Strategies to grow stretch challenge learners What grows

Strategies to grow stretch & challenge learners

What grows S&C learners? 1. Students who are self-confident, motivated and engaged learners 2. Students with strong skills in speaking, listening, critical thinking and independent study and a good command of academic English 3. Students engaged in learning that goes above and beyond the curriculum 4. Students who understand what top grades look like 5. Students with significant family resources and support

Oxbridge definition of a S&C learner P I T S Performance Interesting Thinker Stamina Excellent academic qualifications and literacy skills Committed Intellectually curious Wide & critical reader Can: Argue the point Hypothesise & Evaluate See connections & patterns Think on new ground Think out of the box Think critically Think independently Have lots of ideas Be intellectually flexible Highly motivated Hard working Work independently Self-disciplined Time management

1 a. Encourage challenge • Learning hooks Reframe learning to promote curiosity e. g. Change ‘The Development of Church, State and Society 1066 -1509’ into ‘Lords v. Peasants’ • ‘Hot’ learning menus Differentiate learning activities by how hot they are – one to four chillies • Charge for help Give students ‘Help Tokens’ which they have to spend on help. Reward those students who spend the least through concentrating carefully and thinking for themselves • Socratic Question stems Ensure that students have Socratic Question stems in their books to encourage them to ask higher order questions. Display these round the classroom • Team Challenges Set Team Challenges that encourage students to collaborate • Challenge Me cards That can be used by students in lessons to request more challenge For more ideas see the 7 Strategies range and Strategies to Improve Memory Skills

1 b. Book Polishing Encourage students to develop motivated and engaged attitudes to their work by regularly taking time in lessons to book polish For more detail see How to Book Polish

2 a. Grow thinkers • • • Provide Learner CPD so that students understand their own learning Add Extended Abstract thinking opportunities into lesson plans and Schemes for Learning Encourage More Able learners to note extended abstract thinking in their Thinking Journals Use SOLO Taxonomy in thinking sessions to encourage students/ groups of students to improve their thinking: Have an idea Have different ideas Elaborate on different ideas Have a new idea Use the SCAMPER model to encourage students to think out of the box: Substitute, Combine, Adapt, Modify, Put to another use, Eliminate, Rearrange, Reverse Play Debating Tennis between students/ teams of students to encourage them to ‘argue the point’ For Literacy Ideas see Strategies for Developing S&C Literacy power point

2 b. Grow Mindset Students can ‘Grow their Brain’ by learning something hard and improve their intelligence through hard work. Grow students who: • Enjoy effort • Welcome mistakes • Can handle difficulty • Don’t just want to look smart See Learning Contract

3. Go above and beyond See Strategies to Build a S&C Super Curriculum power point

4. Students understand what top grades look like • Practice Tracker to allow students to compare their practice attempt to the model answer • Key Stage 3 mastery statements • Y 7 -13 Progression Grids • Feedback booklets • TOWER strategy Talk, Organise, Write, Edit, Redraft For more ideas on assessment see Strategies for Assessment

5. Parent Academies • • Family Learning Evenings Parent Buddies More Able Drop Ins Career Cafes