North Wales Team 1
Teachers had changed form ‘I can..’ to ‘I am learning to..’ which has seen a change of attitude to the task to being more positive.
Long wordy learning intentions have been changed to abbreviated titles which had stopped them being put off the lesson.
Learning intentions are no longer given at the start of a lesson but after the prior knowledge starters. Teachers said they didn’t realise the impact this would have, as it had often switched pupils off having the LI first. Some pupils still feel the need to ask what it is. Leading on from the starters, pupils are more aware of what they are learning about and therefore more engaged in the lesson.
All teachers had used a variety of texts to discuss what excellence looks like so that pupils can identify the success criteria. Discussion tool place over how they could improve something that was already good. The quality of children’s work has improved and the links with the growth mindset of always improving is clear.
Some teachers have created success criteria with pupils from given mistakes to analyse. This makes them more aware of potential mistakes and helps generate the criteria.
“We watched a video of a previous class’s poetry performance (3 groups) and generated success criteria from this. I asked the children how they could make their performances even better. Children gave ideas which were added to the criteria. This had an impact on the current class’s performance as it was of higher quality. Excellent feedback was given to me from an Estyn inspector.”
North Wales Team 2
All teachers had been giving learning intentions but were making sure they were more specific and skill based when linked with success criteria. Children write a shorter version in their books. This has saved time and is understandable for all achievers. There is a constant reference to the learning intention in the lesson.
Children are creating success criteria from models given and good and bad examples compared. The criteria give guidance for the task. Children have more ownership of co-constructed criteria and are more aware of their purpose. Using criteria for evaluation has allowed their work to be a working document with a checklist to keep referring back to and success criteria bingo also encouraged self-regulation.
“Pupils are journaling their ideas in ‘Maths no problem’ scheme. After discussing the problem given with their partner, prior to the journal, we ask the children what they think the learning intention is. This really focuses them and I have now introduced this approach across other areas of the curriculum.”
Norwich
Techers had co-constructed success criteria with children and posted them on learning walls. This has improved children’s work and they are able to independently apply the criteria.
Using good examples to analyse to co-construct has led to ownership and clear understanding of the criteria.
Some generic success criteria for writing and maths etc. make children aware of what must be considered for all their tasks.
“As part of an English lesson, we looked at a good example of writing with suspense. Using learning partners, children were able to look at and listen to what was included. We came up with criteria for what was included. Children could then include some of the criteria, but not necessarily all. Using the visualiser, either midway through or at the end of the lesson, children’s work is shared and measured against the success criteria.”
Mr. T. Suswain – Weasenham Primary Academy