er anol e ymru central south wales challenge action ... · by the self into the self. you, a...

CENTRAL SOUTH WALES CHALLENGE

HER CANOL DE CYMRU

Action Research in Central South

Wales Schools

2017

w w w . c s c j e s - c r o n f a . c o . u k

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Contents

Introduction ................................................................................................................... 4Action Research / Research in Action ........................................................................... 5Action Research: Getting Started ..................................................................................7

Lee Arthur - Llanharan Primary School .................................................................. 8Jude Brigley - Central South Consortium ............................................................... 9Michelle Burge - Tongwynlais Primary School ....................................................... 10Charlotte Ellis - Mary Immaculate RC Primary School ............................................11Robert Evans - Maesteg School .............................................................................. 12Debbie Forse - Cadoxton Primary School ............................................................... 13Claire Fry - Cyfarthfa High School ........................................................................... 14Hannah Hawoldar - Herbert Thompson Primary School ........................................15Linda Lewis - Ferndale Community School ............................................................. 16Justin Dowd - Springwood Primary School ............................................................. 17Cara Westcott - Oaklands Primary School .............................................................. 18Emma Whitney - Oaklands Primary School ............................................................ 19James Wise - Cardiff High School ........................................................................... 20

Hubs/Pioneers and Research ........................................................................................ 21Jude Brigley - Central South Consortium ................................................................ 22Vikki Cornish - Greenhill School ............................................................................. 23Wayne Draper - Y Pant School ................................................................................ 25Tracy Mein - Tonypandy Community College ......................................................... 26Claire Roderick and Siân Dennet-Jones - Brynnau Primary School ........................27Owen Thomas - Y Pant School ................................................................................ 28

SIGlet 26 Research and Writing .................................................................................... 29Joanne Baker - Gwenfo Church in Wales Primary School .......................................30Sam Bean - St Bernadette’s Catholic Primary School .............................................31Emma Everitt - Barry Island Primary School ........................................................... 32Helen Robertson - Tongwynlais Primary School .....................................................33Nicola Stanley - Jenner Park Primary School .......................................................... 34

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Introduction

Hannah Woodhouse

Managing Director, Central South Consortium

Classroom based, enquiry led action research that is led by schools is a key component both of a school led self-improving system and of the Central South Wales Challenge. As classroom practitioners discover for themselves how to improve aspects of learning and teaching, it is important that their discoveries are shared.

During the academic year 2015-2016, 30 action research projects were undertaken by schools in the Central South Wales region. Some were undertaken by an action research group, some represent the work of the creativity hub group and others represent the work of SIGlet 26.

At the heart of every action research project is a question or issue that relates to a specific aspect of pedagogy or professional practice. The summary document outlines the key questions, indicates the research methods undertaken and captures the main findings and conclusions of each project. As you read through the summaries, you will inevitably find areas of research that touch on your own practice or school responsibilities. Full action research projects for every school can be found in the action research area on Cronfa (www.cscjes-cronfa.co.uk).

We would like to thank Dr Jude Brigley for her work in supporting and coordinating all of the action research projects outlined here. Thanks must also go to Lloyd Williams for his creative design and translation skills.

As a result of reading about these projects, you may well decide to undertake enquiry led action research of your own - either within your own school or as a collaborative project with a group of schools that have a joint practice development focus. If you want to engage with action research and/or need support from the Consortium, please contact our Strategic Adviser, Andrea May - [email protected].

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Action Research / Research in Action

Action Research is not what usually comes to mind when the word ‘research’ is used. A room of teachers were asked to draw their idea of a researcher and the stereotype of someone removed from practical life and the actions of everyday, and who observed ‘workers’ was still in their minds in the twenty-first century. Teachers in the region have been finding out that research need not be something which is done to them but actually something they do in order to improve their own practices. As McNiff [2013] has asserted:

“Action research is an enquiry conducted by the self into the self. You, a practitioner, think about your own life and work, and this involves you asking yourself why you do the things that you do, and why you are the way that you are.”

This is what makes action research such a powerful vehicle for change and why it is such a helpful tool for professional development.

Several groups of teachers have come together this year to support each other in improving

practice. The Action Research Group came together to learn about the process and to act initially as a focus group and later as a validation group. A mixture of primary and secondary teachers came together to answer questions which had become stones in their shoes. Topics varied from pupils elegible for free school meals (eFSM) to encouraging questioning in Foundation Phase (FP) learners. Their research has been completed and is now in the public domain. What the researchers found was that the real control in their working lives is over themselves, their actions and their impact on learning.

Other research has been carried out in Literacy by SIGlet 26. Their research has been thematic and has had clear focus on improving narrative skills in more able and talented (MAT) children from Foundation Phase through to Year 6. Clear focus was evident in the research led by Ysgol Y Pant on creativity and that led by Maesteg School and Cowbridge Comprehensive School on mindset and hard work. Working with a variety of partners, the

two projects have explored areas which are outlined by Donaldson as important for developing pedagogy. Such research improves individuals’ practices and influences those around them, helping good teachers become excellent teachers through striving to better themselves. Because of its local nature, the research is relevant in specific contexts and so contributes to improving the quality of teaching in a specific school. Most importantly, action research empowers teachers to become reflective and, in giving proper respect to teachers’ expertise, enables them to have a greater sense of efficacy, professionalism and pride.

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What Are the Benefits of Action Research?

Action research is useful to a school for discussion and/or reflection as it:

» Improves individuals’ practices and influences those around them;

» Helps good teachers become excellent teachers through striving to better themselves;

» Is relevant in specific contexts [a department, a school, a region, a country];

» Values classroom practices; » Improves pupil performance; » Helps others to improve learning and

teaching; » Creates a buzz about learning in a school; » Improves understanding of a teacher’s role

and pupils’ learning; » Improves the quality of teaching in a school; » Supports academic research which often

lacks context but teachers can put ideas into a context;

» Contributes to educational debate within a school and in a wider context;

» Supports the appeal by Certo, Apol, Yoon and Wibbens to capture and/or measure environments and contexts that motivate learning;

» Supports Donovan’s and Smolkin’s (2006) ideas when they spoke of the need for rich descriptions of teachers’ methods in teaching;

» Enables a school to focus on an area of importance for its own growth;

» Is part of the professional development of teachers; and

» Empowers teachers to become reflective and in giving proper respect to teachers’ expertise, enables them to have a greater sense of efficacy, professionalism and pride.

“Action research emphasizes the involvement

of teachers in problems in their own classrooms and has as its

primary goal the in-service training and development of the teacher

rather than the acquisition of general knowledge in the field of

education.”

(Borg, 1965)

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Action Research - Getting Started

What? Begin by examining aspects of your own or your school’s practices and processes and choose an area which you would like to refine or improve in some way.

How? Engage in the action research cycle:

Who? This will be linked to the scale of your action research.

1. A single practitioner or small group of practitioners

» Practitioners could be working individually, in pairs or triads » Could focus on a single classroom, department or pedagogical theme, such as behaviour for

learning » This is a highly specific and manageable introduction to classroom based action research that can

help participants develop positive, supportive relationships

2. A whole school » This may well be linked to an aspect of the school Improvement Plan, and the SLT, if not

conducting the research themselves, may invite appropriate stakeholders to take part » Researchers could work in pairs, triads, professional learning communities (PLC) or departments » An overarching topic eg assessment for learning (AfL), could be approached by different groups

looking at specific aspects such as questioning, marking, feedback, peer and self-assessment » This approach will work well if someone is designated as the research co-ordinator who may wish

to offer training to participants » This research approach will be linked to school improvement and may well impact on standards,

so baselining and post-research comparisons will be important

3. A school community, local authority or region » This is a group approach that may well look at local experiences within a National agenda, such

as curriculum reform, allowing schools to work with other schools as well as other partners » Clear roles and timeframes will be needed to bring this research to fruition as a report, with

recommendations, will need to be presented to the consortium and ultimately to all schools in the region

» Observe to establish broad understanding of current practice

» Evaluate and discuss key aspects of practice

» Research wider thinking on the topic » Plan something new » Trial new approaches » Repeat observation cycle » Capture findings through discussion,

charts, data, report writing » Make recommendations for moving

forward to share with others

Identify a specific focus

Evaluate the findings

report

Investigate and research

Question and explore

solutionsPut an action plan in place

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My research question:

To what extent has the new marking and feedback policy impacted the learning and wellbeing of the pupils at Llanharan Primary School?

What I did

• The quantitative branch of the research took the form of a survey asking students for their opinion on a number of matters surrounding the old and new marking policies. The survey was completed anonymously and distributed to Year 3/4 and Year 5/6

• The qualitative branch of the research took the form of a semi-structured questionnaire. This was conducted with a random sample of pupils from Year 2 to Year 6. Each year group was asked to provide 3 children to the random sample. The questions were centred on how the pupils felt the marking had changed

• Each child was presented with a piece of their own work marked to the old and new policies and asked a series of questions on how the marking helped them learn and made them feel. The old style marking was used as a baseline in order to compare the new system and reactions to its implementation

• Staff wrote brief statements about how they felt the new marking policy was impacting the learners within their classes and whether the changes were worthwhile

Conclusions

• Because of the new marking system, pupils were able to pinpoint what they had done well and what they needed to do in order to improve

• Pupils had a greater appreciation of why their work was ‘marked’

• Where detailed feedback is given, pupils have the means to improve work

• Pupils give greater value to feedback when they see its purpose

• However, for all the insights, confirmations and reflections obtained from this action research it has been very difficult to comprehensively prove that the marking feedback has a key role in wellbeing. This is partly due to the fact that there was no previous baseline of attitudes towards marking available. This action research can now act as the baseline of attitudes, and it is now planned that similar action research be conducted eachyear in order to monitor and record the pupils’ responses to marking and feedback. The research has shed light on specific areas to address in our implementation of marking and feedback policy, and as staff we need to review the marking and feedback policy once more in order to address these specific shortfalls

Lee Arthur

Llanharan Primary School

Contact DetailsE-Mail [email protected] 01443 237831Website http://llanharanps.wikispaces.com/

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What insight can excellent teachers give about the jouneys they have made in reaching potential?

What I did

• Researched what excellent teaching might look like

• Asked headteachers to name their best teachers

• Interviewed teacher

• Analysed results

Findings and recommendations

• Teachers see their profession as an important and skilled one which demands high standards of achievement but they feel that it is not respected enough and needs more recognition. It is a noble calling, ‘full of moral purpose and a willingness to improve the lot and expectations of children.’ Suggestions made included:

» Closer links with Initial Teacher Education (ITE) providers;

» Campaigns to attract outstanding graduates to teaching;

» A systematic campaign to celebrate good teaching in the region; and

» Good teachers to contribute to, or be highlighted in CSC newsletter.

• The experiences of young teachers have already been partially addressed by the ASPIRE programme but many difficulties remain for those new to the profession. Some factors which could help retain young teachers include:

» Schools adhering to the correct number of frees for newly qualificed teachers (NQT), clear mentoring roles within schools, consideration of fair timetables for new staff and detailed lesson plans

provided for the first few weeks of the year;

» A pre-teaching week or weekend for newly qualified teachers before they start jobs perhaps in July;

» Offer a ‘refresh and reflect’ session to those who have completed ASPIRE to consider how the training has been implemented;

» Great teachers need to be ambassadors, mentors and coaches. Being a great teacher does not mean that you are a great coach even if you are a splendid role model; and

» Those who have experience in the profession need to be used to foster the new generation of teachers. All too often, great teachers are promoted out of the classroom which is their place of outstanding expertise. More kudos needs to be given to the excellent practitioner

Jude Brigley

Central South Consortium

Contact DetailsE-Mail [email protected] 01443 237500Website www.cscjes.org.uk

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What impact does the development of self-esteem have on learning behaviour in my Reception class?

What I did

• I gathered baseline data, specifically relating to self-esteem by employing the Metcalfe Behavioural Checklist. This questionnaire was completed by myself and the classroom higher level teaching assistant (HLTA)

• From the questionnaire I divided the pupils into 2 groups: 5 with higher levels of self-esteem and 5 with lower levels of self-esteem. Thereafter, it was necessary to assess the children’s learning behaviours

• I decided to do this through observation, using the EEL project (Effective Early Learning) as the observational format was familiar due to previously implementing this project within our Foundation Phase

Results and conclusions

• It can be concluded from the results of the 10 children in this Reception class that both self-esteem and behaviour improved over the 12-week action research

• It is evident that the data suggests that those who displayed lower self-esteem in the initial assessments subsequently made greater progress in this area than those who initially had greater levels of self-esteem. Even those children already displaying adequate levels of learning behaviours when accessing provision made elements of progress in this area

• Having said that the greatest improvement was made by the children with initial low self- esteem levels. This supports that self-esteem does affect learning behaviours and ability to completely access provision. If children are capable of achieving high levels of self-esteem (thoughts, feelings) they are more able to construct strategies to contribute effectively in social situations

• Through this action research, I have gained insight into my own practices

Michelle Burge

Tongwynlais Primary School

Contact DetailsE-Mail [email protected] 02920 810383Website http://www.tongwynlaisprm.school/

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How can oracy be improved through dialogic teaching?

What I did

• This enquiry was based on developing questioning and reasoning skills in English lessons. More specifically, it focused on the oracy strands for Year 9 attainment

• Intervention lessons were delivered to the whole class but the observations were based on a chosen group of six individuals who represented the range of ability and literacy strengths in the class. However, what the class population generally lacks is the ability to communicate effectively and purposefully

• Predicted levels were used as a baseline

• I established rules of debate and forward-based what quality discussion looks like

• I used emotional topics to engage debate but before revealing the topic we looked at question stems and good questioning approaches


• The foremost discovery I have made by carrying out and reviewing this enquiry is that change, especially in the complex school context, is a ‘slow’ process (Alexander 2001a p.10)

• Without embedding a dialogic learning environment in which expectations are fully understood by the learners, there will be no progression

• It is the role of the teacher to break free of the ‘consciousness’ of traditional teaching methods and ‘reconfigure’ pedagogies in order to change the role of the teacher from ‘control(ler) to ‘guide’ (Alexander and Wolfe, 2008 p.3)

• Although there were problems encountered during the intervention, there is still a necessity to develop dialogic pedagogies and a recommendation that teachers persist in introducing direct dialogic teaching. Mercer and Littleton’s study (2007) reminds me of the fact that children learn more effectively when they are actively engaged in discussions, dialogue and argumentation

Charlotte Ellis

Mary Immaculate RC Secondary School

Contact DetailsE-Mail [email protected] 02920 593465 Website http://www.maryimmaculate.org.uk/

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How can I improve the quality of my marking in my Year 7 class?

What I did

• Conducted staff interviews in relation to identifying the most effective elements of peer marking

• Sought the consent of parents

• Conducted a trial on innovative peer marking against a control study using the school assessment policy

• Marked work using existing criteria as well as a sharper, more focused method

• Used my Year 7 class as a case study with all pupils applying both methods in peer assessing work

• Used a pupil questionnaire to ascertain preferences and confidence levels of pupil assessors

• Analysed results

Results and conclusions

• Students preferred a more detailed, structured approach

• Pupils were more confident in offering advice through peer marking using the new method

• Peer marking works best when guidance and rationale behind approaches is made clear – even when it is more challenging for the assessor

• The results from a small sample were encouraging

• A larger study now needs to be undertaken

Robert Evans

Maesteg School

Contact DetailsE-Mail [email protected] 01656 815950Website http://www.maestegcs.bridgend.sch.uk/

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Will adopting Pie Corbett’s ‘Talk For Writing’ improve non-fiction writing across the curriculum for pupils in our school, including for PDG pupils?

What I did

• Scrutinised books and analysed performance

• Familiarised myself with the three step process that Pie Corbett advocates Imitate, Innovate and Independent Application

• Used Pie Corbett’s techniques, such as:

» Imitation, Innovation, Invention;

» Story-maps;

» Boxing text;

» Shared drafts;

» Word walls;

» Washing lines;

» Systematic word and sentence work;

» Emphasis on audience; and

» Formative assessment.

Conclusions

• Carrying out this research has brought into sharp focus the benefit of providing a structure to provide support and scaffold children’s writing. The quality of writing non-fiction texts has improved both in literacy and all other subject areas

• I have discovered that the writing standards of boys has improved immensely; they like having a solid foundation that they can use and apply over and over again

• Talk 4 Writing has provided children with the tools, confidence and independence to write in a greater range of genres

Debbie Forse

Cadoxton Primary School

Contact DetailsE-Mail [email protected] 01446 741518Website https://www.cadoxtonprimaryschool.

com/

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How can teachers be encouraged to raise standards and close the achievement gap by adopting a whole school strategy?

What I did

• Used an Outstanding Teacher Programme (OTP) model for staff development

• Introduced a ‘plan, do, review’ process

• Created interactive communities of practices

• Created opportunities for teachers to work together and share practices

What I found

• Leading the OTP PLC as a whole school drive requires effective leadership, as my decisions and actions have had a direct impact on the outcomes of the project

• Effective distributed leadership is fundamental to sharing this role as having different expertise and skills enhances the focus on teaching and learning

• Triad working has now become established in the school, and while motivating staff will always be challenging, evidence from the showcase indicates that at least working together means that the language and stimulus is on teaching and learning

• There are changes to be made for the future, to give more depth and development to key focus areas by reducing to two over the year

• It is also important to feed back and embed in to departments, and this will further enhance productivity and the effectiveness of the outcomes

• The need to provide structure, support and resources will continue to be fundamental to future success in the form of providing training and creating the time and environment for this to happen

• I would also like to build on the expertise of the PLC, and for them to share ideas from their OTP training and for them to also undertake their own action research on key areas of teaching and learning as good examples to other triads

Claire Fry

Cyfarthfa High School

Contact DetailsE-Mail [email protected] 01685 721725Website https://hwbpluse.wales.gov.uk/

en/6754013/Pages/home.aspx

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How can I improve relationships and respect between pupils in my class?

What I did

• Produced a reflection sheet which reminded the children of the rights and responsibilities on their class charter

• Spent time at the end of the day reflecting on the promises we had made and children would give themselves a happy or sad face to show whether they had met each promise

• Allocated time for writing in a journal about their day, their successes and anything they had struggled with

• Encouraged the pupils to think about why something may have gone wrong and how to prevent the same thing happening in the future

• Invited pupils to reflect on the class as a whole and write ‘what went well’ and ‘even better if…’ post-its, which they stuck to my computer monitor

• Encouraged pupils to suggest ideas for whole class strategies, changes to routines, and comments about what they had enjoyed or not enjoyed were welcomed and discussed

Conclusions

• On the whole there has been a great improvement to the behaviour of the class and children are far better at ignoring disruptive behaviour and focusing on their learning

• Pupils are calmer and more eager to learn (on most days!)

• Most importantly, I feel more positive in my approaches and the praise and reward strategies that seemed to have little effect at the beginning of the year are now much more effective

• Action research has helped me refine my own practices and find a systematic way of addressing a specific problem

• I have faith in the power of reflection and metacognition to enhance progress and I have found it is a valuable tool for developing social and emotional skills, as well as academic skills

Hannah Hawoldar

Herbert Thompson Primary School

Contact DetailsE-Mail [email protected] 02920 561115Website http://www.herbertthompsonprimary.

co.uk/

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Does the existing ‘Successful Lives’ model have an impact on the development of positive attitudes in our pupils at key stage 3?

What I did

• Worked with a focus group to create a ‘working’ curriculum based on what we had learned through a pilot of ‘Successful Lives’

• Consulted learners to gauge reactions and enthusiasm for the programme

• Looked at whether learners valued what we were offering

• Got learners to consider any benefits from the programme

• Focused on eFSM children and their reactions

• Trusted them to run ‘a real’ project

What I found

• If our aim is to equip pupils with skills that are relevant to all areas of life, the fortnightly lessons are a springboard for this, but the message has to be a consistent one from the school as a whole

• Pupils responded to having responsibility for a project and using skills and approaches they had learned on the programme. Pupils brought commitment and resilience to a real task

• Opportunities for talk were very much appreciated by pupils and the skills offered by the programme were particularly valuable to eFSM pupils

• For its potential to be maximised, the scope of what students explore in ‘Successful Lives’ lessons could be extended to encourage them to think actively and explicitly about their approaches to learning, challenge, self-motivation and independence in a more coordinated cross-curricular approach. The ‘informed action’ aspect of the growth cycle in which they act on changing or developing their own behaviours and attitudes could be systematically broadened to all areas of school and personal life. This would enable us to use the fortnightly lesson to consolidate and reflect with pupils on their understanding and personal growth

Linda Lewis

Ferndale Community School

‘People who regard themselves as highly

efficacious act, think and feel differently from those who perceive

themselves as inefficacious. They produce their own future, rather

than simply foretell it.’

Albert Bandura; Social Foundations of Thought and Action: A Social

Cognitive Theory; 1986

Contact DetailsE-Mail [email protected] 01443 755337Website https://www.ferndalecs.com/

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Can the use of a termly procedural assessment with follow-up tasks aimed at Closing the Gap improve the learning and attainment of a Year 4 class in mathematics?

What I did

• Made sure staff and pupils understood why we were doing the tests

• Used past results as a baseline

• Maintained contact with staff regarding pupil progress

• Made use of the computer as a marker in order to concentrate on looking more closely at where pupils could make marginal gains


• Most pupils improved their skills over the year through practising. When progress was slow there were clear indicators to explore in future eg not using just one test to gauge pupil progress

• The use of a termly procedural assessment is very beneficial to close the gaps in learning in numeracy

• Information regarding gaps in knowledge and understanding shown by the test results need to be followed up more vigorously for each individual to make significant progress

• Enjoyment of mathematics was enhanced through the use of the computer programme which gave pupils and teacher useful information about progress and knowledge gaps

• The action research enabled me to tackle a real problem in my school and adapt practices in order to address that problem

Justin Dowd

Springwood Primary School

Contact DetailsE-Mail [email protected] 02920 735101Website http://www.springwoodprm-cardiff.

co.uk/

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What strategies can I use to develop collaborative learning?

What I did

• Observed pupils and gave them a question-naire on attitudes to talk

• Used shoulder partners and face partners

• Limited my role as the asker of questions

• Introduced an etiquette for discussions

• Actively taught the language of persuasion

• Used techniques such as jigsaw, mixing up partners, listen to the expert, ask 3 before me, problem-solving partners

What I found

• I originally wanted to ‘develop pupil-led talk in order to deepen higher order thinking skills’. Even though my question changed, I still feel that higher order skills have been met

• Through working collaboratively, my pupils are now leading their talk in the classroom and I have adopted more of an ‘umpire’ role or ‘guide on the side’

• The children are even setting their own questions. Some examples include: Would Anne Frank be as famous if she hadn’t died? Was Captain Scott’s expedition to the Arctic a suicide mission? Is Global warming just a natural process as the Earth produces its own heat? All of these suggest higher order thinking skills as they are both creative and stem from analytical thought

• My style of teaching has changed considerably. I no longer spend the majority of my day at the front of the class, talking to the children but constantly move around the class and listen to what they have to say

• Out of 26 children, 12 (46%) achieved a level 5 in oracy at the end of this year, whilst the other 14 (54%) achieved level 4

Conclusion

This project and research has had a marked impact on the children. Their oracy skills have improved considerably as they are now used to speaking to other pupils and feeding back, therefore speaking in front of the class suddenly does not seem as daunting as it once did. In a wider context, being able to express views and ideas is key to educational achievement which has been recognised in the collaboration between Cambridge Primary Review Trust and the University of York who are supporting a project called ‘Classroom talk, social disadvantage and educational attainment: raising standards, closing the gap.’ A recommendation of this action research would be that further investigation into the power of talk in motivating and developing pupil language is required and using ways of improving pupil talk is a powerful tool for developing thinking.

Cara Westcott

Oaklands Primary School

Contact DetailsE-Mail [email protected] 01443 755337Website https://www.ferndalecs.com/

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How do I make pupils, especially MAT pupils, more confident to ask questions in order to take ownership of their learning?

What I did

• Observed pupils and gave them a questionnaire to establish a baseline

• Introduced a variety of techniques, including What’s in the bag?, Whitney Wonders etc.

Conclusions

• I have been pleased with the way that the focus on questioning has improved the levels of engagement in my class. This has been reflected in the conversations we have had and the observations we have made when pupils have been working in enhanced provision

• Pupils have been much more self-motivated this term and instances of pupils bringing examples of work in from home (3-4 examples a month to 1-2 examples a week) have been far higher - particularly so when they are proud to show off a new fact they have discovered or mastered a skill we have been practising in class

• Undertaking this action research project, has given me the opportunity to focus on an important area of literacy with a new age group with whom I am still gaining experience. By developing a key literacy skill of questioning, it has given pupils the skills and opportunities to verbalise their thinking and therefore be able to ask questions to support their understanding of the world around them. In using these questioning skills, they have been able to make valuable contributions to the planning process of this term’s topic and consequentially are more engaged and motivated to learn as we find out the answers to their questions together

• When we have referred to the questions they asked at the beginning of their topic, there have been smiles on their faces and little ‘light bulb’ moments as they realise they have discovered the answers to their ‘wonderings’

Methods » Whitney Wonders

» Guess Who?

» Question Grids

» What’s in the Bag?

Emma Whitney

Oaklands Primary School

Contact DetailsE-Mail [email protected] 01685 882577

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How can using different approaches to pedagogy help to close the poverty gap at Cardiff High School?

Summary: By adapting pedagogical approach-es, this study looks to analyse how pupils can be helped to achieve more through a systematic approach to learning.

What I did

• Researched methodology and worked with a focus group

• Interviewed students at different points in the year and observed them in situ

• Applied key methods - Everybody Writes; Task Target Time; Pose Pause Pounce Bounce; No Opt Out

What I found

• I was forced to think in depth not just about the eFSM gap but about engagement as a concept

• This Action Research has had an impact on teaching across the whole school through the sharing of the four techniques

• My research has shown to me that by using these techniques in every lesson in my classroom and the classrooms of my three colleagues, pupils’ engagement in learning increased. Looking at our collective timetables, that’s over 130 hours of greater pupil engagement over a fortnight

James Wise

Cardiff High School

Contact DetailsE-Mail [email protected] 02920 680850Website http://www.cardiffhigh.cardiff.sch.uk/

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Hubs/Pioneers and Research

Many of the Hub schools took part in action research during the 2015-16 academic year. Many of them sent representatives to the Action Research Group. Others conducted their own research projects. Maesteg School led a group of schools looking at Mindset and consistent hard work. Their results came too late in the year to be included here but will be published in-house at a later date. That group was steered by Andrea Matthews, assistant headteacher.

Y Pant School, under the leadership of assistant headteacher Ceri Richmond, looked at creativity and the results of that research are included here. In planning research, which was done over a short timescale, Arts Council of Wales’ definition of creativity was used and the research projects are more like investigations as the timescale was so tight.

Curiosity

Wonder; questioning; exploration; challenging

assumptions

Imagination

Playfulness; connecting; intuitive;

flow

Persistence

Working through zones of uncertainty; sticking with it;

daring to take a different stance

Collaboration

Co-operating; giving and receiving feedback with open

mind; sharing idea of product

Discipline

Re-drafing; crafting; re-doing; accepting criticism; adapting

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How can making metaphors about teaching help teachers define their role and, by thinking creatively, bring about a better understanding of the nature of teaching?

Emphasis: exploration, playfulness, connectivity, reflection, crafting.

What I did

• Created a structured sample

• Interviewed named teachers nominated by schools

• Asked specifically for a metaphor for teaching;

• Grouped and analysed the findings

• Shared findings with the interviewees

• Had my conclusions validated by a focus group


• To nurture creative pupils, we need creative teachers

• The metaphor is one of the most powerful tools of thinking that people possess and the ability to make metaphor lies at the heart of creative thinking

• We can use our creativity in training, researching and reflecting on teaching

• Using metaphor as a tool for understanding is a transferable skill which can be used with pupils as well as teachers. Lakoff and Johnson [1980] have established how metaphor shapes our thinking and understanding of the world

• As the very creation of these metaphors suggest, teaching can be seen as a creative process

• Lastly, on a more personal level, using metaphor in interviewing teachers has shown me that I can bring my creative mindset to the job of supporting excellent teaching in schools

Jude Brigley

Central South Consortium

Contact DetailsE-Mail [email protected] 01443 827500Website http://www.cscjes.org.uk

23


How can I encourage my learners to create a story in a picture?

Emphasis: playfulness, imagination, curiosity, discipline, confidence.

What I did

• In an ongoing art project, I aimed to provide a secure learning environment for learners with behavioural, emotional and social difficulties (BESD) that have ADHD to develop characteristics to aid learning through creativity

• Worked with mixed ability students at KS3 and teaching assistants (TA) support

• Tried meditation to settle and focus with the aim of increasing dopamine uptake

• Used the project theme to trigger imagination

• Set out a smorgasbord of materials and serving suggestions for possible outcomes linked to the theme

• Chunked learning to allow ‘time out’ and change of activities

• Encouraged celebration of success

• Noted National Curriculum (NC) levels at outset

What I found

• The new approach reignited interest in the project

• Limited trial of meditation seemed to improve focus but more research needed

• Themed imagination trumped free imagination

• A choice of activities and outcomes helped produce more imaginative work

• Time out was useful to limit disruption but the lesson setup meant it was rarely necessary

• Celebration of success created a positive cycle of increasing confidence

• In such a short time NC levels remained pretty static but became more robust

Conclusion

• To nurture creative pupils, we need creative teachers. Gruber and Wallace (1999:94)

• Play is important work. It’s how ideas are processed and connections are made. By high school, however, play is replaced by work assignments, deadlines and pressure

• Playful (experiential learning) is a very “sticky” way to process and store new information – but you have to show them how, because they will have forgotten

• Myth: Learning through play is a free-for-all• Fact: Choice + organisation + planning = a

foundation with students empowered to create http://purteeart1.weebly.com• Teachers of students with ADHD need to

devise new flexible approaches to learning that increase dopamine production and uptake to enhance focus and empower ADHD pupils to embrace their ‘insatiable curiosity’ to channel this energy into experience ‘sticky learning’

• People with ADHD may use dopamine less efficiently than people who don’t have ADHD

• As with exercise, we are discovering more and more benefits to meditation. Meditation can be a highly effective form of dopamine increase if done properlyhttp://www.collective-evolution.com/2016/01/20/10-ways-to-increase-dopamine-levels-in-the-brain/

Vikki Cornish

Greenhill School

24

• “My experience shows me that when we want to teach meditation to pupils with ADHD, we have to play to their strength. We have to recognise where their energy is, and if that energy involves movement then we need to bring this into meditation. Movement and meditation are not polar opposites; they are partners.”

http://www.teachchildrenmeditation.com

Contact DetailsE-Mail [email protected] 02920 693786Website http://greenhillschool.wales/

25


How can I use a more creative approach to help students understand the concept of how a DC motor works?

Creative Concepts: imagination, collaborative knowledge, experiential learning.

What I did

• I delivered a lesson using traditional methods, delivered one using a more creative approach and compared attitudes, performance and understanding

• A time gap was used between lessons

• Questionnaires were used to measure student attitudes

What I found out

• 64.7 % of pupils moved up one point or more on the scale of 1 to 4. This demonstrates that many pupils were more interested in the second lesson which had a large creative element

• 58.8 % of pupils moved up one point or more on the scale of 1 to 4. This demonstrates that over half the pupils felt that they had a better understanding of the theory after having the opportunity to make their own model

• 58.8 % of pupils moved up one point or more on the scale of 1 to 4. This demonstrates that many pupils were more confident to answer an examination question based on DC motors after the second lesson

• The questionnaires indicate that many pupils felt that the second lesson had a greater impact on their learning than the first lesson

Conclusions and recommendations

• Behaviour during the second lesson was excellent and many pupils were engaged in discussions within their group

• The second lesson provided significant opportunities for teacher feedback: there were many discussions between the pupils and I where I was able to point out if their model wasn’t operating correctly. It was clear that many of the pupils enjoyed the opportunity to make the stop motion videos and I feel that this was effective

Wayne Draper

Y Pant School

Contact DetailsE-Mail [email protected] 01443 562250Website http://www.ypant.co.uk/

26


How can ‘playfulness’ encourage students to take risk in Modern Foreign Languages?

Emphasis: Playfulness and risk-taking

What I did

• Created a random sample

• Created and taught a series of lessons which emphasised strategies to promote ‘play’ and ‘playfulness’ when creating language

• Grouped and analysed the findings

• Shared my findings with the students and PLC group

What I found out

• To nurture creative students, we need creative teachers

• Playfulness can reduce the student fear factor of making mistakes and can encourage students to take me risks

• Playfulness can promote student challenge and increase the production of higher level responses

• Playfulness can increase student engagement and motivation


• Teachers can promote creativity amongst students by teaching creatively

• Strategies to promote playfulness in lessons increase student confidence in taking risks

• Students are more willing to attempt more challenging tasks and produce higher level responses when lost in ‘play’

• Increased engagement and motivation is evident when students are ‘playful’ in their learning

Tracy Mein

Tonypandy Community College

Contact DetailsE-Mail [email protected] 01443 436171Website https://tonypandycollege.co.uk/

27


What strategies can we use to develop children’s ability to take risks in our classrooms?

Emphasis: Resilience, growth mindset and risk-taking

What I did

• Random selection of six children of varying abilities

• Initial baseline questionnaire

• Lesson observation to observe attitudes

• Growth mindset lesson

• Introduce metaphor for self-evaluation of own learning

• Lesson observation to observe any change of attitude and use of ‘Fried Egg’

• Identifying mindful moments

• Repeat questionnaire

What I found out

• The majority of children did not link risk-taking to their learning. However it was noted that children with ‘Autistic traits’ did

• Children were reluctant to challenge their learning

• The majority of children used fixed mindset statements when faced with challenge

• To enable children to take risks, teachers need to plan opportunities for risk-taking


• The more risks presented to children, the more likely they are to take them

• Resilience is improved when children adopt a growth mindset

• A growth mindset allows learners to take risks in cross-curricular contexts

• Learners who are aware of ‘Fixed’ and ‘Growth mindset’ are aware that learning is an ongoing process

Claire Roderick and Siân Dennet-Jones

Brynnau Primary School

Contact DetailsE-Mail [email protected] 01443 237828Website https://hwbpluse.wales.gov.uk/

en/6742061

28


How can creative teaching help a mixed ability Year 8 class access a key scientific principle in a creative way?

Emphasis: Curiosity, imagination, persistence, discipline, collaboration.

What I did

• Headed a strategy group exploring ‘Creative Teaching’

• Liaised with colleagues in the Science Department

• Devised a drama lesson exploring ‘Micro-Organisms and Disease’

• Taught the lesson to a mixed ability group of Year 8 students

• Encouraged these students to evaluate the experience

What I found out

• Students were able to draw effective practical – theoretical links

• Students were open to this new way of working

• Students enjoyed the practical approach to the work

• Students were able to feedback confidently

• Students expressed some good understanding prior to theoretical study


• There is enormous potential for creative classroom approaches

• This approach can help learners with a range of abilities

• Cross-curricular learning draws effective links

• Drama students enjoy using their skills in other subject areas

• Creative teaching can enhance subject understanding significantly

Owen Thomas

Y Pant School

Contact DetailsE-Mail [email protected] 01443 562250Website http://www.ypant.co.uk/

29

SIGlet 26 Research and Writing

A SIGlet was formed to use investigative/action research methods to look into encouraging attitudes to writing and to work on different aspects of technique with a range of children in key stages 1 and 2. The following projects were undertaken and constituted approximately a term’s work. More investigation is needed in these areas but the teachers who undertook the research learned a great deal about themselves and their pupils. Stretching MAT pupils was a constant theme. The work of the SIGlet points the way to an effective way of working which is for schools to work in loose units, acting as critical friends and a focus group, with a common thematic link.

30


Will using thinking maps (particularly flow maps) improve the children’s creative story-making in my reception class?

Summary: This research looks at ways of establishing story patterns through oral storytelling/ map-making as a precursor to developing strategies for writing narrative.

What I did

• Questioned children about their attitudes towards stories and storytelling

• Devised different ways of measuring progress and changes in attitude

• Found an old wooden chest, which was carved and used as a ‘Story Box’ that loved stories so much that it wanted to help the children create new stories to enjoy

• Invited a storyteller into school

• Created an assortment of different character cards, object cards and place cards which I thought the box could provide for the children to use in their stories

• Decided to use Thinking Maps in order to assist the children in planning and creating their stories and therefore included some blank flow maps and bubble maps to use in later sessions

What I found out

• Sessions have given some of the children more confidence in their own story-making abilities, as evidenced in the questionnaires. They have given all of the children the tools to progress

• Children asserted a love of making stories and liked learning about structures

• The structures could be of great help to them in the future

Joanne Baker

Gwenfo Church in Wales Primary School

Contact DetailsE-Mail [email protected] 02920 593225Website https://gwenfoprimary.wordpress.com/

31


How can I develop the introduction and description of settings more successfully using writing techniques?

Summary: This research looks at ways of strengthening key stage 2 writing through developing devices for creating setting.

What I did

• Used a piece of independent writing from earlier in the year as a baseline

• Used a questionnaire to gauge attitudes to writing

• Consulted learners on how they thought work could be improved

• Explicitly taught ways of creating setting

• Allowed pupils to put those skills into practice

What I found out

• This research has provided greater focus for my teaching and made me think about methodology

• Creation of setting has improved across all the children’s work

• Corbett’s approach to writing fiction has helped children improve their writing in my class

• These methods will be looked at across the school in the future

Sam Bean

St Bernadette’s Catholic Primary School

Tips from Pie Corbett

» Use the place but also the time of day and weather

» When writing, use details and sense impressions the setting alive

» Let the settings suggest something about the character

Contact DetailsE-Mail [email protected] 02920 733443Website http://www.stbernadettesprm.cardiff.

sch.uk/

32


Will providing additional support help MAT children in my class develop their independent writing skills?

Emphasis: This research looks at how giving MAT pupils additional support with writing can build confidence and refine performance.

What I did

• Used a baseline piece of written work

• Asked pupils to forward base what good writing would look like

• Worked with them on the skills they listed

• Gave them an opportunity to put those skills into action

• Asked their opinion of the process

What I found out

• MAT children are able to take ownership of their learning

• The data derived from the assessment pieces of writing suggest that the children had begun to consider how to improve their own writing. The opportunity to self and peer assess, supported the children in developing ways they would want to take their own learning forward and their sense of contribution to the development of the group was evident in their feedback

Emma Everitt

Barry Island Primary School

Techniques » Highlighting openings of novels

and connectives used

» Up-levelling sentences

» Kung Fu punctuation

» Feedback glasses

» Modelling positive feedback

» Using self-constructed criteria to mark own work

» Micro construction of sentences

» Using visual stimulus and talk

» Creating a sense of responsibility and ownership

Contact DetailsE-Mail [email protected] 01446 733807Website http://www.barryislandprimary.com/

33


Will using thinking maps to aid creative writing improve pupil confidence and self-esteem?

Summary: This research looks at the use of thinking maps for the development of writing in a Year 1 class. It traces the process of using maps and the effect on childrens’ attitudes.

What I did

• Used a baseline piece of written work

• Analysed pupils’ work following explicit teaching and modelling of Thinking Maps

• Created an attitudinal questionnaire for pupils

What I found out

• All but one of the sample indicated that Thinking Maps helped them to ‘write more and more’ and ‘helps [me] to write more sentences’ or ‘better sentences’

• When asked how/what they felt about writing without input or the support of Thinking Maps, most pupils responded that it was hard to think of ideas and others indicated that they couldn’t decide what to write about

• When asked how they found the writing task when supported by Thinking Maps, responses were ‘it was easy because we put it into sections’; ‘because it is little jobs’; ‘it was easy because we broke it into little pieces’; and ‘it was a little bit easier’

Conclusions

• Thinking maps are useful tools in sequencing narrative and picking out key moments in the narrative

• Several children have consciously acknowledged the importance of visualising and isolating events in order to construct a story

• Modelling processes is an important tool for teachers

• More exploration needs to be done matching tasks to maps

Helen Robertson

Tongwynlais Primary School

Contact DetailsE-Mail [email protected] 02920 810383Website http://www.tongwynlaisprm.school/

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Will Pie Corbett’s techniques improve my learners’ structure of story writing?

Emphasis: This research looks at how giving MAT pupils extra support with writing can build confidence and refine performance.

My baseline

• Looked at MAT pupils in particular

• Made and administered an attitudinal baseline test

• Gave a story-writing task as a baseline

What I did

• Researched Pie Corbett’s ideas

• Shared ideas with a focus group

• Taught using those techniques

• Set a second short story and compared with the first

• Re-administered the attitudinal test

• Presented my findings to a validity group

What I found out

• Attitudes had either stayed the same [already positive] and/or had improved

• Learners were beginning to use story connectives rather than just ‘the’

• Learners were using some descriptive words to describe the setting

• Learners were using the story map structure with an introduction, build-up, problem, resolution and an ending

• Techniques which were improving the work of MAT pupils were inspiring the work of all

Recommendations

• Writing bags need to be developed further and were a particularly effective technique for stimulating interest. They were of special interest to my Validity Group.

Techniques

» Imitate, innovate, invent

» Oral storytelling

» Story bags

» Learning nursery rhymes

» Re-telling stories

» Using connectives

Nicola Stanley

Jenner Park Primary School

Contact DetailsE-Mail [email protected] 01446 735587Website http://www.schoolswire.co.uk/public/

jennerpark983.html.nocache

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