Case studies

Jim Philipson and John Krempic of Primrose High School.
The focus of this case study was the design of Accelerated Learning in a 60-minute Year Seven Maths lesson.

The lesson begins before the class is in the classroom, with a deliberate attempt to establish positive relationships as pupils line up outside. Each pupil is recognised, affirmed and welcomed. Music is often played on entry. The Big Picture is broken into the Year's work, the term's work, the current unit of work and the focus - via the learning objectives - of the lesson. Pupils are constantly reminded of the place of this learning experience in relation to what has gone and what is to come. This is the Big Picture and outcomes phase.

Artefacts - coloured plastic shapes, educational 'toys' - are used to pose questions. 'What sort of shape is this? Where might you see it? Why does it differ from this shape? The teacher on the basis of the responses then constructs a memory map of what we already know. This helps a collective recording of what we already know.

What was described as 'an interactive modelling phase' using VAK stimuli then takes place. This builds confidence, increases opportunities to use the language of the topic and develops good listening and good looking. Paired work involving air drawing of the shapes and guessing of the shape name occurs. This is the input phase completed.

The activation and demonstration phases occur using a chart for individuals to identify similarities and differences between a range of shapes. Using the charted information a plenary now takes place where the learning outcomes are revisited. The question 'what have we learned?' is posed through quick fire question and answers. The memory map is then used to add information and to prepare for the start of the next lesson