Introduction -
What is student engagement?
Why does it matter?
“You cannot drive metacognition if student engagement isn’t right”.
Professor Daniel Muijs
If you walked by a classroom and student engagement was really high, what would you see?
When we think about engagement, we think about seeing students who want to participate - by speaking, of course, but also by listening, and especially by valuing their thinking enough to develop it in writing - and doing all of these with enthusiasm and pride. Maryanne Wolf, who is a researcher and writer in cognitive science, notes, “What few people ever appreciate is how central attention is to every function we perform ” This quotation reminds us that what people focus on, is what they learn about. Attention is one of the greatest indicators of learning, so it’s part of our job as teachers to think carefully about how to maximise students’ attention on things that matter.
If pupils are to thrive in learning, they need to be working within their zone of proximal development. Therefore, we need to create a think-hard culture where all students are engaged. In a classroom where students are ‘engaged’ we would see a high participation ratio (students involved in learning tasks) and a high think ratio (problem solving, deep, challenging and productive learning) As Mary Myatt states; ‘we are a challenge-seeking species’. If we are to develop our students as learners who are motivated to think hard to succeed, and motivated to self-regulate their own learning, then focusing our efforts on engagement is crucial.
Our codified techniques are grounded in research, combined with the very best practice that we are seeing in classrooms across our WAT family. They will provide teachers and students with clarity, consistency and a common language when we think about this area of our practice Furthermore, they will empower teachers to create a classroom culture that values hard work, persistence, resilience and attention to detail, enabling all students to flourish and reach their potential.
Techniques to improve student engagement
Technique Rationale
Walkthrough Cue Language Resource links (videos, further reading)
Habits of Attention
STAR
“What we attend to is ultimately what we learn.”
Establishment of routines to enable students to focus their attention during class and build stronger attentional habits.
S - sit up
T - track the speaker
A - active listening
R - respect/respond
Secondary microscript
Participation & Engagement
Wait time Promotes participation (hands up), allows processing time, better more rigorous answers. Allows the teacher to read the room.
Walkthrough S - Stand Tall
T - Point to eyes and student
A - wiggle fingers/clicking
R - Thumbs, Fists alternating, Wobble Thumbs
“Let’s be stars ” “Show me your S, Let’s get back to Star sitting/ standing.”
“Let’s track…,” “Turn and track…,”
“Let’s give some appreciation to , ”
“Show if you Agree or wish to Build or Challenge.”
“Let’s hear/listen to…,” “Who agrees?”
“ …… could you build or challenge?”
Recorded Clips
WAT Clip - Katie JukesSTAR
Reading
EEF Blog - Are you listening?
TLAC p 397-405
Walkthrough Raised finger then tapping head
“This is such a difficult question that I want to give you time to think.”
“I’m going to ask a question, and I want to build in some critical thinking time to use the text to help you prepare your answer.”
Recorded Clips
Wait Time - Focus on Why
Reading
Managing the ‘pause’ during Cold Call
Cold calling
Establishes an expectation of engaged participation and equity of voice
Walkthrough
Both index fingers raised upright then nod and motion one hand towards student as a gentle pointing action
“Now thinking”
“Checking your notes”
“Think of your response to ”
“I appreciate your hands.”
”I will be cold calling.”
“Can you begin to tell us about…”
“Talk to me (student name)”
“Start us off please (student name)
“I would like to hear from…”
Silent solo In conjunction with “everybody writes,” silent solo provides students with the opportunity to write formatively in absolute silence for a minute or so, before having a paired/ whole-class discussion
Everybody writes Incorporating short bursts of writing throughout the lesson allows students to develop their ideas through writing.
Walkthrough Pen in the air/iPad
Walkthrough
Raise your pen in the air
Raise your iPad in the air
“Pens in the air we are going silent solo in 3, 2, 1 go!”
“Why do most animals live in the canopy of a typical rainforest? Go.”
“Go!”
“One minute to think in writing. Go!”
“Pencils moving. Go!”
“You all need to be ready in 3…2…1.”
Recorded Clips
WAT Clip - RPA Beth
Peakman - Cold Call
Cold Call - visual stimulus and pace
Reading
Two common misconceptions p.298-299
TLAC
Recorded Clips
Silent Solo - Three Minutes on Your Own
Reading
Silent Solo - Helping create space for attention building 'deep work.'
“Ok, get ready with our pens held up in the air….go to work.”
“Silent solo...”
“Jot down your thoughts ”
“I see pencils are moving…”
“ ... has written the following point. This could be a good start point if you are starting to develop your answer.”
“Make sure your pen is moving...”
“Ok, I am just glancing through your responses on
Recorded Clips
WAT Clip - GemmaSecondary Maths
WAT Clip - Kirsten - Year 12 History
Everybody WritesConjecture
Reading
The Writing RevolutionJudith Hochman
At First Glance: A Sentence
whiteboard.fi...”
Questioning for challenge
No opt out
Increase participation and greater academic rigour by not accepting students to opt out of or not fully understand lessons through closing the learning loop
Walkthrough
Stretch it Rewards right answers with further challenging questions. The questions posed can be diverse. A positive culture is created in the classroom; learning is never done.
Walkthrough Circle movement with hand to indicate further response is desired
Stretch an invisible elastic band
“What was the difference in …’s answer?”
“Who can tell where they can find the answer?”
“Not quite, listen to the next answer and then I’ll come back to you.”
“Turn and talk”
“Who can tell what the first thing they should do?”
“What did … miss in their answer?”
“How did that develop?”
“Can you tell me why?”
“Say more..”
“Keep going….”
“Say it again better ”
“I like your answer, but can you put it into a sentence?”
“Can you give me a better word for ?”
“Can you develop that?”
“How would that look if (different context applied)?”
“Please can you clarify what you mean by ”
“What evidence do you have to support that view?”
Starter Adds Unexpected Rigour to Writing The Art of the Sentence On Building Stamina
Right is right
It sets a high standard for students by encouraging them to push for a deep and accurate answer and Walkthrough
“Thank you for being courageous and contributing, that is not correct but we can now rule that out.”
“It is true they don't like each other but
Recorded Clips
WAT Clip - GemmaSecondary Maths
Reading TLAC p 139-153
Walkthrus 2 pp 98-99
Recorded Clips
Stretch It - Well Said
Reading
Walkthrus 1 p58, p100
Recorded Clips
Right is Right - Build on Here
Right is Right - Function
not accept partially correct or incorrect responses
Teachers avoid ‘rounding up.’ Rounding up involves a teacher responding to a partially correct or incorrect answer by affirming it. Instead the teacher holds out for a fully correct response.
Oracy & Writing
Call and response
Turn and talk
Repetition of tier 3 vocabulary/ definitions to build memory
Model: use in different contexts / apply to spoken language and written sentences so that they can hear and see the vocabulary. This will embed conceptual understanding.
Following a period of independent thought, you can encourage further discussion through turn and talk. A short, contained pair discussion, where students actively share their thoughts on a topic or question. A specified time limit for the discussion is set and
Walkthrough Cupping the ear OR
“My turn, your turn” with hand on “me” and hand pointed to student or class.
can we use more precise language here?”
“There is something else we know about both characters that may contradict that.”
“You’re not all the way there, but let me help close that gap for you.”
Reading
Walkthrus 1- p98
Walkthrough Both hands in a move together so fingertips point to each other
“Strong voice”
“Everybody..”
“On two, one, two ” “ ... has used the following word in their answer. What was the word? What does it mean? What do I mean by …?”
Recorded Clips
Call & response within cold call
Reading
Call and response with reading (p.307 TLAC)
“Turn and talk” “x seconds. Go.”
“What are your initial thoughts about.. 30 seconds, Turn and Talk Go’ Frame (the question). Name (turn and talk/ show action/ specify face or should partners if required). Set the time limit.
Go (all pupils start together).
“Turn to your talk partner. Go.”
Recorded Clips
Turn and talkReprehensible
Reading
Walkthrus - Tom Sherrington p40,42, 92
students commence discussion when directed to do so by the teacher using the command, “Go.”
Embed a culture of all children sharing in their pair to encourage voice equity.
Strong Voice School offers a chance for all children and the only chance for some children to develop a repertoire of talk skills.
Walkthrough Hand in a rising motion “Strong voice” “All listening” “Talk to me strong voice” “Start us off please, strong voice..”
Recorded Clips
Strong voice - Uncommon Schools
Reading
TLAC 2.0 - p412
Strong voice and warm/strict