Unit 1: Good learning and what
makes for a good learning
objective
Presenter’s Name
XX.XX.XX
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By the end of the session you will…
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see how effective planning leads to effective teaching
understand the centrality of learning to the teaching
process
understand something about the neurological process of
learning
know how to set a detailed and appropriate learning
objective
know how you can use key vocabulary to support the
learning
have identified some non-negotiables of lesson planning.
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What Ofsted expects
‘The most important role of teaching is to promote learning
and to raise pupils’ achievement. […] Teaching should be
understood to include teachers’ planning and implementing
of learning activities, including the setting of appropriate
homework … as well as marking, assessment and feedback. It
encompasses activities within and outside the classroom,
such as additional support and intervention.’
School Inspection Handbook (2013)
Discuss:
What planning are we expected to present regularly?
What planning would inspectors want to see?
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Lesson planning – the DfE view
‘Lesson planning is one of the issues most frequently cited
by teachers as creating workload. Teachers often produce
lengthy individual lesson plans, especially when schools are
preparing for Ofsted inspections, as there is a common
misconception that Ofsted inspectors require detailed
written plans for every lesson. This can lead some teachers
to spend a minimum of two hours a week just filling in
lesson plan templates; time that could be better spent
planning meaningful, motivating teaching.’
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The DfE view…
‘The government wants to bust this myth by making it clear
that neither the Department for Education nor Ofsted require
written lesson plans for every lesson. Instead, inspectors may
want to see where the lesson they observe fits in the
sequence of teaching.’
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At the heart of the educational
process lies the child…
Discussion:
How do you ensure that the child is at the
centre of your lesson planning and teaching?
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Where learning happens
Cortex (the thinking
brain) – holds memory,
experience and
learning
Midbrain (primitive
brain) – processes
stimuli, reacts to
threats.
Brain stem (reptilian
brain) – controls
autonomic function
Cerebellum – controls
coordination.
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Left and right brain
Speech
production
Language
understanding
Meaning
Left hemisphere:
analysis,
detail
Frontal lobes:
emotion
Right
hemisphere:
creativity,
music,
art
big picture
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Putting learning at the centre
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Understanding the Loop
Lesson Plan
Feedback
The Lesson
Learning
Output
Assessment
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If the learning is not clear…
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the focus becomes the activity
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you can then only assess that the doing is done
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you cannot clearly assess the quality of the learning
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the risk then is that the teaching centres on how to
complete the task and not on the learning that lies
behind it.
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You cannot teach understanding
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You can teach knowledge.
You can teach skills.
Understanding happens when the pupil demonstrates
learned skills or applied knowledge through the task.
That is why the learning and not the task must be at the
heart of the lesson.
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Understanding understanding
This is the hippocampus
The job of the hippocampus is
to replay experiences until
they are embedded as
learning.
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A clear, specific learning objective,
rooted in the learning
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Focus on the learning and not the activity.
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Strip back the activity until we get to the
learning.
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If we’re clear about the learning then we are
clear about the assessment.
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Make notes on and use evidence from
across a text to explain events or ideas
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Is this a learning objective or a ‘doing objective’?
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What does it actually mean?
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Would the pupils know what they will be learning?
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What is the learning that will take place in the lesson?
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What is the expected outcome and how will it be
measured?
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I can explain events from evidence in
the text
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Is this a learning objective or a ‘doing objective’?
What does it actually mean?
Would the pupils know what they will be learning?
What is the learning that will take place in the
lesson?
How will success be measured?
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How will notes help me explain the
events in a text?
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Is this a learning objective or a ‘doing objective’?
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Would the pupils know what they will be learning?
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What is the learning that will take place in the
lesson?
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How has the focus shifted?
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Questions are good but don’t
overplay a good idea!
 We
were wondering…
 We are learning to… Careful with this one!
 The question of the day is…
 Today’s mission…
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Sharing the learning objective
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When do you share the learning?
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Do all pupils have to write it down?
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Always?
Why?
How do you refer to it?
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The WALT?
The WILF?
The ‘Can I?’
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Activity: getting to the learning
Choose one of these activity-based objectives and decide
how it can be presented so that the learning objective is
more precise, accurate and focused on the learning rather
than the activity:
Year 4 – We are learning to write an autumn poem.
Year 8 – Use and interpret maps and scale drawings in the
context of mathematics.
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Key vocabulary – teach it and
display it
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Every lesson has its discrete vocabulary.
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It’s not a secret … so share it early.
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Just the key words – those that could be new to some of
the pupils.
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Keep them on display – it helps the spelling and the
memory.
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Use them in the summary.
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Activity
Plan the key vocabulary to support the lesson(s) for which
you have just written the learning objective.
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Activity: The non-negotiables of
lesson planning
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If lesson planning is to be consistent across the school
then, irrespective of style, there should be elements that
are non-negotiable.
In pairs/threes discuss what these might be.
Share them with the group.
The next slide shows the seven suggested non-negotiables
that are covered over the course of this training.
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The Magnificent Seven
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
Clear, specific learning objective, rooted in the
learning.
Key vocabulary – teach it, display it.
Differentiated learning outcomes.
Differentiated activities.
Key questions – deepen and challenge thinking.
Shared success criteria.
A detailed lesson summary.
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In the next session
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What do we mean by differentiation?
How do we match the work to the needs of the pupils?
Why should we differentiate twice for effective
teaching?
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