Getting Started with Junior Cycle Key Skills

Getting Started with Junior Cycle Key Skills in St. Leos CollegeApril 2013 1At the end of this session You will be able toIdentify the six key skills of the Junior Cycle and some of the elements and learning outcomes for each skillBecome more aware of the different teaching and learning activities which students need to participate in to develop these skillsIdentify ways of embedding the key skills in the curriculum for incoming first years

2Background for Change?PISA Report 2009ESRI Report (Emer Smyth 2009)New Junior Cycle in two to three years best to be preparedCurrent economic situationUniversities report students with a skills deficitAdvances in brain research and how we learnSchool culture of adapting to and managing change and meeting the needs of studentsContinuity with primary educationEvidence from NCCA Network SchoolsProfessionalism and teacher responsibility

3The Starting Point for planning a new Junior Cycle ProgrammeThe eight principles for Junior Cycle EducationThe 24 statements of learning.Literacy and Numeracy and the 6 Key Skills.4The 6 Key SkillsLiteracy &Numeracy

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Group Task

6Working with others: Group WorkAppoint a group leader and a time keeperAllow ten minutes to complete this taskOpen the envelope and place all of the strips of paper on the tableEach member takes 5 strips of paperEach member reads aloud what is written on the strip of paperThe group discusses the statement and decides whether it is an ELEMENT or a LEARNING OUTCOMESeparate the ELEMENTS from the LEARNING OUTCOMESPlace the ELEMENTS underneath the ELEMENTS heading on the chartRead aloud the learning outcomes again and decide which LEARNING OUTCOME is associated with which ELEMENTPlace the LEARNING OUTCOME opposite the appropriate ELEMENT on the chartContinue until all LEARNING OUTCOMES are placed on the chartOn completion compare your chart with the KEY SKILLS master sheetHow successful was the group in identifying the elements and the corresponding learning outcomes?78

8How can we integrate the Key Skills into subjects? By developing existing good practice in interactive teaching and learning approachesBy considering some different ways of teaching, assessing and evaluatingBy looking very carefully at learning outcomes in relation to assessment tasksBy building on and further developing the pool of expertise within the staffBy reflective practice9Key Skills: ResourcesWebsite: www. juniorcycle.ieToolkits:-Managing Information and Thinking-Managing Myself-Working with OthersStaff Library: Beyond Monet(Barry Bennett & Carol Rolheiser)The Teachers Toolkit (Paul Ginnis)Cooperation in the Classroom (Johnson, Johnson & Holubec)

10Embedding Key SkillsDeveloping Key Skills is a processNot simply about introducing active learning methodologiesIts a way of planning, teaching and assessingIt requires reflective practice

11Target group for embedding of Key Skills: Incoming First YearsInduction Programme -Key Skills teaching and learning methodologies approach eg. students complete learning styles questionnaires/quiz (Managing Myself: Knowing myself) -Social skills and language for working together need to be taughtParents -Input on Key Skills for of incoming first yearsStudent Journal -Key Skills insert (Teacher journals also!)

12Incoming First YearsClassroom: Posters, desk layout, learning outcome board

Today I will:

New words:

Homework:

133 parts to each lesson:1.Introduction: Core content learning outcomes & Key Skill learning outcomes made explicit -Let students know what they will learn and why (Whats the bigger picture?) -Share with them & involve them in generating the success criteria (What does a model answer look like?)

2.Core content: to include group work, paired activities etc.3. Conclusion: to include reflection on core content and on Key Skills performance 14During lesson:Language of Key Skills becomes common place

Key Skills status acknowledged throughout lesson

Key Skills given value in Assessment

15Key Skills: A closer look: Some practical ideas

16MANAGING MYSELFElement: Knowing MyselfLearning Outcome: recognising my personal strengths and weaknessesJournaling: Invite students to keep a learning journal or write a blog about themselves and their learning-helps identify goals, record evidence of success and reflect on their learning needs(More information in toolkit)

17MANAGING MYSELFElement: Setting and achieving personal goals

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KWL ChartLeaving Certificate Applied: Social Education Social & Health Education 1

Unit 2: Taking Care of Yourself Name: Date:What I KNOW:What I WANT to know:What I LEARNED:What it means to be healthyThe factors which contribute to a healthy lifestyleSigns of stress in everyday lifeHow to cope with stressWays of maintaining good healthReasons why people use drugsThe effects of smoking and benefits of not smokingBasic information on drugs and their effects on the bodyVarious ways in which smoking, alcohol and drugs are portrayed in the mediaThe effects of alcohol on the body The laws in relation to alcohol useEffects of addiction on the addict, their family and the community19WebquestWEBQUEST: DEMOCRACY & GOVERNMENTQ1. Abraham Lincoln said democracy is __________________________________________________________________________________Q2. The way in which our democracy works is described in a document called The C___________. Q3. Our C______________ is called B______________ na hE___________.Q4.Each section of this document is made up of a____________.Q5. The laws contained in this document cannot be changed unless the majority of Irish people agree to do so. The people can decide by voting in a r_________________.Q6. The Irish Government is called the O________________.

20MANAGING MYSELFElement: Setting and achieving personal goalsLearning Outcome: Learn from my past actions and make changes if necessary

My top 10 mistakes: When students have built up a certain amount of corrected work, they make a list of their 10 most common errors. Students compare lists in pairs and report back to class. List could be laminated and turned into a bookmark for use when doing a written task.

21Common Correction Code? (Literacy)

22MANAGING MYSELF:Element: Being able to reflect on my learningReflectionTechniques that take just a few minutes at the end of class: Turn to a partner and take turns sharing- The thing I learned today is/ The skill I developed today isOne minute reflection: Something I learned, a question I still have, something Im not sure about.Simple reflection worksheet (See pg. 15 Toolkit)Include reflection section at end of every worksheet233,2,1 Technique

24MANAGING MYSELFTraffic Lighting: Students use traffic light markers to label their work according to how well they understand a topic = good knowledge = partial knowledge = very little understanding

Students can then recognise areas of learning where they need to concentrate their efforts or where they may need help.25Managing myself toolkit also contains:Tips on giving better feedback to students (changing from judgemental to informative)pg.20

Self-assessment worksheet for written work pg. 31

Assessing my group work skills worksheet pg. 32

Peer assessment of a presentation pg.33

26MANAGING INFORMATION AND THINKINGElement: Being curiousCreate a supportive classroom ( its ok to be wrong, its good to ask questions, we like to explore ideas and not just take them at face value etc.)Help students to consider different perspectives: -Walking Debate /The Value Continuum (decide-justify-debate. Offer students chance to adjust position!)

27In the Hot Seat-Student in Hot Seat takes on role of character from fiction/history or person from another part of world facing a particular challenge. Student must answer questions from characters perspective

28MANAGING INFORMATION AND THINKINGElement: Gathering, recording, organising and evaluating information/ Thinking criticallyFast reading techniques: Skimming and ScanningHelp students to evaluate the quality and source of website information-The WWW Technique: Who, What, When Can you trust the source? Publication date can affect accuracy Can you trust the information?

29Graphic Organisers-a visual way to organise information

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31Mind map (a personal learning document and great revision tool)

32Representing information in form of picture or posterEnglish: Picture to show imagery in poetry/ key moments in a storyCSPE/Science/Geography: Digital pictures to represent key conceptsUsing images can generate lots of interest and idea - Google Images, istockphoto.com and online newspapers great for sourcing images

33Tagxedo/WordleWord clouds great for Key Words

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35MANAGING INFORMATION AND THINKINGElement: Reflecting on and evaluating my own learning Self-evaluation-Monitoring my own progress

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38WORKING WITH OTHERSElement: Developing good relationships and dealing with conflictAgree a classroom charter or set of ground rulesSee toolkit for:5 tips for students giving each other written feedback10 tips for successful group work pg.11 of toolkitStudent checklist on Reviewing my Working Together SkillsTop Tip: When assigning individual roles, make sure students are aware of what their job is! Explain each role clearly.

39WORKING WITH OTHERSElements: Co-operating & learning with othersThink, pair, shareSquare Brainstorming and snowballingCo-operative reading-summarising pairsJigsaw LearningPlacematsStudents work in pairs/small groups to prepare worksheet for class & marking scheme

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Jigsaw LearningStep 1: Students arranged into groups, each group given subtopic & must become expert in it & agree how they are going to teach it to their classmates.Step 2: Groups mixed and take turns teaching subtopic to each person in group.

41Placemats

Form of collaborative learning that combines writing and dialogue Ensures accountability and involvement of all students.Small groups (3-4 students) working both alone and together around a single piece of paper.Top tip: Use A3 size paper for group activities!Teacher constructs task/question carefully.Students work alone first and record ideas.Students share ideas with group, these are recorded in the centre.Sharing takes place between groups.

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Different ways of designing placemats, depending on number of students in group:

43Peer-assessment

44WORKING WITH OTHERSElement: Respecting differencePractical classroom ideas pg.21 of ToolkitExamples:Use differentiated teaching strategies Try to create a culturally diverse learning environment through resources, images and classroom displaysHave a world map on the wall to remind us that we live in a global communityDisplay inspirational quotes/images of people from different cultures and backgrounds

45Using digital technology

46Sharing expertise:ICTInteractive Methodologies (group work, debating, role play, drama)AFLCo-operative/Collaborative LearningOther areas

Any other suggestions/ideas for committee?Use e-mail to share resources

47Conclusion:48Evolution not revolution!Best of luck & thank you!

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