Triple Science Network Exam technique How can we Raise Attainment through Improving pupils’ Exam Technique in Extended Writing Questions?

Resource Development Workshop Presenters: Sue Atkinson – York LA Mandy Hodgskinson – East Riding LA

Outline of the session TimeActivity 8.30Arrival and introductions/ tea/coffee 9.00Setting the scene. What are the current demands of pupils in triple science? An opportunity to reflect on the knowledge, understanding and skills required for success in Triple Science. Consider the current situation with regard to Triple Science, highlighting key areas for which there are resource implications 9.15 Effective preparation for examinations The session will provide an opportunity to experience and examine some strategies from Enfield LA for developing extended writing in GCSE Science Developing and sharing resources This session will enable teachers to explore these resources and plan and develop additional resources for Triple Science Plenary Next steps, deadlines, quality assurance procedures, etc.

Big issue? What are the issues for students achieving success in Triple science/ Science / Additional Science GCSEs ?

The extended writing questions

Literacy issues  Command words  Understanding the question  Terminology/ science vocabulary  Planning answers/ relevant to Q  What are the marks allocated for?- what is the examiner looking for?

Outcomes The network aims to develop a bank of resources that will enable: teachers to use a consistent and effective pedagogical approach to developing pupils’ literacy skills for writing extended answers students to develop awareness of exam technique, organise information clearly and succinctly, analyse question structure and deconstruct model answers and evaluate their answers and the answers of others

Extended explanations in Science Some exemplar materials from Enfield LA

A teaching & learning cycle…. Setting the context:  Finding out what students know  Engaging students and finding a purpose for writing Deconstruction and modelling: Examining the structure of model texts Looking at language choices  Modelling text production Joint construction:  Working with students to jointly produce a text  Drawing on shared understandings about the topic and the text Independent construction:  Supporting students to produce their own texts  Providing feedback based on shared understandings

Developing the Strategies - in 3 lessons Lesson 1: Highlighting the importance and understanding of command words. Focusing on exam questions – explanation and annotation. Interpreting mark schemes – Finding out what the examiner wants. Lesson 2: Deconstructing model answers. Improving reading strategies. Jointly constructing 6 mark answers. Speaking as an expert. Lesson 3: Defining the conventions for 6 mark questions. Independent construction – answering 6 mark questions.

How could the following help pupils make progress in scientific literacy? TASK 1- Command words: Match up the correct command words with their meanings

Setting the context: Q1 Kidney (6 mark question) In this question you will be assessed on using good English, organising information clearly and using specialist terms where appropriate. A person with kidney disease could be treated either by using a dialysis machine or by a kidney transplant operation. Compare the advantages and disadvantages of these two methods of treatment. Use your knowledge and understanding of the two methods in your answer. Taken from AQA Science 2011 sample material

Deconstructing the text: Inside the examiners mind….Think out loud and annotate In this question you will be assessed on using good English, organising information clearly and using specialist terms where appropriate. Answer must flow and make sense. Spelling and punctuation What words do I need? A person with kidney disease could be treated either by using a dialysis machine or by a kidney transplant operation. What’s good/bad… …about dialysis and transplantation. Compare the advantages and disadvantages of these two methods of treatment. What do you know about how dialysis and transplants work? Use your knowledge and understanding of the two methods in your answer.

What might the mark scheme be looking for? (Inside the examiner’s mind…) Answer structure 1 mark:describe dialysis 1 mark:describe transplantation 2 marks:What’s good about dialysis (two facts)? What’s bad about dialysis (two facts)? 2 marks:What’s good about transplantation (two facts)? What’s bad about transplantation (two facts)? Key terms for answer – filtration, diffusion, disease, infection, immuno-suppression, rejection.

Q1 Kidney (Mark Scheme) Marks awarded for this answer will be determined by the Quality of Written Communication (QWC) as well as the standard of the scientific response. 0 marks Level 1 (1-2 marks) Level 2 (3-4 marks) Level 3 (5-6 marks) No relevant content. There is a brief description of the two methods of treatment. There is at least one disadvantage or advantage from the examples given. There is a scientific comparison of the two methods of treatment, including at least one advantage and one disadvantage but there is a lack of clarity and detail. There is a clear and detailed scientific comparison between the two methods of treatment, including at least two advantages and two disadvantages. Taken from AQA Science 2011 sample material

Q1 Kidney (Mark Scheme) Examples of biology points made in the response Advantages of transplant over dialysis: no build-up of toxins/keeps blood concentration constant prevent high blood pressure don’t need restricted diet/restricted fluid intake or time wasted on dialysis infection may result from dialysis with dialysis, blood may not clot properly due to anti- clotting drugs cost issues (i.e. transplant cheaper) Disadvantages of transplant over dialysis: rejection/problem finding tissue match use of immuno-suppressant drugs leading to other infections dangers during operation Taken from AQA Science 2011 sample material

Why does this get 6 marks? Dialysis filters blood to restore its concentration levels via diffusion. Transplantation replaces a diseased kidney with a healthy one. Dialysis is available to all and is drug free. However, it is expensive and time consuming and can lead to secondary infections. Transplantation allows the patient to lead a normal life free from dietary restrictions. It is cheaper than dialysis and does not cause secondary issues. Unfortunately, patients have to take immuno-suppressant drugs to stop organ rejection. All operations, including transplants, carry a risk of complication. Looking at subject knowledge…

Why does this get 6 marks? Looking at subject knowledge… Dialysis filters blood to restore its concentration levels via diffusion. Transplantation replaces a diseased kidney with a healthy one. Dialysis is available to all and is drug free. However, it is expensive and time consuming and can lead to secondary infections. Transplantation allows the patient to lead a normal life free from dietary restrictions. It is cheaper than dialysis and does not cause secondary issues. Unfortunately, patients have to take immuno-suppressant drugs to stop organ rejection. All operations, including transplants, carry a risk of complication. Dialysis method Transplantation method Transplantation 2 advantages Dialysis 2 advantages Dialysis 3 disadvantages Transplantation 2 more advantages Transplantation 2 disadvantages

Why does this get 6 marks? Looking at Literacy/QWC….. Dialysis filters blood to restore its concentration levels via diffusion. Transplantation replaces a diseased kidney with a healthy one. Dialysis is available to all and is drug free. However, it is expensive and time consuming and can lead to secondary infections. Transplantation allows the patient to lead a normal life free from dietary restrictions. It is cheaper than dialysis and does not cause secondary issues. Unfortunately, patients have to take immuno- suppressant drugs to stop organ rejection. All operations, including transplants, carry a risk of complication. It is a well structured explanation text starting with topic sentences giving definitions. It is lexically dense including good use of nominalisation : transplantation infections rejection complication It is coherent and cohesive (i.e. the text ‘hangs together well’); accurate use is made of the pronoun ‘it’ to refer back to the subject. Advantages and disadvantages are well expressed; there is effective use of a contrasting connective (however).

Reading around the topic – Catalyst

Q2 – Joint Construction Pupils worked in groups to construct an answer to a 6 mark question. Groups of pupils presented their answers using a visualiser.

Q3 Kidney (6 mark question) Explain how dialysis treatment preserves the concentration of dissolved substances in the blood and removes urea. TASK:- Read through the two responses to Q3. Consult the mark scheme. Provide a mark and give some feedback. In this question you will be assessed on using good English, organising information clearly and using specialist terms where appropriate.

Q3 Kidney (Mark Scheme) Marks awarded for this answer will be determined by the Quality of Written Communication (QWC) as well as the standard of the scientific response. 0 marks Level 1 (1-2 marks) Level 2 (3-4 marks) Level 3 (5-6 marks) No relevant content. There is a brief explanation of how a dialysis machine works. There is a scientific explanation of how blood substances and concentration levels facilitate dialysis. There is a clear and detailed explanation of how the mechanism of diffusion is integral to the dialysis process.

Q3 Kidney (Mark Scheme) Examples of biology points made in the response In a dialysis machine:  recipient’s blood flows through a filter tubing  made of semi-permeable membrane  dialysis fluid is the same concentration as dissolved blood substances  e.g. blood, glucose and mineral ions  this ensure they do not diffuse through the membrane  urea passes through to the dialysis fluid because of differences in concentration, i.e. blood concentration high. Dialysis fluid concentration low  treatment must be carried out regularly

How many marks would you give this answer? Justify your mark. Dialysis is used to help people whose kidneys are failing or have failed by filtering the blood. There is a very long waiting list for a kidney transplant operation which can cure a person of kidney disease and allow them to live a normal life where they are able to eat and drink anything they want to, anytime they like. They still need to be careful as over- eating and drinking can lead to obesity which is very bad for your health and which could lead to kidney disease. Dialysis is very time-consuming and a patient has to spend a lot of time in hospital on a dialysis machine.

What about this one? Justify your mark: A dialysis patient’s blood must be regularly passed through a dialysis machine. The blood comes into close contact with dialysis fluid as it flows through semi-permeable tubing. Dialysis fluid consists of dissolved glucose and mineral ions which are at the same level of concentration as the patient’s blood. As the two liquids come into close contact there is no diffusion of these dissolved substance because their concentration levels are equal. However, the patient’s blood contains high concentrations of urea, not present in the dialysis fluid. The urea diffuses through the membrane out of the blood and into the dialysis fluid where it is in low concentration.

Preparing for independent construction Thinking and talking as an expert – role play? to develop language, informal to formal

Preparing for independent construction – Defining the conventions for 6 marks In groups list the features of an extended prose science answer. Be prepared to contribute to a list of success criteria. Once these have been agreed pupils can attempt to independently write their answer to the next question…..

Q5 Kidney (6 mark question) In this question you will be assessed on using good English, organising information clearly and using specialist terms where appropriate. You try! A patient suffering from kidney disease may have to undergo dialysis. Describe how dialysis works and explain the advantages and disadvantages of the process.

Q5 Kidney (Mark Scheme) Marks awarded for this answer will be determined by the Quality of Written Communication (QWC) as well as the standard of the scientific response. 0 marks Level 1 (1-2 marks) Level 2 (3-4 marks) Level 3 (5-6 marks) No relevant content. There is a brief description of dialysis. There is at least one advantage or disadvantage given. There is a scientific description of dialysis. At least one advantage and disadvantage is given but there is a lack of clarity. There is a clear and detailed scientific description of dialysis. At least two advantages and disadvantages are given.

Q5 Kidney (Mark Scheme) Examples of biology points made in the response Dialysis process: Dialysis restores dissolved blood substance concentrations to normal levels Blood flows between partially permeable membranes Dialysis fluid is the same concentration as useful dissolved blood substances Glucose and mineral ions are retained while urea diffuses in to the dialysis fluid Dialysis advantages: Available to all No immuno suppressant drugs needed No surgery required No chance of rejection occurring Dialysis disadvantages: Expensive Time Consuming Restricted diet required Regular treatments needed

Measuring impact  Give students a Question to do at start  Do Question again after process….spot the difference?  Pupil voice…self evaluation of impact -plenary

Next steps… Continue to use the teaching and learning cycle for writing, to support learning objectives that include extended prose when teaching scientific concept or processes. Establish a culture of question annotation and planning answers with the class. Empower pupils to feel confident in using success criteria for GCSE extended prose and structured answer questions. Show pupils how to signal to examiners where key points in an answer are……………in other words this is not just a “one off” experience

A sequence for writing Watch me Join me Let me help you You try

A strategy for supporting writing in science Slide 3.9 1Establish clear aims 2Provide example(s) 3Explore the features of the text 4Define the conventions 5Demonstrate how it is written 6 Compose together 7 Scaffold the first attempts 8 Develop independent writing 9 Draw out the key learning 10 Review

Outcomes of the project:  Produce Ppt slides to supplement the Enfield model for Additional, Biology, Chemistry or Physics courses for your exam board.  Produce question booklets with exemplars of ‘highlighting and annotating’ at start.  Produce good/ bad sample answers  Add mark schemes.  Produce teacher guidance on how to use the resources By the next session you are aiming to produce the following resources:

1.Identify intended learning outcomes 2.Identify a topic or theme 3.Identify a target audience (G&T, Low attaining pupils, EAL, etc) 4.Teacher instructions on how to use the resource are included 5.Instructions for pupil are clear and concise 6.Resources are editable (created in generic software) 7.Resources developed are “new” and not copies of already existing materials 8.Resources are not tailored to specific textbooks, schemes of learning, etc Resource production checklist

What next?  Try out the resources provided  Produce additional resources (individually or in pairs)  Upload them onto the website  Trial your own resources  Measuring impact- Has it made a difference? How will you know?  Bring along to the next workshop to share.

Session 2: Thursday 18 th July pm Bring along your new resources ‘Show and share’ Network with each other via the Triple Science website In the meantime…..