Video 1: part 1 - Adapting a unit of learning to meet the needs of all
Mary and Hannah in conversation….
Part 1: From a teacher’s perspective.
This video contains all the chapters referenced below. Please see the notes for chapter timings.
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Chapter 1: As a class teacher can you talk through the things you consider before you begin teaching the unit to ensure the planning is appropriately adapted to meet the needs of your class?
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Watch the video from the beginning to 0:59.
Click on the first dot to the right of the play button and press play or click on the chapter icon
below the video and select Chapter 1.
Key things Hannah spoke about
Where the unit fits in the whole school plan.
Strengths and weaknesses of her class.
Having in mind the end point – where is the unit going?
Group Discussion
How do you as a class teacher currently approach each unit of learning, taking into account the whole-school curriculum map?
Reflecting on Hannah’s approach, consider what you might need to do before you begin teaching a unit of learning?
What are the strengths and weaknesses of your class in RE? What do you need to adapt in the planning to ensure your teaching meets the needs of your pupils?
Chapter 2: How do you ensure the lessons you teach, are accessible and offer an ambitious curriculum for a child with SEND?
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Watch the video from 2:08 to 3:41.
Click on the second dot to the right of the play button and press play or click on the chapter icon below the video and select Chapter 2.
Key things Hannah spoke about
Think about what the entry point of the lesson will be.
Think about task design – does it have an RE focus?
Consider carefully the importance of scaffolding literacy skills so that they do not detract pupils from excelling in RE.
Group Discussion
Talk about your current classroom context. What are the needs within your class? What are the potential barriers for some children in the RE classroom? What is currently working well?
How do you currently begin your RE lessons? Is there anything you might do differently in the light of what you have heard?
Consider strategies you use in other curriculum areas to help pupils with SEND access the curriculum. How could these be transferred to the RE classroom.
Taking a lesson of your choice, what do you need to do to the suggested activity to ensure all pupils can access it and succeed in terms of RE knowledge and skills.
Chapter 3: Is there anything you do specifically to the planning to ensure your higher attainers are challenged?
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Watch the video from 3:41 to 5:15.
Click on the first dot to the right of the play button and press play or click on the chapter icon below the video and select Chapter 3.
Key things Hannah spoke about
Quality of questioning.
Task design.
Enabling pupils to ‘go deeper’ with their learning.
Group Discussion
How do you ensure the quality of questioning in your classroom is offering challenge? Can you give an example of when the questioning has led to deep thinking? (Look at previous lesson plans / in children’s books if you need prompting.) What was it about the question that enabled the pupils to respond at that level?
How does your task design offer opportunity for depth? Give examples from an RE lesson you have recently taught where pupils have taken this opportunity.
Taking a lesson of your choice, identify the questions that you think allow for deep thinking.
Taking a lesson of your choice, review the task design. Is it allowing for challenge, if not, what could you do to ensure pupils in your class are appropriately challenged?
How might you prepare to respond to a child who has begun to go deeper, without shutting them down, even though you will not know in advance what a child might say?
Chapter 4: If you had to give teachers three top tips of things to consider before they start teaching a unit of learning, what would they be?
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Watch the video from 12:25 to 14:45.
Click on the sixth dot to the right of the play button and press play or click on the chapter icon below the video and select Chapter 4.
Key things Hannah spoke about
Read through the whole plan – have the end point in mind.
Know where the children have been beforehand.
Think about the big question yourself and how you would answer it.
Group Discussion
Take a unit of learning and discuss the following points:
What is the end point of this unit?
What prior learning will the children bring to this lesson and how will you find out if prior learning is secure?
What is the big question and how would you answer it?
What adaptations do you need to make to the plan to ensure all pupils achieve the end point?