What do predicted D grade students have to do to get C grades and above?
What do predicted D grade students have to do to get C grades and above?
Surprisingly the answer is both unexpected and simple.
It’s not primarily about working harder and longer. Nor is it merely about being more motivated.
Rather the solution lies within the issue of the organisation of ideas.
The fact is that when students have subject matter explained to them in a particular way they find it easier to categorise and organise themselves. And when they do that, they find that the material is easier to understand and easier to reproduce.
This information is contained within The LearnWise course – but what makes this course unique is that not only do students attend the in-school sessions, we also ask that their teachers, mentors or assistants attend as well. Both work together on the issue of subject organisation so that it makes more sense, is easier to write about and is made more memorable.
Look at these results obtained by Edensor Technology College in Stoke on Trent. For the past 3 years they have put a carefully targeted group of D-C borderline students through the Model Learning LearnWise programme.
77% of 52 carefully targeted students identified as ‘borderline’ achieved 5 A* to C, in 2007
78% of 52 carefully targeted students identified as ‘borderline’ achieved 5 A* to C, in 2008
87% of 57 carefully targeted students identified as ‘borderline’ achieved 5 A* to C, in 2009
The central issue is how lesson content can be brought together into units of knowledge in such a way that it becomes more easily assimilated in usable parcels of information. This optimises the effectiveness of existing strategies such as cooperative learning and assessment for learning. By learning these techniques together, a powerful learning bond is established.
You can learn more about the LearnWise school-based course at www.modellearning.com/courses/learnwise.aspx
While on the site you can also get a free poster accompanying the iDEAS Powerpoint on Engaging Meetings. The poster will show you a visual strategy to get staff shifting from thinking ‘my way’ to ‘our way’. Go to http://www.modellearning.com/ideas/ideas-posters.aspx to download the poster.
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