Connect Four

I use this with my classes as a revision and reviewing exercise. It engages the students in a game activity and allows for easy differentiation.

How I have used it in class:

1. I provided the students with 64 simple recall questions on a topic (I also included some spell this word questions) I then gave them 5 minutes as a team to answer the questions and look up any they did not know the answer to. I found working as a team gave them an easy opportunity to discuss answers and explain their understanding to each other. They then played in groups of 3 or 5. 
2. I gave the students a blank question sheet and they had to come up with questions for other teams. 
3. I provided the questions but they did not have the opportunity to review the answers before playing. 
4. I split the class in two and I took the role of question master.

I hope you found this useful - please share in the comments any other ways you have adapted this for your classes. For my next post I will get some photos to show things working in class! 

Welcome back Workshops

A massive thank you to all of the staff which took part in the Back to School Workshops.

As this was the first time we had ran a cPD event like this it was great to see both staff volunteering to run sessions and staff taking part enthusiastically. Watch this space for your opportunity to take part in the next set of workshops!

CPD - Questioning 28th March 2016

Dear Colleagues,

Thank you for your attention during the CPD session.  Please find below the slides that were presented at the CPD session on Monday 28th March.  If you have any questions about any of the ideas or strategies discussed please do not hesitate to contact Ashley, Faye, Sara or myself.

Thank you once again,

Neil

GO Group Minutes

• Date and time: Monday 15th February 14:30
• Location: B44
• Attendees: NGR, ASH, FDO, TKY, JMC, ANA, SCA, PLI

Objective: To review the CPD meeting on 8th February.

Agenda Items

1. Review previous minutes
Focus on development of transition from primary to secondary - after EDT visit

2. Review CPD activities from the CPD meeting.

FDO - All agreed there was a good level of staff engagement through the use of active strategies - repeat in future sessions.

FDO - Setup Google Group for Traill Staff for sharing of good practice.
NGR - explored setting up Traill Teachers Google Group, may require additional information to be delivered in advance to staff. Could be included as part of a future CPD Session to introduce the group and the purpose so all staff are made aware of how it would be implemented and used to collaborate and share good practice.

ASH - Discussion of JAWS meeting, Tarsia discussed briefly and TKY has implemented some ideas already in lessons.

3. Discuss ideas for future meetings and ways of sharing good practice.
CPD Meeting 28th March - Focus Questioning
NGR - Google Doc setup and shared for collating ideas
Link to Blooms
Potentially link to question of the week through tutors - more information required. Discuss at next meeting.
FDO - use of literacy mats

4. Identify points of development as part of the School Review Document for the upcoming EDT (CfBT) visit.
Three potential areas for development identified -

• Effective setting of Targets in KS4
• Continue to stress diagnostic marking in all subjects
• Further development of cross-curricular links

NGR to arrange meeting with BST about progression and strategies for achieving progression in these areas. Discuss outcomes of meeting at next GO Group meeting.
FDO - Thai International Science Week is coming up - potential for cross-curricular links.

5. T&L weekly suggestion and volunteers for coming weeks.
PKU - 18th Feb - embedding video into PowerPoint
FDO - 26th Feb - collate information from differentiation CPD session and send to all staff.
NGR - 4th Mar - AFL - an overview of AFL to ensure all staff have a better understanding of it.

6. AOB
Consider ideas for INSET in August:

• SCA - potentially to lead a session introducing new teachers to the British Curriculum and language it contains based on her own experiences of adapting to it.
• JMC & FDO - Focused session on SEN at Traill and the provisions in place so new staff are aware.

JMC - Use of LEGO therapy in the classroom. Leading a primary session at Tuesday meeting.  Binumi as a homework and assessment tool
FDO - Use of storyboards to review learning. GWE passed on a website storyboardthat.com which could be incorporated into homework or if students have access to ICT.

Proposed next meeting:
29th February
14:30
B44

Strategies for ESL in Mainstream Classrooms

Strategies for ESL in Mainstream Classrooms

Please find below the excellent presentation delivered by Caroline, Diana and Patrick relating to ESL strategies which can be adapted to mainstream classrooms.