SCHOLAR Conference 2012 - Creating Confident, Independent Learners - Carole Graham

SCHOLARA programme of Heriot-Watt University

Carole GrahamTynecastle

High SchoolModern Languages Teacher


Raising attainment – bridging the gap

SCHOLAR – an excellent tool

Curriculum for Excellence7 design principles

Creating confident learners and raising attainment

Practical experience


Firstly, I’ll give the background as to why I find SCHOLAR such an excellent tool in helping create confident learners and raise attainment.

Secondly, how I see it fitting in with CfE – with particular focus on the 7 design principles.

Thirdly, perhaps most relevant to today’s theme how I personally use it/have used it to try to create confident learners and raise attainment.


Firstly, Many present will empathize with the current situation

in schools where in the upper school we are being asked to teach bi/tri-level classes. This - by its very nature makes it difficult to raise attainment.

(My case study: being asked to teach AH/H/I2 –

one class). DETAIL. (2 AH/10 Higher/6 I2S) Panic!


How was I going to manage this logistically let alone raise attainment?

Answer: SCHOLAR! (Incidentally - in this tri-level class

we managed to achieve a 100% pass rate) Why did I find SCHOLAR so useful in this “situation”? How given these constraints can we succeed in creating

confident learners and at the same time endeavour to raise attainment?


SCHOLAR has:

“Tailor-made” materials for the 4 assessable elements:

Reading/Speaking/Listening/Writing Set with progressive levels: especially AH Ideal for Independent Learning thereby instilling

confidence (which in bi-level/tri-level classes pupils were going to be obliged to do). Also an ideal preparation for University-style learning!


But I could still carefully monitor their work – even if they were not in class!

Therefore, I would say that SCHOLAR has gone a long

way to help create Confident learners to help pupils achieve progressively and monitor their own attainment!


Curriculum for Excellence Challenge and Enjoyment Breadth Progression Depth Personalisation and Choice** Coherence Relevance


Secondly,

How do I see SCHOLAR fitting in with CfE in creating confident learners whilst at the same time raising attainment relating this to the 7 design principles?

1. challenge and enjoyment: (enjoy independent learning/challenging materials)

If pupils enjoy something generally thisautomatically helps raise attainment.

2. breadth: covers broad spectrum on themes


3. progression: (built-in levels of progress H/AH). This in itself builds confidence as they achieve

at each level.

4. depth: enough material for pupils to explore

5. personalisation & choice: ** key aims.Pupils can largely choose how they use the programme. (More under the assessment

process).


6. coherence: themes dealt with coherently

7. relevance: (tailor-made to correspond withSQA courses & exams) AND TO DEVELOPING SKILLS FOR TOMORROW’S WORLD

ADDITIONALLY DEVELOPING SKILLS IS A KEY AIM OF CfE.


Thirdly,

How do I use SCHOLAR to help create confident learners and raise attainment?

On a day-to-day basis when giving feedback to Pupils – I ask them to work on their individual weaknesses using SCHOLAR (e.g. grammar section - expand). Integral part of their homework.


I can monitor their use of SCHOLAR: (Big Brother is watching you!/interesting to see times/**bring it up on screen in class!)

When assessing/marking work/NABS I can easily see

improvement in pupils who are using the programme regularly and at the same time see areas of weakness. (Rahat)


Pupil perspective: (Rahat will speak more about this) I think I can safely say they become more confident individuals, successful learners, effective contributors which hopefully also helps them raise attainment.

So yes SCHOLAR does help raise attainment and bridges

gaps in our current educational environment.


This is reflected in their ability to learn independently, prepare for speaking presentations and vitally prepare themselves thoroughly for exams and assessments – NABS ETC.

SCHOLAR fits with –

with the design principles of CfE

ideal for independent learning


certainly provides challenging materials relevant to SQA courses and themes & developing KEY

SKILLS (needed today & tomorrow) and can provide enjoyment (I hope Rahat will testify to

this!) most importantly it helps us to raise attainment!

(main objective summative assessment)


I certainly see SCHOLAR as an excellent tool for both formative and summative assessment but more importantly it can help us to raise attainment.

I’d now like to introduce you to Rahat who will give a pupil perspective with regard to using SCHOLAR and his practical experience of some of the points have mentioned.


Interviews:

1. How did you use SCHOLAR at school?

2. Do you think it helped you raise attainment?

3. Apart from helping you to raise your attainment did it help you to be a more confident learner at

school?

SCHOLAR Conference 2012 - Creating Confident, Independent Learners - Carole Graham

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