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VIEWS & OPINION


Three ways to help pupils rediscover their love of learning


Comment by NIAMH HUNTER, Year 4 teacher at Holy Family Catholic School


After a year of disrupted education and too much time away from friends, it’s heart-warming to see playgrounds full of happy children once again. Pupils enjoying their games may look as though they don’t have a care in the world, but even the youngest children will have sensed some of the turbulence caused by the pandemic. Many children will need time, patience and understanding to settle


back into learning. Schools need effective ways to reset learning behaviours without piling


on the pressure, and we’ve come up with three simple strategies which are having a big impact. • Use games to rebuild confidence Most children are really enjoying being back at school, but everyone’s


experience of lockdown was different. Some children struggled to learn in the home environment, and a lot of skills children develop at school such as working with others and taking turns have suffered. Teachers can help pupils recover these skills through team games,


with the emphasis on fun. An English lesson where children work in groups by playing charades to act out the meanings of new words is a great way to boost communication. Children love spotting mistakes, and will enjoy working in teams of


dictionary detectives to hunt for cards with misspelt words dotted around the playground. • Make social distancing fun While Covid-19 continues to cast a shadow over our day to day lives,


it’s important to keep children and staff safe. However, this needn’t mean compromising on learning or fun. Some learning activities can promote social distancing without children


even realising it - take this popular maths lesson. Children are divided into three teams, all appropriately spaced apart with marbles to mark distances. The children run up and pick a question card, then run back and put the card in a hoop that represented the correct answer without touching it again. With no sharing or rummaging through equipment, it’s good way to


minimise contact and maximise fun. • Take learning outdoors The third lockdown has taken its toll on many children’s activity levels.


It’s more difficult to enjoy the great outdoors when spring showers prevent it, and without the opportunity to play sport or take part in outside activities, children may not be as fit as they could be. Active learning, where children learn maths or English while being


physically active is a good way to boost fitness and core skills at the same time. A times table race where pupils answer questions is a great example. Every correct answer allows a child to jump one step closer to winning a prize. ‘Danger Island’ is a popular game too, where children use their


addition and subtraction skills to solve maths problems and escape across the playground. Bringing activity, teamwork and fun into everyday lessons will


encourage children to recover lost skills and develop new ones. By creating a happy, lively and safe learning environment, lessons will be every bit as fun as playtime. And children will learn just as much as in the classroom.


Holy Family Catholic School uses active lesson plans in English and maths from Teach Active. Teachers can download free active lesson plans from www.teachactive.org


22 www.education-today.co.uk


Making the right choices: how to guide hard to reach students towards the path that’s right for them


Comment by FLEUR SEXTON, Managing Director, PET-Xi


Helping hard to reach students can be difficult but making the right choices is vital – here are some ideas on how to guide students towards the path that’s right for them.


• Build relationships – Build trust making the learner feel secure and valued.


• Engage - Engage with the learner, place them at the centre of any discussion and welcome them with your ‘game-face’ on – reassure them that they are the only thing that is important.


• Translate anger as fear - If a learner is angry for no apparent reason, they most likely are scared or there is something else going on in their lives which you don’t know about which is causing this frustration. Understand that it is not personal and you will communicate with them in the way that is needed and which gets results.


• Make the learning achievable and fun - Turn good activities into habits. It feels great to achieve when you drive a car for the first time - it is unbelievably complex but neurons connect and it becomes second nature. Dopamine is released by the brain for rewards and the anticipation of rewards.


• Remember that ‘bad’ is stronger than ‘good’ - If a young person is having a bad time they might need 5 good things just to bring the balance back. Finding a tenner is nowhere near as impactful as losing a tenner. Lots of good and appropriate feedback is required, backed up by unconditional positive regard.


• ‘New me’ and ‘I want to be’ - Set realistic and achievable goals. Think about passions and interests, skills and abilities and how much these impact on life chances - help them to determine ‘where they want to be’.


• Set high and consistent expectations – Negotiate expectations, reinforce positive behaviour and lead by example.


• Provide information which is realistic, relevant and reinforces positive social norms.


• Provide multiple opportunities - Strive to embed learning ensuring it is contextualised and relevant - this will stimulate ongoing interest and give you something to build upon and make learning more effective.


• Plan a ‘spiral programme’ which introduces new and more challenging learning - building on what has gone before, which reflects and meets the personal developmental needs of the young person.


• Provide opportunities for young people to make real decisions about their lives, to take part in activities which allow them to help other people. Anything in the community which allows them to be purposeful and practical is perfect - simulating adult choices and as an enabler to demonstrate their ability to take responsibility for their decisions.


• Encourage young people to reflect on their learning and the progress they have made - allowing them to transfer what they have learnt to their lives and the wider community.


• Remember it is all about the individual and making them feel safe in the learning environment - think about Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, remember we have to feel safe before moving on the road towards self- actualisation. Therefore, the basic needs have to be addressed before we can maximise the impact of any learning or change in behaviour.


April 2021


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