Not what you do, but how you do it!

Is an intrinsic reward worth more when it is given spontaneously?

To think about:
Should I say, "Hey, we all worked so hard on our learning today, lets go have a game!"
Compared to: "If we work hard all day on our learning we will have a game."

Language in Abundance. Do I need to have all the answers?

Language in Abundance with Dr Jannie Van Hees

Why?


When?


How?


What?

Being perceptive on how students might understand or not understand - vocabulary.

For instance, today I set out some questions on a video the students watched and listened to. I asked what the effect was. 

Share and spy vocabulary you don’t understand with your buddy

Bold or italic the vocabulary, remember to give them specific thinking time

Balance the conversation so everyone gets an opportunity to voice their ideas and add onto their peers ideas

Push them to contribute

Peer share - listening - express your thinking

Sharing our ideas in some way

I need to model - now you're my partner - now your turn to talk

Now it is your turn - ideally we want students to turn take listening and speaking their ideas.

I have been known to talk too much!
I seem to have many inquiries going on at the same time. An important one is to get my Year 5 and 6 students to learn how to listen and contribute in a conversation and not just answer the teacher all the time.

The learners need to talk more and to do that they need to be confident to use vocabulary. I need to gift them vocabulary to use.

Let’s ask the question, what is a native bird?
Think for a moment.
Turn, think and talk about your ideas?
Turn back so I can collect the ideas, no hands up, and if your idea is already taken you will add more detail to the idea, lets share our ideas, if you really know put your thumb up.

Students talk to each other not to the teacher, don’t ask lots of questions to your students. Expanding oral language in the classroom.
Everyone has had a chance to talk. Here is …. Point, are you able to add onto …. idea in your own words, let’s invite someone else to contribute, are there are some examples, who knows, there is an interesting question/ thoughts on this, say what you mean so others understand.

We keep asking questions, how does this grow the vocabulary, if they just keep answering the teacher?

I know they want that acknowledgement that they have answered a question correctly. It is not easy breaking the habit.
Focus on…. They are going to say something…. Turn towards them, put your brain on, start your thinking, concentrate, we learn from each other,
Brain focus is important, everyone’s thoughts are important, we take turns, eye contact, add onto what the previous person has said so this will help us write paragraphs with more detail, everyone’s contribution is important, any ideas, we will value what you say, what you said is this but it is… a common misconception
Putting my hand up, I will be acknowledged by the teacher

The very next day we started. Luckily I chose the question carefully that was going to be discussed. There would be no wrong or right answer. I briefly explained about being mindful to not ask a question that could be responded with a 'yes' or a 'no'.

Horse shoe shape for discussions and seating.

It was about modifying spy gadgets and we were away: language, connections, prior knowledge and students wanting to help each other extend on their thinking.