Avoid treating students like experts but give them opportunities to act like one
Emily Atherton
Lead on High Level Learners
Teacher of Languages
As an NQT, I felt I was ‘gifted’ with the most able, well-read and inquisitive Y10 Spanish class. I was delighted that I could provide them with incredibly challenging work and they would simply lap it up and all achieve the top grades. Oh how I was so mistaken!
During a BCA CPD session in around December of my NQT year, one piece of advice resonated so loudly with me, it was a sort of awakening - ‘Even our top set students are not experts, so we must not treat them like experts’. I have genuinely thought about this on a weekly basis ever since. I was treating my Y10s as experts and later wondering why they didn’t have a sound grasp of basic Spanish grammar. How can they be experts if I have provided scaffolded opportunities to act like one? I assumed too much. As soon as I took some time to reflect and change my approach, my whole class transformed and it was as if the fog finally started to lift. When considering my vision for High Level Learners this year and what CPD I could deliver to staff, that quote was and is at the forefront of my mind. We have such a talented, dedicated and determined group of HLL students at BCA however they are not experts and naturally as staff we wouldn’t ever wish for them to know and understand as much as we do. Where would be the enjoyment in that?
Undoubtedly, CPD on Rosenshine’s Principles of Instruction, which underpin day to day lessons at BCA and beyond, has enabled staff to become so well-equipped with the tools to avoid treating HLLs as experts. As I observe lessons, the work being done to support all students such as modelling, introducing content in small steps, knowledge retrieval activities and walking-talking mocks is overwhelmingly evident and successful and students are reaping the benefits of this every single day.
When I began to gather ideas for my first HLL CPD session, it was important that the information was applicable for all students as ‘a rising tide lifts all boats’. I came across Bandura’s theory of Self-efficacy after reading one of Gianfranco Conti’s blogs on Self-efficacy in MFL. It then became apparent to me that despite supporting our young people in the classroom with the help of Rosenshine and others, our knowledge of students’ perception of success is significantly underdeveloped in comparison to our knowledge of specific pedagogies. The application of strategies to increase students’ Self-efficacy can really help our students to feel more successful in the classroom and help them to perceive success as likely. It is evident that our students aren’t experts when it comes to emotions and envisaging their success, perhaps we could pose the question, is anyone?
Bandura’s theory puts forward the idea that if the 4 strands of self-efficacy are fostered and developed (see left), behaviour becomes more positive and performance is increased. If performance is increased, then our HLL students are more likely to feel like ‘experts’.
On reflection, it is evident my self-efficacy CPD session has helped staff to adapt their already fantastic practice. Many staff have reported excellent results when using a ‘coping model’. A coping model involves a student modelling a step-by-step process to the rest of the class using a visualiser. The desired impact is that other students in the class view a ‘coping model’ as similar to them, usually in terms of age, gender and background, and consequently realises that they too can perform in such a way. The concept of ‘coping models’ is closely linked to metacognition and hearing students verbalise their thought processes in front of the rest of the class has proven particularly useful when providing students with instant feedback and has had a significant impact on some HLL boys across the academy already. I have witnessed a handful of HLL boys take to the stage and really command the attention of their peers. Undeniably these students will never be experts, but where is the harm in treating them like one? Their confidence will grow and so too will their performance.
Another idea I put forward to staff was the concept of ‘pre reading’. If students are able to preview content and knowledge, then they are much more likely to feel familiar and successful throughout subsequent lessons. This also allows teachers to avoid assuming that students are going to know or remember what we have planned to look at in the next lesson. Ultimately students are not experts however if they are provided with the pre reading materials then they can certainly feel like an expert and gradually convince themselves that they are able to achieve and succeed whether that is for one lesson or a sequence of lessons.
My final takeaway from Bandura’s theory and all of the literature which has followed, is the concept of ‘choice’ and how powerful this can be with certain classes. My current Y10 French class is certainly very typically ‘mixed ability’ however I provide them with a few choices each lesson. One is to complete further homework, the second is to record the more ‘complex’ structures in order to learn them during their own time and the final option is anytime they would like, they can show me any extra revision or work that they have done at home and I will always take time to review it and provide feedback. A couple of HLL students have taken to the Google Classroom stage and are really appreciating this element of choice. One student takes it upon herself to write mini revision guides to upload to our class Stream page on GC and the other has independently accessed a past French speaking paper and has integrated practice of exam style questions into his revision. If I didn’t continuously offer these choices, I highly doubt these students would’ve independently completed these tasks and would’ve had the opportunity to feel more like experts.
Naturally not all students will appreciate the opportunity of being a coping model neither will they all complete the pre reading and extra activities however those students, whether they are a HLL or not, will certainly benefit from increased opportunities to act like an expert.