SueYoungson EPBST & Tracey Millar Marshlands Primary School Philosophy for Children Developing Language for Learning through P4C 4th February 2009 Sue Youngson & Tracey Millar

SueYoungson EPBST & Tracey Millar Marshlands Primary School Overview of the workshop Quick overview of what P4C is. Context of Marshlands School Why P4C How we implemented P4C What benefits are to Marshlands What it is not A workshop on how to implement P4C in your school

SueYoungson EPBST & Tracey Millar Marshlands Primary School The Origins of Philosophy for Children Developed by Professor Matthew Lipman & Ann Sharp Why?

SueYoungson EPBST & Tracey Millar Marshlands Primary School Theory Socrates – I know nothing except the fact of my ignorance Vygotsky – What the child can do in co-operation today, he can do alone tomorrow Dewey – An education that emphasises community, communication and intelligent enquiry, and a reconstructive attitude can best serve the citizens of an ever-changing world

SueYoungson EPBST & Tracey Millar Marshlands Primary School Aims of Philosophy for Children: Developing cognitive ability and emotional intelligence Helping children become more reasonable thinkers and problem solvers Promoting such dispositions and qualities as curiosity, creativity and wisdom

SueYoungson EPBST & Tracey Millar Marshlands Primary School The Development of Thinking Skills Higher order thinking skills Middle order thinking skills Lower order thinking skills

SueYoungson EPBST & Tracey Millar Marshlands Primary School The structure of an Enquiry Preparation Presentation Thinking time Conversation Formulation Airing Selection First words Building Last words

SueYoungson EPBST & Tracey Millar Marshlands Primary School The teachers/facilitators role is to: - Choose a suitable stimulus - Establish group conventions - Extend pupils thinking Steer the discussion by asking Socratic' questions – see sheet/next slide or Purely as a facilitator

SueYoungson EPBST & Tracey Millar Marshlands Primary School Success Criteria and Evaluation Ask good questions to provide a focus for the enquiry? Give reasons or evidence to support arguments and judgements? Clarify concepts through making connections, distinctions and comparisons? Generate ideas and alternative viewpoints through imaginative thinking? Test for truth by gathering information, evaluating evidence, examples and counter examples? Expand ideas by sustaining and extending lines of thought and argument? Summarise by abstracting key points of general rules from a number of idea or instances? Evaluate their own discussion/contribution/thinking

SueYoungson EPBST & Tracey Millar Marshlands Primary School Background to Marshlands Primary school -In an area of deprivation – in the most 10% deprived areas in the Country – was classed as a hard to shift school until Improving school – (OFSTED 2008) -Majority of children achieve or exceed targets compared to FFT type D data. -Considered a successful and effective school (LEA 2008).

SueYoungson EPBST & Tracey Millar Marshlands Primary School

Why do P4C at Marshlands Primary School? -Speaking & listening had been identified by the school as an area for development initially as part of the ISP. -The headteacher had heard about the benefits of P4C for speaking & listening - Children have low levels of attainment in speaking and listening on entry and while interventions such as Teaching Children Talking were effective it was felt that a whole school wave 1 initiative might be valuable.

SueYoungson EPBST & Tracey Millar Marshlands Primary School

So how was language developed in year 5 in Marshlands Primary School? All children developed confidence in speaking Most notably vulnerable girls & SEN boys Able to extend gifted & talented Able to use in other context – in & out of class Impact on behaviour through a common language Developed causal language – i.e. because Developed ability ask appropriate questions across subjects More analytical about talk

SueYoungson EPBST & Tracey Millar Marshlands Primary School Why we felt language in year 5 developed? P4C allows:- Reflection Time – time to compose thoughts before speaking, think, pair, share. Week by week consolidation & extension of vocabulary allowing over- learning of vocabulary for SEN & extension for G&T Peer modelling & support Teaches skills for effective communication. Ensures all children speak developing confidence in the quieter or more vulnerable children. Ensures children develop listening skills particularly in more dominant children Teaches the correct terminology for debate Gave children chance to develop thinking skills Such as, questioning, self-reflection, higher order skills such as synthesis (developing arguments), and evaluation

SueYoungson EPBST & Tracey Millar Marshlands Primary School Other benefits Encouraged children to listen and value other peoples opinion Enabled children to develop more independence in their thinking Developed democracy and decision making skills Gave the children the language to challenge other children's in a constructive manner Children were seen to transfer speaking, listening and thinking, skills to other lessons and situation

SueYoungson EPBST & Tracey Millar Marshlands Primary School What next? Rolled out to the junior classes and year 2 after further consultation with the teachers. Then looked at adapting it initially for year 1 and then for foundation

SueYoungson EPBST & Tracey Millar Marshlands Primary School Adaptations Year 1 Whole class for stimulus sharing Chn split up into groups Each group worked on a P4C skill for 15 mins then moved around to different skill. Foundation Children split up into groups of approx 6 and they did 5 minutes on each skill.

SueYoungson EPBST & Tracey Millar Marshlands Primary School

Ofsted and P4C Ofsted view P4C favourably – see hand out

SueYoungson EPBST & Tracey Millar Marshlands Primary School Questions