Reading writing and regular testing key principles underpinning

Reading, writing and regular testing: key principles underpinning, and practical examples from, West London Free School’s brand new history curriculum Louis Everett: Head of History at West London Free School l. everett@wlfs. org https: //justonethingafteranotherblog. wordpress. com/ @Louis. Everett 1

Doug Lemov Teach Like a Champion

The Challenge • Design a new Key Stage 3 curriculum • Design a new GCSE curriculum • Design two new A level curriculum (modern & medieval) • Supplement curriculum with enrichment programme • Reduce teacher workload

Daniel Willingham

David Didau & Nick Rose

David Didau & Nick Rose

- Regular quizzing ‘Cold call’ Timed recap Exam practice - Procedural = ‘rote’ learning an automatic response - Semantic = long term memory disconnected from personal experience - Narrative as homework - Narrative as knowledge tests - Narrative nature of curriculum design - Use of the textbook - ‘Quality first teaching’ - Knowledge rich KS 3 - Quizzing booklets/ knowledge organisers - Interleaving & unseen tests

- Reading aloud in lessons - Redrafting - Comprehensive overview at KS 3 to address basic misconceptions - Lesson of knowledge vs application - Knowledge organisers - Quizzing homework - Draw out links within 11 -18 curriculum - Explicit teaching of narrative - Overview timelines - ‘Quality first teaching’ - Knowledge rich KS 3 - Quizzing booklets/ knowledge organisers - Interleaving & unseen tests

‘Regular testing’: what does it look like? • Quizzing booklets/ knowledge organisers • KS 3 fortnightly homework • Quizzing in lesson • Use of Show My Homework • Use of narrative to aid memory

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. In what year did the Roman army abandon Britain? 410 AD What was the dominant population of Britain before the arrival of the Anglo-Saxons? Celts What country did the Anglo-Saxons come from? Germany What major skill did the Romans have, but the Anglo-Saxons lack, which means there is little evidence from this period? Ability to read and write (literacy) What term is sometimes used to describe the years that followed the fall of the Roman Empire? Dark Ages In what sort of communities did the early Anglo-Saxons choose to live? Villages and small farming communities What object, which signified power and wealth, did the Anglo-Saxons use to fasten their clothing? Gold brooch Which Anglo-Saxon ship burial site from the 7 th century was found in 1939? Sutton Hoo What was the most famous object to be found in this 7 th century ship burial? Helmet 10. What do you call someone who examines objects and locations from the past, often through excavation? Archeologist

What kind of crisis was Berlin in 1961? 22/10/2021 As you come in, answer the following questions in full sentences: 1. What happened to Berlin after the Second World War in 1945? 2. What happened to Berlin in 1948? 3. How was the crisis resolved in 1949?

How do we get pupils to read more history? • Reading aloud in class • KS 3 fortnightly homework • GCSE? Struggle of time. Focus on narrative. • A level – regular reading of historical scholarship

How have we tried to develop pupils’ writing? • KS 3 – writing lessons once a week. • Modelling: exemplars & ‘live typing’. • Planning/ redrafting. • Mnemonics (ADKO) • Ron Berger. An Ethic of Excellence: building a culture of craftsmanship with students (2003). – concept of ‘tribute work’.

‘I show a slide of draft five, the final draft, and not only is the drafting work excellent but the lettering is neat and calligraphic. It’s a beautiful piece of work. Suddenly the audiences realizes that this is basically the same slide they had viewed earlier, except it looks different now. Five minutes ago they saw just another project by an anonymous, talented kid. Now the struggle, work, and growth that this projects represented was evident. Now it’s clear that the quality of work I had been showing the audience all morning is not the result of gifted students nor specially selected students: It is a celebration of hard work, dedication, support, and revision. ’ (p 22 -23) ‘It’s not simply that this work entails lots of reading and writing, but that we explicitly teach reading and writing skills formally during the work. Rather than limit the time available for addressing literacy skills, this approach builds in literacy instruction all day long. ’ (p 72 -23) ‘I’ve been criticized at times by educators for using models so much. All of the work will be copies, they say; the models will stifle the creativity and originality of everyone’s work. There is validity in their concern: my students borrow ideas from the models and from each other all the time. But I don’t mind at all. In fact, I encourage imitation as a place to begin. As a student, I learned to write by copying the styles of great painters. This is one way to learn, an excellent way to learn, in fact. Does it matter that my students sometimes use former or current students as their models instead of using famous masters? ’. (p 85)

Recaps and quizzes

How have you managed all this ‘reading, writing and regular testing’ without killing your department? • Quizzing (SMH, self assessing) • Verbal feedback • Coded marking • Teacher instruction and ‘the green pen’ • Specialist areas of curriculum design (RPE = KS 3, VTA & LEV = GCSE, VTA & LEV = A level).

Areas to improve 1. Improve introduction (see handbook for advice & end of chapter 2 of textbook 2. Evidence/ factual support (including quotes from historians) to support claims 3. Clear focus on answering the question 4. Use of connectives to link established themes & paragraphs 5. Structure of essay – for example to establish other factors – for example many people missed out a paragraph on government repression itself & ‘Pitt’s Terror’. 6. Structure of paragraphs – PEEL? Commonly Misspelt words There Vs their Perceived Separation Addressed Were vs was Knit Parliament Government Habeas Corpus Tasks 1. Find a pen of a different colour to mine and yours, preferably green. 2. Read through your essay, correcting errors such as spelling and grammar. 3. Below your conclusion, write: - A list of bullet points (full sentences) explaining your aims for improving your next essay. - A redrafted version of your weakest paragraph, using the example essay for inspiration.

What can we learn about essay writing from Frank O’Gorman? ‘After 1795, in fact, radicalism was forced underground. The continuing suspension of habeas corpus enabled the government to keep suspects under lock and key’.

What can we learn about essay writing from Frank O’Gorman? ‘These legal restrictions coalesced with the continuing force of loyalist action and example to inhibit radicalism’.

How have you managed all this ‘reading, writing and regular testing’ without killing your department? • Set homework schedule as part of curriculum design • Focus on the ‘what’ over the ‘how’ – reduce planning pressures • School’s ethos on behaviour • Establish whole department routines

Is the ‘magic bullet’ en. Richment? • History & Politics Society • Trips to Rome, Berlin and Russia • Use of your local HA (http: //www. history. org. uk/getinvolved/categories/585/resource/12 13/ealing-branch-programme-2016 -17 ) • Invite speakers

Enrichment: is it worth it?

Stay in touch! l. everett@wlfs. org Louis Everett: Head of History at West London Free School l. everett@wlfs. org https: //justonethingafteranotherblog. wordpress. com/ @Louis. Everett 1

Reference list: Marking • Joe Kirby: ‘Marking is a hornet’ (October, 2015). https: //pragmaticreform. wordpress. com/2015/10/31/marking-is-a-hornet/ • Ben Newmark: ‘Verbal Feedback: telling them what to do’ (September, 2016). http: //bennewmark. edublogs. org/2016/09/26/227/ Modelling & redrafting • Ron Berger (2003) An Ethic of Excellence. Historian as the model • James Carroll, (2015) ‘ The whole point of the thing: how nominalisation might develop students’ written causal arguments’ Teaching History 162. • Rachel Foster (2011) ‘Passive receivers or constructive readers? ’ Teaching History 142. • Carolyn Massey (2016) ‘Asking Year 12, ‘What Would Figes Do? ’ Teaching History 164. Cognitive Science • David Didau & Nick Rose (2016) What Every Teacher Needs To Know About Psychology. • Daniel Willingham (2009) Why Don’t Students Like School.