachers in this project felt that,with the wealth of materials available touse in the classroom and the number of initiatives and priorities that teachersface, many of these underlying principles had been forgotten. They saw thisproject as an opportunity to stand back, reflect upon their practice and thenrefocus on key aspects of good teaching.Why it’s important to talkThe relationship between language and thought has occupied many theorists.Famously, Piaget considered that thought preceded language, while Vygotskysuggested both processes were interdependent.There is evidence that certain groups of children can access the educationalprocess more successfully than others. Children possess ‘cultural capital’, whichto a greater or lesser extent allows them to make sense of, and interact with,“ A thinking culture is createdwhen pupils learn to valueevidence and where thinking isnamed, noticed and celebrated.Classroom displays might includeposters of thinking in action, suchas a girl with a thought-bubbleabove her head showing herreminding herself to stand back. ”ThinkingSkills12Volume5.3nCreativeTeaching&Learningclassroom practices. Evidence has highlighted, for example, the importance toa child’s cognitive development of a home learning environment where parentstalk, sing and read to their child. This can account for a 12 per cent gap indevelopment by the age of five between the richest and poorest children.7 Talkis a powerful way of developing understanding, because it allows the learnerto organise and adapt what they know. Barnes described this kind of languageas ‘exploratory talk’, where the speaker is hesitant, mulling over the meaningof what they are doing, trying out ideas and arranging information into differentpatterns.8 Sentences may be unfinished, broken, and full of ums and ahs, butscientific studies show that these so-called ‘disfluencies’ help young childrenpredict which words to pay attention to.9 The implication for practitioners is toensure that young children have the opportunity to talk purposefully withoutinterruption, fear of being made fun of, or being contradicted.Unfortunately, Barnes points out that much of the talk teachers expectfrom children is of a ‘presentational’ type, where the emphasis is"
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Creative Teaching & Learning

Making thinking visible in the primary classroom

10 Apr 2015

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      string(5753) "Technology FeatureSchools are taking technologyand virtual learning to the nextlevel with the integration ofimmersive and multimediabased tools in the classroom,empowering and connectingteachers, students and parents.Social networking has become anintegral part of  most students’ livesand 2010 has seen schools go onestep further to connect teachers andstudents. Microsoft has strong beliefs increating a sense of  community betweenteachers and pupils, making it easier toshare files and interact with each other,helping individuals and teams becomemore efficient and organised both inthe classroom and at home.It is vital to recognise theimportance of  introducing innovativetechnologies into the classroom– technologies which empower thestudents with self  learning techniquesand equip the teachers with theresources to ensure the classroom is anexciting place to be.The vision of  the future is toconnect the world of  learning,regardless of  location, because newtechnology will eventually allowstudents to communicate with eachother from around the world, learningdifferent languages and cultures.It will also allow students to learnat their own speed – so pupils willbe physically in the same place butlearning different subjects and atdifferent speeds – giving way to a“social classroom” that more closelymirrors the layout of  the workplace.The technology-rich classroom isalready evident with the increasing useof  interactive white boards in schools.The future of  teaching is undoubtedlya more interactive environment,incorporating the growing trend ofsocial networks to engage studentsand communicate with peers acrossthe globe. Lessons will move awayfrom the display mentality, with ateacher at the front of  the classroomand will become more interactive– an informal collaboration betweengroups of  pupils and teachers.Microsoft is looking into theways technology can enhance theway we learn, work and live in thefuture. Although at the momentTaking schools intothe multimediasphereMicrosoft is a worldleader in developingnew forms of teaching,particularly creatingimmersive multimediaexperiences whereteachers can customiselessons and createinteractive environmentsfor their students. Here,Ray Fleming, Education Marketing Manager forMicrosoft, discusses new innovative technologieswaiting to hit the classrooms of tomorrow.http://www.teachingtimes.comTechnology Featureit’s all quite futuristic, it is based ontechnology that already exists, such asthe Microsoft Surface, a touchscreencomputer the size of  a coffee table.This revolutionary multi-touchcomputer encourages learners tocollaborate, and responds to naturalhand gestures and real-world objects,helping people interact with digitalcontent in a simple and intuitive way.Microsoft’s vision for Surface isto expand into giant touchscreensthe size of  a wall that will connectclassrooms all over the world and offerthe platform for students to interactwith each other in a large scale way.Microsoft’s SharePoint is anotherexample of  a new immersivetechnology that can help improveschools effectiveness by providingcomprehensive content managementand help students and staff  to effectivelysearch for information to help theirlearning. SharePoint is helping unitethe classroom and will ease the lives ofteachers, children and parents globallyby making their day-to-day tasks easierto manage and comprehend.The main goal for the futureis creating a true virtual learningenvironment for the children of  todayto communicate and interact with theirpeers and teachers. Using the technologyof  today helps create this space andprepares the pupils for the future ofemployment and education by allowingthem to learn using the most up-to-datetechnology, so that they can be ready inyears to come when thetechnology and softwarecontinues to develop.SharePoint providesa comprehensive,flexible platform thatempowers people towork both individuallyat their own pace andalso to work togetherin ways that are mosteffective for them. 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Digital Learning

Taking schools into the multimedia sphere

5 Sep 2010

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      string(360) "... families relate is much less understood. Parentline Plus and Teacher Support Network have collaborated to research how schools and families can work better together. The report ‘Beyond the school gate’ shows that parental engagement in learning is crucial to wellbeing, behaviour, attendance and attainment.
Leadership Briefing Issue 4.11 (47)"
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Leadership Briefing Issue 4.11 (47)"
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      string(5743) "ResourceBEYOND THE SCHOOL GATEOriginal DocumentBeyond The School Gate: How Schools And Families Can Work Better Together. The importance of good schooling and parenting is well recognised, but the importance of how schools and families relate is much less understood. Parentline Plus and Teacher Support Network have collaborated to research how schools and families can work better together. The report ‘Beyond the school gate’ shows that parental engagement in learning is crucial to wellbeing, behaviour, attendance and attainment.KeywordsParental engagement, families, school, learningSummary· The importance of good schooling and parenting is well recognised, but the importance of how schools and families relate is much less understood. Parentline Plus and Teacher Support Network – two leading charities with expertise in parent and teacher wellbeing respectively – have collaborated to research how schools and families can work better together.· This report shows that the impact of the relationship between schools and families reaches far and wide; affecting wellbeing, behaviour and attainment to name a few. If we are to harness the potential of this relationship, much more must be done to overcome the barriers that exist between teachers and parents today.· Previous studies have convincingly shown that parental engagement in a child’s learning, rather than simple involvement in school activities, is the most effective way for parents to improve their child’s attainment, behaviour and attendance. Sadly, surveys of parents and teachers by Parentline Plus and Teacher Support Network have told us that poor parental engagement is having an adverse effect; also taking its toll on pupil, parent and teacher wellbeing. Whilst the majority of parents and teachers said that parent-teacher relations are ‘good’ or ‘very good’, there is considerable scope for improvement. Many parents said they had felt patronised, sidelined or ignored by their child’s school, and an equally worrying number of teachers said they had been verbally or physically abused by a pupil’s parent.· Parents and teachers must work as a team to enable parents to connect where it is most important – beyond the school gate, as active agents in the learning of their children in the home. Taking an interest in their child’s education, helping with homework, backing school disciplinary practice in the home and being a source of moral, motivational support are all ways in which parents can effectively engage in education, but such engagement is much easier said than done. If school communities want to see better engagement, multiple barriers must be overcome.· Poverty can severely limit the extent to which parents can engage in their child’s education. Parents who are not in poverty can still find engagement difficult, namely because of a lack of time. Inevitably, engagement suffers when money or family and work commitments come into the equation. Of course, teachers’ time is under strain too. In a profession that works 50 hours a week on average, there is little opportunity to help parents to engage in their child’s learning.· Teachers and parents recognise the difficulties that each other face, but they also recognise that relations must improve. Teachers and parents both recognise that more should be done for families that have a chaotic, disordered home environment which can significantly impact on a pupil’s performance and behaviour in school, but they agree that teachers are not best placed to intervene. Teachers and parents both recognise that parents with a negative attitude to education may have been affected by a negative experience in their own upbringing, but they agree that existing structures cannot address this issue adequately. Teachers and parents both agree that teachers need increased training in order to appropriately and effectively engage with parents. And most of all, both recognise that home-school communications need to improve significantly.· Parents, teachers and pupils must have the right resources to overcome these barriers, meet each other’s expectations and benefit education overall. ActionRecommendations:· Every school should consult the whole school community fully to create and implement a meaningful Home School Agreement which can be recognised on all sides. The Government should critically assess the effectiveness of existing Home School Agreements and implement improvements at a local level.· Every school should have adequate access to a parent support worker who is trained to deal with a spectrum of family and emotional issues. Parent support workers should be a visible member of the school community, ensuring that all parents, teachers and other staff understand their role and remit and are a named contact, available when required.· All school staff should be trained about the best ways to engage parents in education. This will help to develop positive relationships between schools and families and ultimately help pupils to succeed. Parent support workers are ideally positioned to play a positive role in the delivery and tailoring of such training.· Overall, there must be a step-change in communication between schools and parents. Home School Agreements should set out clear expectations regarding the frequency, method and content of communications, which should accurately appraise a child’s progress rather than reporting just the positives or negatives.· Communications must detail how parents can help their child’s education in the home."
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Leadership

How Schools And Families Can Work Better Together

4 Mar 2010

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      string(339) "... to benefit the teaching community closer to home too. Before we explore those options, let’s understand exactly what VR is and how it aids learning. The impact of VR on learning Virtual Reality (VR) is the use of computer technology to create a simulated 3D environment. Users wear a ..."
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      string(5837) "Virtual reality is a relatively recent phenomenon – and its use in classrooms more recent still. But as the accessibility to headset technology continues to open up, and the versatility of content continues to improve, virtual reality (VR) as an educative tool has become a real talking point. Earlier this year, research was released that found almost all teachers (94 per cent) in the UK thought that VR would benefit classroom teaching – and with the technology becoming increasingly affordable, it’s not difficult to imagine VR becoming commonplace in the classroom within just the next few years. But what about the benefits to teachers themselves? Not just in the subject matter they teach but the actual act of teaching itself, VR holds great potential as a training tool. At Immersive VR, we’ve been working with Ericsson to create a training tool for teachers that opens up possibilities for the future of teachers, as well as students.  Educating the educators Ericsson partner with Earth Institute, a part of Columbia University, to form Connect to Learn – a global initiative that supports education for those all over the world who wouldn’t normally have the opportunity to learn. Part of their work includes supporting teachers in areas of the world where training facilities are limited and teachers may have had little formal training. That’s where our involvement came in. We created a virtual reality training tool that would help teachers in the developing world become more confident and effective educators. The tool places teachers in front of a virtual class of students, allowing them to practise the art of teaching, while such things as their body language and lesson delivery are measured, as well as their ability to attend to an easily-distracted class. In terms of skill-giving, it offers teachers with limited access to formal training a safe space to practice – but it also opens up opportunities and questions as to how VR can be used more widely to benefit the teaching community closer to home too. Before we explore those options, let’s understand exactly what VR is and how it aids learning. The impact of VR on learning Virtual Reality (VR) is the use of computer technology to create a simulated 3D environment. Users wear a specially-designed headset that immerses the viewer within that environment – giving them the ability to move around and interact with a world as much as possible as if they’re really there. In this way, VR can enable people to experience ‘the impossible’ – opening up all sorts of opportunities in the training and education sector, from creating engaging and interactive learning experiences to supplying practical training simulations for students and teachers alike. The sense of physical presence enables the viewer to connect more completely with the story being told, or the experience they’re going through – which is proven to have a beneficial effect on learning. Indeed recent studies indicate that those learning in VR perform far better in tests than those learning in traditional environments. For example, a recent study conducted in China, showed that students taught in a VR environment performed significantly better than those taught using traditional methods – on average 27.4 per cent better immediately after learning and 32.4 per cent better when tested two weeks later. What’s more, students who were underperforming in the traditional learning environment actually excelled in the VR environment – scoring 15.8 per cent better on average than the top students in the traditional environment. This can largely be attributed to the fact VR provides a form of experiential learning, which has a greater impact on knowledge retention than traditional learning. In fact, an employment study found knowledge retention for those who go through traditional learning is only 5 per cent compared to 90 per cent for experiential learning. But what VR offers that other experiential learning can’t is the ability to re-run a scenario over and over again without having to worry about the consequences. This means it becomes the perfect training tool. Boosting confidence, honing skills The very essence of VR is its ability to transport the user to a completely different environment in both a believable and an engaging way, so it’s ideal for any sort of training where being able to perform a ‘dry-run’ and experiment with different scenarios and outcomes is useful. Teacher training is no different – especially during the early stages of learning the job, or where little training is available. In our work with Ericsson and Connect to Learn, the ‘virtual classroom’ serves as a space for teachers to practice again and again before facing a real class. We ask the teacher to perform one of several set lessons from their curriculum and measure how they interact with the class. Pointers and feedback are provided both in real-time and in summary at the end of each session to help the user improve their skills. What’s more, the virtual students can be asked to perform a variety of tasks and activities and will react in different ways, meaning the simulation varies from session to session. As a whole, the experience aims to provide practice and pointers on all aspects of teaching – from subject matter, to body language, to dealing with distracted students. Users gain live feedback on the volume of their voice, their visual engagement with their students and even the variation in their tone of"
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Applications and Software

Reimagining the Teaching Experience: Improving Training Opportunities with VR Classrooms

6 Nov 2018