TASC
Using TASC to develop literacy
skills
A.Long 2008
What is TASC?
• Developed by Belle Wallace
• An approach which can support the
development of thinking skills‘thinking about thinking’
• ‘Thinking Actively in a Social
Context’
Why use TASC?
• We need to model thinking and
problem solving strategies- to share
our thinking strategies whilst allowing
children to experiment with their own
• It is an approach to learning which
allows children to develop a rehearsed
& internalised structure to use within
subjects & across the curriculum
• Plan-Do-Review (New orders)
How does TASC work?
• Allows learners to build the essential
skills ‘ identifying problems, deriving a
range of possible strategies to resolve
them, solving them as well as possible,
then reviewing the whole thinking
process to refine and crystallise the
procedures ready for next time.’
( Belle Wallace 2002)
The TASC Wheel
devised by Belle Wallace
Using TASC to develop an
awareness of the grapheme ‘s’
• How do you teach sounds/letters now?
Gather / Organise
What do I know about this?
• In pairs, look at our new letter of
the day which is on the card. What
can you tell each other about it?
• Share your ideas with the rest of
the class.
Identify
What is the task?
• This is a letter ‘s’. This is how we
write it. These are the things we
already know about it.
• What things can we do to help us
remember this letter?
Generate
How many ideas can I think of?
• Think-Pair-Share things we already
do to help us to learn new letters and
see if you can think of some new
ideas we can try.
Decide
Which is the best idea?
• Think of those ideas we have talked
about. What do you want to do?
Choose a way to try it - one of those
you have seen or a way of your own.
Try more than one way if you have
time.
Implement
Let’s do it!
• Is there any equipment you need or
any questions you need to ask?
• GO AND DO IT!
Evaluate
How well did I do?
• Who can draw an ‘s’ for me? What must
we remember? Draw your ‘s’ and tell me
if it is better than the ones you used to
do.
Communicate
Let’s tell someone!
• Who can tell me things about an ‘s’?
• Tell your partner what you have to
remember when forming an ‘s’.
Learn from Experience
What have I learned?
• Which activities would you like to try
again when you learn the next new
letter?