Teachers using ‘A Classroom Tale’ of AfL
Background information
This short animation draws on conversations about classroom learning with over100
pupils (aged12-15 years) across four schools in Northern Ireland. The pupils
contributed their views and experiences of when learning was helpful and unhelpful.
The pupils were also actively involved in developing the characters and meanings for
the film.
The film represents the illustrator’s and the researcher’s interpretation of the
combined statements and drawings of participating pupils about things that help and
inhibit their learning and assessment. The film’s purpose is to encourage deeper
conversations between pupils and teachers (and parents) about these factors in
order to improve young people’s learning experiences
The animation intentionally presents a caricature of traditional classroom teaching
and learning which purposely simplifies and exaggerates some aspects of classroom
interactions and relationships and their potential impact on learners, as a means of
visualising some of the stresses, fears and misapprehensions pupils experience
when learning is difficult or not understood.
The stimulus resource, and the website which supports it, is a novel attempt to
disseminate in an engaging and provocative way, aspects of previously reported
research which consulted pupils on the assessment of their learning – hence the
acronym CPAL.
The first stage of the research (supported by The Economic and Social Research
Council (ESRC) was conducted between 2006-8 and led to 10 ‘pupil-generated
principles of learning and assessment’ expressed in pupils’ own words, about
what most helped young people learn and feel ok about being assessed in schools.
The pupil principles reflect similar academic research published by the UK's
Assessment Reform Group (ARG) which developed 10 teacher-focused principles
about Assessment for Learning. These principles were fairly widely disseminated in
the form of a rainbow poster. It was felt, however, that the pupil research and
principles deserved a wider audience and so follow-on funding was granted by the
ESRC in 2011-12 to support the development of this film and website.
Aim of the resource ‘ A Classroom Tale’
The aim of the resource is to encourage more consultation with pupils about their
learning and assessment to help improve student motivation, engagement and
progression by encouraging learning conversations between pupils and teachers (and
parents) about what helps and hinders young people’s learning.
Overall Objective
The overall objective is to assist a qualitative shift in teaching learning and
assessment from transmissional and passive approaches towards co-constructive
and collaborative forms
From transmissional and passive learning and assessment
The animation purposely visualises transmissional teaching and passive learning
which has a number of features:
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teacher teaches and pupils are taught
teacher knows a great deal and students know little
teacher thinks and pupils are thought about
teacher talks and pupils listen
teacher chooses and enforces her/his choice
pupils comply, adapt and respond
some pupils become confused
some pupils’ learning becomes blocked by de-motivation and stress.
Towards collaborative co-construction
The learning conversations aim to focus discussion on co-constructive and
collaborative forms of teaching learning and assessment in which:
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there is a positive learning environment, where teacher and students are colearners
good communication between teacher and students happens
trusted interpersonal relationships and mutual respect
students have opportunities to influence content and ways of learning
teachers use strategies to elicit and value students’ interests, ideas and
experiences
learning starts with where students are at
teachers use their skills to build on students’ prior knowledge and progress at a
suitable pace to help student decode, explore, explain, expand and illuminate
their learning and their experiences
students take on more responsibility for how learning takes place
students can challenge ideas, take risks for learning and (where necessary)
confront restrictive patterns of behaviour.
students become self-reliant, can work co-operatively with others and regard
mistakes and challenges as a positive and insightful contribution to learning.
Using the short film ‘A Classroom Tale’
Teachers are encouraged to have a viewing of the short film ‘A Classroom Tale’ with
a class or group and use the young people’s responses as a basis for discussing
their perceptions and experiences with a view to improving learning in classrooms.
Basic open questions are great:
What are you reactions to the film?
How relevant is this to your experience?
What is the main message of the film?If there was one thing that could be improved
on for your classroom learning what would this be?
There are a number of resources which may be used in addition to the film. There is
the CPAL2 evaluation postcard that pupils can complete, there is the illustrated pdf
list of pupil principles, the on-line survey and a ‘teacher toolbox’.
‘Teacher toolbox’ objectives
This toolbox uses still-images from the animation as a stimulus for conversations
about learner dispositions and to provide related research insights and practical
approaches and strategies to assist teachers to:
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consult with and engage pupils in their learning
co-construct and plan relevant and motivational topics and lessons
develop a clear learning intentions and success criteria
encourage and develop effective questioning techniques
develop students’ capacity for peer and self-assessment
generate effective feedback
develop confident, self-reliant and resilient life-long learners
Please let us know how you get on if you engage in conversations with pupils abut their learning and
assessment using any of these.
Email any feedback: stephaniemitchell3@gmail.com