Phonics, speaking and listening, learning and challenge!

Our starting point Synthetic phonics

Analytic versus synthetic phonics The principle of synthetic phonics is teaching reading through breaking words down into their actual smallest sounds – or their phonemes. E.g. f – as in fluff graph

So listening and speaking to lead in to reading and writing. That is: hear it, say it, read it, write it. Speaking and listening as an integral part of the process of learning.

So what’s this to do with us?

Some questions Are we using active listening enough? Are we seeing speaking and listening as integral to the development of reading, writing and therefore learning? Are we providing enough opportunities for our students to practise what they’ve learnt?

Are we accepting (even welcoming) passivity at the expense of challenge?

The phrase, ‘death by PowerPoint’, exists for a reason!

That’s all very well but…

Why Partner work? We learn 10% of what we read 20% of what we see 30% of what we hear 50% of what we see and hear 70% of what we discuss with another person 85% of what we experience personally 95% of what we teach (William Glasser)

We learn 70% of what we discuss with another person If we want all students to take a full part in all lessons there should be nowhere for any student to ‘hide’ in any lesson. Working in pairs facilitates this. If a question is worth asking, it’s worth every student answering. Responsibility for talking should not be an optional extra; we should expect students to purposefully talk in the same way as we expect them to write and read.

We learn 95% of what we teach In order to teach something, we must analyse and organise our ideas so that somebody else can understand them. Working in pairs, students are taught to teach and support each other. Students must know they will all be expected to: Answer questions Practise activities with their partner Take turns in teaching each other

Choosing partnerships Teachers decide on partnerships. Choose with care and rotate every few weeks. Pair a ‘lively’ student with an assertive, well-behaved student. Pair two dominating students. (They can take turns to listen.) Pair two shy students. (Someone has to talk!) Mix levels of maturity, and first and second language learners as much as possible. Try to avoid odd numbers, but if this is unavoidable, make up a three.

Ground rules Students should understand they don’t have to be best friends with their partners to work civilly together. They should know they will have the opportunity to partner lots of different students. Discuss how they will feel if they have to work with someone they don’t like (don’t mention names!) Show appropriate partner behaviour through role play.

Introductory partner games Five facts about my partner Silent drawing The House To and Fro

Gathering responses from partner discussions Look - No Hands (Up) Shy students can be gently encouraged to speak out. ‘Hands up’ will have a detrimental effect on partner work, as some students will stop putting any effort into discussion if they think the usual volunteers will report back. Avoid asking students to report back to their partner’s answers, especially if personal, individual responses were required. If a student is busy remembering her own idea, she may not remember her partner’s. When partner work is well developed, partners start their responses with either ‘We think that…’ or ‘I think…but my partner thinks…’

Number 1s or 2s Say: ‘I’m going to pick a few Number 1s (or 2s) to report back.’ Only choose a few, as students easily get bored if they are just listening. You could alert the partners who are going to feed back, or not give any warning at all. If you alert students too early those not chosen may stop making an effort. Build on one Warn one student from one partnership that she will report back. Tell the students that you will ask the rest to build on her answer. Tell another partner

All together Ask students to answer after you have counted to three (useful for potentially one word answers) Round the clock If the students have been asked a question such as ‘Can you tell me all the colours in the world?’ and the partners have had time to talk Signals Ask students to put their forefingers on their heads if they think one thing, and on their knees if they think the other. Yes or no Repeat one student’s response, and ask the other to put their thumbs up if they agree and their thumbs down if they disagree. Ask them for their reasons.

Teacher feedback Listen in carefully to a few discussions, and report the partners’ ideas back to them. This is useful if you want to: Gather the most helpful answers Gather answers from students who are finding it difficult to articulate them clearly (this will give a voice to less able students who have not be listened to before) Gather answers from shy students, who will begin to acquire a voice through you.

Simple techniques - which allow all students to listen and speak purposefully, giving them a strong basis on which to develop reading and writing skills.