“Slugs and Snails and…”
What are “little boys” made of?
Matarazzo and Wallace Active Research 2013-14
Rationale
• Development/extension of active research 2012-13
• Gap of nearly 20% between boys and girls in the
current year 11 cohort
• Identification of ‘boys’ as a specific group of learners
(SWCHS Strategic Plan 2013-14)
“Analyse and develop strategies to raise boys’
achievement across the ability range.”
• TLE cycle 2013-14
Matarazzo and Wallace Active Research 2013-14
Research Questions
• What does the latest educational research indicate in terms of boys’
motivation? Which teaching strategies are suggested currently to engage
boys?
• How do the teaching strategies differ between a single sex school and a
mixed gender school? What can we learn from this?
• How do teachers at SWCHS provide for boys as a group within their
classes?
• What motivates boys outside the classroom? How might we use this
information to further develop boys’ intrinsic motivation inside the
classroom?
• How we can disseminate the findings from this research project to
colleagues at SWCHS to ensure that there is an impact upon the learning
scores of the focus group and beyond?
Focus Group
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Charlie Cowley
Ryan Favell
Khai Jones
Ben Mear
Harry Paine
Lewis Sell
Tom Wagstaff
Thomas Walker
Selection Criteria:
• High number of learning scores
of 3+ (Autumn Term reports)
• Above Average + Jesson Band
Matarazzo and Wallace Active Research 2013-14
Methodology
• Analysis of current educational research on Boys’
motivation and underachievement (Whitehead 2006,
Yeung 2011)
• Identification of focus group (Year 11/Learning Score)
• MALs questionnaire
• Pupil forum
• TLWs
• Lesson drop-ins (English, Maths and Science)
• Lesson Observations (Geography, Maths and Science)
• Visit to Bishop Stortford Boys’ School (English and
Matarazzo and Wallace Active Research 2013-14
Maths)
Key Findings
Where the boys were intrinsically motivated there was evidence of:
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Story telling
Real-life context
Problem solving/the red herring
Inclusive language; “we”, “our”
Humour
Collaborative learning (talk)
Alternative seating arrangements (horseshoe, pods, Socratic discussion)
Competitive spirit teacher-student/student-student
Hook for learning
Visual stimuli (image, photography, film, multi-sensory “experiences”)
Respect for the wealth of teacher subject knowledge
Teachers picking their battles
Matarazzo and Wallace Active Research 2013-14
Choice
Key Findings
Where the boys were demotivated there was evidence of:
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Extended periods of teacher talk
Teachers “over” controlling activities
Traditional seating arrangements
Working in isolation
Rigid teaching and learning environment
Lack of the “hook” for learning
No context (“we are learning just because…”)
Lack of student responsibility for their own learning
Distant teacher/student relationships
Missed opportunities to “impress”
No choice
Matarazzo and Wallace Active Research 2013-14
Proposal
• Distil findings (link to TLE wheel)
• DAW/SCM present to ACs (practical activity)
• Set ACs “task” (intrinsic motivation/teaching
strategies)
• ACs feedback work so far
• Sample to SLT
• Academic year 2014-15 focus: Intrinsic Motivation of
Boys (trial single sex teaching)
Matarazzo and Wallace Active Research 2013-14
ACs Task
In an Area meeting please reflect on “Slugs and Snails” key
findings:
1. Which “top tips” are most applicable to your area/subject
and why?
2. How might you further develop teaching strategies in your
subject context for boys in light of the above?
3. How could these ideas be best embedded in SOW for
September 2014 (could you identify specific SOW to
review?)
4. Sharing outcomes
Matarazzo and Wallace Active Research 2013-14
“Slugs and Snails and…”
That’s what “little boys” are
made of
Matarazzo and Wallace Active Research 2013-14