1. Effective Learning Strategies (Part 1) (Week 1, Friday 28 June)
INFORMATION FOR SESSION FACILITATOR
Length: 60 mins
Facilitator: PDL
Phase: C/P
Effective Learning Strategies (Part 1)              (Week 1, Friday 28 June) 
Session outcomes:
explain the roles working memory, long-term memory and cognitive overload have on learning 
apply two of the principles of cognitive science to a sequence of planning
SI PDF: 1.1, 2.3, 3.1
Context:
At Teach First we believe that cognitive science supports teacher development and our approach is informed by a range of research such as Deans for Impact, Learning About Learning and Principles of Instruction. The introduction to cognitive science during Summer Institute focuses on the principles of learning in line with the Summer Institute Participant Development Framework.
Importantly, we are presenting one view of learning, of which participants will be exposed to many; it is important to emphasise throughout participants time on the PGDE, they will be asked to critically analyse the role different approaches that impact on teaching and learning and their own practice. For the purposes of Summer Institute, we have decided to focus on one, cognitive science. 
Links to other sessions: 
Effective Learning Strategies (Part 2)
Teaching Tricky Concepts
Resources:
Online curriculum
References:
Willingham, D. T,(2009). Why Don’t Students Like School? Because the Mind is Not Designed For Thinking. American Educator 4-13.
Deans for Impact, (2015). The Science of Learning.
 learning scientists. [ONLINE] Available at:  [Accessed 15 February 2018]
Mccrea, P., 2017. Memorable Teaching: leveraging memory to build deep and durable learning in the classroom. 1st ed. London: Amazon books.

2. Participant Preparation Course
Explain (1 min)
This session will draw upon learnings from the Participant Preparation Course and reading from PPC, specifically the Deans for Impact ‘Science of Learning’ (2016).

3. Effective Learning Strategies (Part 1)
Explain (1 min)
Share that today’s session will draw upon theory on human cognition. In particular, we’ll be looking at aspects of section 1 and section 2 of the Deans for Impact ‘How do students understand new ideas?’ and ‘How do students learning and retain new information?’
Information for the facilitator
At Teach First we believe that cognitive science supports teacher development and our approach is informed by a range of research such as Deans for Impact, Learning About Learning and Principles of Instruction. The introduction to cognitive science during Summer Institute focuses on the principles of learning in line with the Summer Institute Participant Development Framework. 
Importantly, we are presenting one view of learning, of which participants will be exposed to many; it is important to emphasise throughout participants time on the PDGE, they will be asked to critically analyse the role different approaches that impact on teaching and learning and their own practice. For the purposes of Summer Institute, we have decided to focus on one, cognitive science. 

4. Session overview: PDF links
PDF theme/s
Standard/s
Theme 1: Subject knowledge and pedagogy
Theme 2: Plan effectively
Theme 3: Instruction
1.1 Applies the Effective Learning Strategies to their teaching
2.3 Plans clear, concise instructions and explanations to support pupil learning
3.1 Presents ideas, knowledge and concepts clearly (e.g. clear modelling/dual coding) and concisely in order to support pupil understanding and avoid cognitive overload
Explain (30 secs)
Share PDF links for the session

5. Session outcomes By the end of this session, you will be able to;
explain the impact that working memory, long-term memory and cognitive overload have on learning
apply two of the principles of cognitive science to a piece of planning
Explain (30 secs)
Share the outcomes for the session

6. Cognitive Science at SI
Pre-SI
Participant Preparation Course
Week 1
Effective Learning Strategies part 1 
Week 2
SCL Observations and Application
Pre-work video
Week 3
Week 4
Effective Learning Strategies part 2 
Week 5
Teaching Tricky Concepts
Explain (1 min)
As seen here (on slide 5), we have spaced out our input on Cognitive Science at Summer Institute. Importantly, there will be further input throughout the PGDE.

7. How do pupils understand new ideas?
Working memory transfers to long-term memory
Limited working memory capacities
Understanding impeded by too much information
Explain (2 mins)
As mentioned, this session draws upon a number of aspects of the core reading for Summer Institute (accessed by participants during PPC on TFX) including Deans for Impact ‘The Science of Learning’ (2016), Memorable Teaching (2017) and the work of the Learning Scientists – Effective Learning Strategies. Specifically, today we’ll look at three ideas:
To learn, pupils must transfer information from working memory (where it is consciously processed) to long-term memory (where it can be stored and later retrieved)
Pupils have limited working memory capacities that can be overwhelmed by tasks that are cognitively too demanding
Understanding new ideas can be impeded if pupils are confronted with too much information at once
(2016)

8. Why don’t students like school?
Explain (1 min)
In Daniel Willingham’s book, ‘Why don’t students like school’ he posed the question that continues to challenge teachers – Why don’t students like school?
Willingham’s answer: the mind is not designed for thinking.
This feels counter-initiative as humans are very intelligent creatures. However, Willingham proposes that we are not good at elements of thinking. Willingham states that the brain is slow, effortful and uncertain at thinking. So what is the brain good at? The brain is good at facial recognition, visual processing and remembering things.

9. Explain (3 mins)
This is a very simple model of the human mind. As you can see from the model, it’s broken down into long term and working memory.
Working memory:
Is the site of awareness and thinking, where we hold temporary information in our mind to process
Is very small in capacity and its size and capability is pretty much fixed
Long term memory:
Is the ‘store’ for factual and procedural knowledge for later retrieval
It is thought to be virtually infinite in capacity
How they work together?
The working memory draws upon both the environment and long term memory to process things
The working memory processes information into long term memory for storage and later retrieval
Peps Mccrea in his book Memorable Teaching explains that the way in which our working memory processes information and works in collaboration with our long term memory determines what we learn.
Explain: To demonstrate the interaction between working and long term memory, explain that you are going to put 22 digits up for 5 seconds. Ask participants to try to memorise as many as they can in the correct order. Once you have removed the slide, ask them to write down as many as they can straight away in their online curriculum page for the session.

10. stistwseyieheoeimahist
Slide 10 – 15 (3 mins)
Activity
put slide up for 5 seconds

11. Activity
Ask participants to write down as many of the numbers as you can recall in the correct order

12. stistwseyieheoeimahist
Activity
Have participants self-mark and count how many in a row they correctly answered.
Ask participants to raise their hands and keep it raised if they got:
4 correct
5 correct
8 correct
12 correct
17 correct
22 correct   
Explain: you are going to up the challenge this time and we are only going to have three seconds

13. seehoweasyitisthistime
Activity
put slide up for 3 seconds

14. Activity
Ask participants to write down as many as they can recall

15. seehoweasyitisthistime
Activity
Have participants self-mark and count how many in a row they correctly answer. Allow for one error.
Ask participants to raise their hands and keep it raised if they got:
5 correct
8 correct
12 correct
17 correct
22 correct

16. stist wsey iehe mahist Ask (1 min)
Why were we able to remember more of the 22 digits the second time?
Explain
This activity was based on psychological experiments used to measure capacity of working memory. (Miller, 1956). Most peoples working memory can cope with remembering 7 digits plus or minus two. Many people will try to circumnavigate this by ‘chunking’ the letters into a word or a group of letters that sounds like a word for example ‘stist’ and may be able to remember more.

17. Explain (1 min)
On the second go, you probably got 22 (or close to it) as the line ‘seehoweasyitisthistime’ represents something that you already know – the information is stored in your long term memory and therefore does not take up much of your working memory capacity.

18. 'Cognitive overload' Explain (3 mins)
Cognitive overload is defined as the state of having one’s working memory completely filled (John Sweller,1988) When you tried to memorise all those letters, you filled up all your slots, your working memory became overloaded. It’s often associated with anxiety, frustration and stress. It can lead to the release of the hormone cortisol. This further inhibits learning and leads to a spiral. While the mind is not designed for thinking, we’re asking pupils to think all day. Willingham does say that humans can be very good at thinking, but he does say that people like successful thought. If we are successful in thought, we experience a dopamine kick, we feel more motivated.

19. Explain (2 mins)
The knowledge that we have in our long term memory allows us to circumvent the limitations of our working memory. For example, we would have seen that our knowledge of phonics likely helped us to ‘chunk’ the letters, rather than remembering the letters one by one. When the letters where formed into words, this was easier again as we drew the words from our long term memory. While there is a limit to what we can do to improve our working memory, we can improve the amount of knowledge and how this knowledge is organised to support thinking for our pupils.  
You might have pupils that seem to grasp concepts more quickly. It is likely that they have more, better organised knowledge in their long term memory about the topic which is easy to access and use, allowing them to take on and use new information. This is sometimes referred to as the Matthew Effect, a biblical term that describes how it is easier for the rich to get richer.

20. Goal Build long-term memory Manage the cognitive load Explain (1 min)
As a teacher our goal is therefore:
Build the amount, the quantity and organisation of knowledge in long-term memory
Manage the cognitive load we’re putting on our pupil’s minds during lesson, thus preventing cognitive overload

21. Implications and application
Explain (1 min)
Two of the research pieces outlined in the SI reading list, Deans for Impact’s ‘The Science of Learning’ and The Learning Scientists ‘Six Strategies of Effective Learning,’ (2017) share classroom strategies for building long term memory in order to reduce strain on working memory and prevent cognitive overload. We will consider all of the strategies briefly, but focus on two as part of this session.

22. Explain (5 mins)
The Learning Scientists have used the findings from Cognitive Science and developed 6 strategies for teachers and pupils to use to support them to build their long term memory. Participants have a table in their online curriculum to write notes against each of the strategies.
Dual Coding: Dual coding is when you combine words with visuals in explanations. Young or old, all of us receive information through two primary pathways — words and graphic or pictorial representations. Pupil learning increases when teachers convey new material through both.
Concrete examples: Using tangible examples to help pupils understand overarching and abstract ideas
Elaboration: Asking pupils “why,” “how,” “what if,” and “how do you know” requires them to clarify and link their knowledge of key ideas.
Spaced practice: Pupils should practice material several times after learning it, with each practice or review separated by weeks and even months.
Retrieval practice: Beyond the value of formative assessment (to help a teacher decide what to teach) and summative assessment (to determine what pupils have learned), assessments that require pupils to recall material help information “stick.”
Interleaving: Interleaving between ideas over the course of a series of lessons, coming back to ideas again will strengthen pupils understanding and help them make links between ideas and concepts
We are now going to look at two in further detail – using concrete examples and dual coding

23. Explain (5 mins)
Using concrete examples. Presenting concrete examples that pupils can understand and relate to helps them understand new ideas, while connecting those examples to abstract ideas allows pupils to apply concepts in new situations. The concrete ideas often draw upon knowledge in the long term memory, therefore supporting the work of the working memory.
Here, the facilitator should share an example from their own practice of using a concrete example to support understanding of abstract ideas.

24. Apply it
Where have you seen a teacher use a concrete example to support the understanding of an abstract topic?
How was the example used?
Did it support learning?
Review the examples in the online curriculum page for the session – why would these examples support learning? 
Using the topic list in the online curriculum or a topic for an upcoming teaching episode, think about and plan for where you could use a concrete example in your teaching.  
Activity (10 mins)
Ask participants to review the questions on the slide and complete the activities in their online curriculum page for the session
Where have you seen a teacher use a concrete example to support the understanding of an abstract topic?
How was the example used?
Did it support learning?
Review the examples in the online curriculum page for the session – why would these examples support learning?
Using the topic list in the online curriculum or a topic for an upcoming teaching episode, think about and plan for where you could use a concrete example in your teaching

25. Explain (2 mins)
Dual coding. Because people receive information through two primary pathways — words and graphics — pupil learning increases when teachers convey new material through both of these means. For example, graphics that convey concepts and ideas are more effective when paired with written labels, spoken explanation or both. Graphics include illustrations, diagrams, and flow charts, as well as animation or video.

26. Example Explain (2 mins)
Dual coding is most effective when the diagram used supports understanding of the concept. An example of this can be seen on the left. If this was simply text, the concept would have been harder to explain and understand. Equally if we had just used a picture of the brain, this would have not supported understanding as well as the diagram has. It is important to remember this when using this technique in the classroom. The diagram should be simple and help to explain/understand the concept. Where you return to concepts and ideas, the same picture should be used to aid recall and retention.

27. Apply it
Where have you seen a teacher use dual coding to support learning?
How was dual coding used?
Did it support learning?
Look at the examples of dual coding in the online curriculum. How do they support learning?
Using the topic list in the online curriculum or a topic for an upcoming teaching episode, review where you could use dual coding.  
Activity (10 mins)
Ask participants to review the questions on the slide and complete the activities in their online curriculum page for the session
Where have you seen a teacher use dual coding to support learning?
How was dual coding used?
Did it support learning?
Look at the examples of dual coding in the online curriculum. How do they support learning?
Using the topic list in the online curriculum or a topic for an upcoming teaching episode, review where you could use dual coding

28. Which of these are features of working memory?
Infinite in capacity
Does the work of holding knowledge for later retrieval
Capable of being overloaded
Capacity can be expanded with the right training
Activity (2 mins)
Which of these are features of working memory? Ask participants to show their answer using their fingers.
Infinite in capacity
Does the work of holding knowledge for later retrieval
Capable of being overloaded
Can be expand in capacity with the right training
Feedback on responses
Infinite in capacity. This is the wrong answer. This is not the answer. This is a feature of long term memory.
Does the work of holding knowledge for later retrieval. This is not the answer. This is a feature of long term memory.
Capable of being overload. This is the correct answer. The working memory is fixed, finite and can be overloaded)
Can be expanded in capacity with the right training (there are lots of products that make the claim of brain training, but there’s not clear research evidence to back this up. This is a feature of long term memory.

29. Which of these would be a good way to improve someone’s ability to learn and apply new concepts?
Increase the capacity of their working memory
Increase the processing speed of their working memory
Improve the organisation of their knowledge in long-term memory
Activity (2 mins)
Again, ask participants to select the correct answer and use their fingers to show their selected answer.
Which of these would be a good way of improving someone’s ability to learn and apply new concepts?
Increase the capacity of their working memory
Increase the processing speed of their working memory
Improve the organisation of their knowledge in long-term memory
Answer
There is no proven way of increasing capacity or processing speed of working memory. In order to improve a pupils ability to learn increasing their knowledge and improve the organisation of knowledge in long term memory would support them learn and apply new knowledge and concepts.

30. What is dual coding? When you combine words with visuals
When you use tangible examples to help pupils understand
When you test pupils to recall taught information
When you space the teaching of material over time
Activity (2 mins)
Again, ask participants to select the correct answer.
What is Dual Coding?
When you combine words with visuals
When you use tangible examples to help pupils understand
When you test pupils to recall taught information
When you space the teaching of material over time
Answer: When you combine words with visuals. The other answers refer to other learning scientist techniques.

31. Pre-work Before the Effective Learning Strategies (Part 2) session:
Watch the video hyperlinked in the post work section of the online curriculum page for this session.
The video is around 10 minutes long.
Explain (1 min)
Ask the participants to complete the pre work ahead of the next session
Before the Effective Learning Strategies (part 2) session on Friday of week 4:
Watch the video hyperlinked in the post work section of the online curriculum page for this session
The video is around 10 minutes long.

32. Session outcomes By the end of this session, you will be able to;
explain the impact that working memory, long-term memory and cognitive overload have on learning
apply two of the principles of cognitive science to a piece of planning
Explain (30 secs)
Share the outcomes for the session