Building Learning Power and Challenge

What is Building Learning Power? Building Learning Power (BLP) is an approach to helping young people become more successful and reflective learners, both in school and out. A key strategy for promoting challenge is to encourage students to take responsibility for their learning. BLP has the potential to support learners in taking this responsibility and coping with learning challenges. This ‘bite’ highlights the: core frameworks of BLP key evidence behind BLP links between BLP and other evidence-based resources

Core frameworks of BLP BLP provides two frameworks to help teachers implement the approach: the ‘supple learning mind’- a language for talking about young people as learners The ‘teachers’ palette’- an overview of the school and classroom activities that cultivate young people as learners These frameworks are not rigid straightjackets but act as a springboard for schools to develop their own approach

The Supple Learning Mind The BLP language is split into 4 domains of learning known as the 4Rs These are: – resourcefulness – reciprocity – reflectiveness – resilience Each R is subdivided into 4 or 5 capacities

Resourcefulness Resourcefulness involves the main cognitive skills and dispositions of learning: – Questioning: getting below the surface; playing with situations (see cognitive challenge in Thinking Skills Approaches)Thinking Skills Approaches – Making links: seeking coherence, relevance and meaning (see bridging in Thinking Skills Approaches)Thinking Skills Approaches – Imagining: using the mind’s eye as a learning theatre – Reasoning: thinking rigorously and methodically (see Using the ‘Thinking Frames’ approach to improve Pupil Engagement and Attainment in Science)Using the ‘Thinking Frames’ approach to improve Pupil Engagement and Attainment in Science – Capitalising: making good use of resources (see LSIS Promoting Independent Learning through the Use of Podcasting) Promoting Independent Learning through the Use of Podcasting

Reciprocity Reciprocity involves the social and interpersonal side of learning: – interdependence: balancing self-reliance and sociability – collaboration: the skills of learning with others – listening/empathy: getting inside others’ minds – imitation: picking up others’ habits and values (see Promoting Independent Learning through Modelling Organisational Skills) Promoting Independent Learning through Modelling Organisational Skills

Reflectiveness Reflectiveness involves the strategic and self- managing aspects of learning: – planning: working learning out in advance (see Learning how to learn through AfL strategies) Learning how to learn through AfL strategies – revising: monitoring and adapting along the way – distilling: drawing out the lessons from experience – meta-learning: understanding learning, and yourself as a learner (see meta-cognition in Thinking Skills Approaches) Thinking Skills Approaches

Resilience Resilience involves the learners emotional and experiential engagement with learning: – Absorption: flow; the pleasure of being rapt in learning – Managing distraction: recognising and reducing interruptions (see Multi-agency working and pupil behaviour)Multi-agency working and pupil behaviour – Noticing: really sensing what’s out there – Perseverance: stickability; tolerating the feelings of learning (see Promoting Learner Persistence)Promoting Learner Persistence

The Teachers’ Palette To help young people develop the 4Rs, BLP proposes 4 aspects of school and classroom culture that cultivate a learning mind. These include: – commentating – orchestrating – explaining – modelling

Commentating Drawing individual students’ attention towards their own learning Responding to students’ comments and questions in ways that encourage learning-to- learn Commenting on difficulties and achievements in learning-positive ways Recording the development of students’ learning power

Orchestrating Choosing activities that develop learning habits Clarifying the learning intentions behind specific activities Helping students set and monitor their own learning power targets Making use of displays and physical arrangements to encourage independence

Explaining Making clear the overall purpose of the classroom Offering ongoing reminders and prompts about learning power Inviting students’ own ideas and opinions about learning Giving direct information and practice in learning: tips and techniques

Modelling Responding to unforeseen events, questions etc. in ways that model good learning Externalising the thinking, feeling and decisions making of a learner-in-action Having learning projects that are visible in the classroom Talking about teachers’ learning careers and histories

The evidence BLP is underpinned and influenced by a range of research and evidence, including: – Dweck’s research on a growth mindset – Gardners’ theory of multiple intelligences – Hattie’s evidence about achievement – Langer’s research on the power of language – Lave and Wanger’s work on communities of practice – Perkin’s writing about learnable intelligence

Dweck’s Growth Mindset Dweck’s extensive research over the last 30 years has shown that: – People’s beliefs about intelligence influence how they go about learning – If someone believes intelligence is fixed they are more likely to give up when they face difficulties than someone who believes intelligence is expandable Dweck likens the brain to a muscle, capable of growth through regular exercise. Read more about Dweck’s work at

Multiple Intelligences Howard Gardner’s theory sees intelligence as wide-ranging including 8 aspects: – Spatial – Linguistic – Logical-mathematical – Bodily-kinesthetic – Musical – Interpersonal – Intrapersonal – Naturalistic These multiple intelligences are ‘nurtured’ as much as ‘natured’

Effect Sizes and Achievement Hattie carried out extensive research looking at the impact of different interventions on achievement. From this he concluded: – “The biggest effects on student learning occur when teachers become learners of their own teaching, and when students become their own teachers” This can be seen to support the BLP approach of helping students become more independent, reflective learners. Read more about Hattie’s research at

What other ideas have influenced BLP? Langer’s research into the power of language: – saying something ‘could be’ rather than ‘is’ encourages learners to engage with learning Lave and Wanger’s work on communities of practice: – it is important to create a culture where young people pick up helpful attitudes and habits about knowing and learning Perkin’s writing about learnable intelligence – intelligence can be learned, and is capable of being helped to grow in timely and productive ways

What is the evidence for the impact of BLP? Although the point of BLP is not to raise conventional results there is some evidence of a positive impact in 9 secondary schools who have adopted the approach: – The percentages of students who achieved 5 or more GCSE grades A*- C increased in 6 of the schools, was maintained in 1 of the schools and decreased in 2 schools – Interestingly some of the schools experienced an initial dip in the year that BLP was introduced. – There was a strong and immediate correlation between the introduction of BLP and an increase in GCSE total point scores

How can teachers use the evidence in this study? BLP views absorption in learning (flow) as a key element of Resilience. Could you observe a group of students to see which kinds of learning activities support this absorption? You may also want to discuss with a group of students their experiences of flow both in and out of school. Could you use your observation and discussion to work with students to plan learning activities that encourage flow even when the nature of the learning is potentially challenging?

How can school leaders use the evidence in this study? BLP views modelling as a key aspect of helping students develop the 4Rs. You might want to carry out a learning walk to sample the extent to which all staff model resilience in their own learning, and explicitly talk about this with students. Would it be helpful for staff to carry out joint planning to identify opportunities for demonstrating to students how they persevere through learning challenges?

Study reference Claxton, G et al (2011) The Learning Powered School, Pioneering 21 st Century Education Bristol: TLO,