Enabling Outstanding Written and Spoken Communication Entitlement Vocabulary Academy Aim: All teachers understand the pivotal importance of literacy in their subject. All teachers deliver valuable learning experiences that ensure students confidently use sophisticated vocabulary in both the written and verbal form. The teacher effectively utilizes the ‘entitlement vocabulary’ cycle to enable students to organise and construct a piece of writing and to be able to discuss it in a highly refined way. This literacy specific progress enables students to have a deeper and more sophisticated understanding of all subjects and ultimately make outstanding progress across the curriculum. Autumn Term 2 2013-‐2014 Focus-‐ Empowering students to comprehend, have ownership of and effectively apply ‘entitlement vocabulary.’ Stage 1: Identify the skill and predict the required entitlement vocabulary During the initial lesson planning stages the teacher has absolute clarity regarding the skill to be mastered and all learning activities and assessment milestones are shaped around this. The teacher appreciates that in order for students to become proficient in this skill they will need an associated core vocabulary. This will enable students to have the confidence to articulate WHAT it is they are learning about and to discuss the cognitive processes they will undertake in order to master this skill. The teacher equally appreciates that this identified core vocabulary-‐ an ‘entitlement vocabulary’-‐ will enable students to access the topic on a more meaningful and sophisticated level giving them a platform to question, explore and consider the concepts being taught. Once the entitlement vocabulary has been decided the teacher then begins to reflect on how they will alert the students to these new language opportunities. Questions to consider when planning. -‐ -‐ -‐
Do you have absolutely clarity regarding the skill you wish the students to master? Are you clear on how the skill will be measured according to assessment criteria? Have you anticipated the necessary vocabulary in order to effectively teach the skill and enable students to meet the demands of the assessment criteria?
Model Example-‐ Stage 1: Identify the skill and predict the required entitlement vocabulary Students are studying a poem entitled ‘Once Upon a Time.’ The teacher begins planning how this will be taught by initially looking at the assessment framework that will be used to judge the students’ understanding. The teacher is clear that in order for the students to be highly successful they must: “Be able to make explicit comments regarding the poet’s intention in the poem.”
The teacher identifies that the poet’s intention is to explore disingenuous and honest behaviours in adults and children. Once this is clear the teacher then considers the entitlement vocabulary students will need to use to be able to communicate their ideas regarding these two contrasting concepts. Initially words such as ‘intention’ ‘objective’ and ‘purpose’ are explored. The nature of this vocabulary enables students to understand what is being asked of them. Once they have grasped what they are being asked to do it is then decided that the following vocabulary will enable a
sophisticated communication of the poet’s intentions: sincere, pure, superficial, honest, muted, mask, disingenuous. Stage 2: Alert students to the entitlement vocabulary through varied activities The teacher has absolute clarity regarding the skill that needs to be taught and is fully aware of how this skill will be assessed according to the appropriate marking criteria. As a result the teacher plans a series of increasingly demanding learning activities that will enable students to acquire the necessary skills. A previously identified bank of entitlement vocabulary that will enhance student understanding of the skill is carefully built into these learning activities. The teacher expertly develops the students’ vocabulary by selecting and utilizing appropriate kinesthetic, visual and auditory resources. Visual depiction of words and verbal and auditory overlearning of words provides students with an increasing and richer language with which to communicate. This not only builds self-‐esteem in students, promoting a positive attitude towards learning, but also enables a more sophisticated understanding and communication of the concept being taught. The resources carefully and skillfully build the students understanding of language through an empowering process of exploration and discovery. Students are asked to make interpretations, de-‐code meanings and to make links with prior knowledge. This is a highly effective learning strategy that enables independence rather than reliance on constant teacher explanation. Questions to consider when leading on learning activities that alert students to entitlement vocabulary: -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐
Have you ensured students have absolute clarity regarding the skill they are to master? Has your verbal introduction enabled students to understand how they will be assessed? Is your introduction well timed balancing student clarity with engagement? Have you planned a series of learning activities that build in cognitive demand? Have you built the entitlement vocabulary into the learning activities in order for students to effectively learn the required skill and meet the demands of the assessment criteria? Have you used visual, verbal and auditory resources to support with the mastering of new vocabulary?
Model example Stage 2: Alert students to the entitlement vocabulary through varied activities The teacher begins by ensuring students fully understand that they must explore the poet’s intentions in order to be successful in the exam. This verbal explanation then develops ensuring the students fully appreciate what the two main concepts explored in the poem are. The teacher has designed learning activities that will enable students to fully understand what disingenuous and honest mean. This is done by displaying a question on the board in preparation for students’ entry. ‘Is the Queen present in our lesson today? Why?’ The students come into the room to the National Anthem, one student wearing a ‘Queen mask’ and the question posed on the board. Students are required to explain their response to the question. The teacher leads student discussion drawing out the idea that the student masked as the Queen is ‘pretending’ to be someone they are not. This initial keyword is placed on the board. The teacher then plays a contrasting short video extract asking students to identify one adjective that captures the nature of a child’s laughter. Once again the teacher skilfully draws out the idea that, in contrast, the child is expressing genuine emotion-‐ there is no pretence. The contrasting keyword is placed on the board. Students are now orientated,
they have an inner confidence regarding these two concepts because they have seen them, heard them, experienced and have independently explored and uncovered them through their engagement in the tasks. The teacher then builds on this initial understanding by providing students with a resource with two visual images on depicting the two contrasting concepts discussed. A baby face and an adult cynically smiling visually reinforce the concepts. It is explained that students, in pairs, are to discuss and write down three alternative words for each of the two concepts. Providing students with a short rehearsal period allows them to discuss ideas and run through their thoughts without fear of public judgement. Notice how it is the students who are doing the thinking during these activities-‐they own their learning. It is at this point the teacher feels the students are in a position to begin to engage with the identified entitlement vocabulary. A ‘vocabulary for success’ resource is distributed among carefully considered pairs. This is an envelope containing the entitlement vocabulary that will lift the level of sophistication when discussing the intentions of the poet. Students are asked to sort the words according to the two contrasting concepts and write them on the resource. Students skilfully use the definitions and example sentences on the vocabulary cards to help differentiate between the two groups. Stage 3: Embed the entitlement vocabulary to the point of confident ownership The teacher ensures newly acquired words are practiced beyond the point of initial comprehension. This embedding process builds on the previous assessment milestones carried out during the ‘alert’ stage and goes on to provide the opportunity for students to put the entitlement vocabulary into context. The teacher creates and leads on a verbal or written formative assessment task that enables students to confidently own and use the words effectively to evidence their understanding. Tasks of this nature enable students to ‘overlearn’ words to the point of being able to utilize them rather than simply to define them in isolation. As students begin to have ownership over the entitlement vocabulary their confidence builds and so does their belief that vocabulary of this nature is a part of their language. Empowering students to this extent encourages an essential ability to decode other written words enriching their learning experience and culminating in a deeper understanding of texts across subjects. Questions to consider when embedding vocabulary that enables students to have ownership of the entitlement vocabulary: -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐
Have you used a variety of assessment milestones in the ‘alert’ stage that ensure students are prepared to undertake a written or verbal formative assessment task? Does the formative assessment task enable students to effectively utilize the entitlement vocabulary you have identified and alerted students to? Does this written or verbal consolidation task allow students the opportunity to over learn the words to such a point that they will confidently own them? If students are finding the formative assessment challenging do you have resources/strategies that will enable them to overcome this quickly?
Model Example-‐ Stage 3: Embed the entitlement vocabulary to the point of confident ownership Now that students are confident with the two contrasting concepts explored in the poem the teacher reads the poem to the group highlighting through verbally delivery how the poet feels about adults and children. The teacher then provides students with a mask resource to write on and
explains that students will summarise what the poet’s intentions are using the new vocabulary gleaned in the earlier activities. Notice the use of a visual reference once again-‐ the mask subtly reinforcing the disingenuous concept explored in the poem. The teacher draws attention to the prompt questions at the top of the resource if students are finding it challenging to get started. Stage 4: Assess the understanding of entitlement vocabulary and adjust the learning journey accordingly. During the completion of the agreed formative assessment task the teacher offers prompt and accurate feedback. The brief written or verbal feedback is provided as students undertake the task. The teacher is highly effective in moving around the room and highlighting successful implementation of the focused skill. The utilization of the entitlement vocabulary and how this assists students in communicating their understanding of the skill is also emphasised. The teacher makes insightful decisions regarding when to publically recognise and utilise excellent achievements to support others. Students’ work is carefully used to inspire and motivate others to produce an outcome of similar quality/sophistication. The teacher draws on specific examples and the verbal commentary benefits all. This is done using a variety of methods from simply reading a students work aloud to placing double ticks against highly successful sections of written commentary to placing it under the visualizer for all to see. The teacher’s passion and enthusiasm regarding students’ progress results in all students feeling genuine admiration and a clarity and desire to continue to raise the level of sophistication in their own work. A range of students are celebrated and the celebration is specific so that the praise itself enables students to learn and improve their own work as a result of it. Where there is evidence of misinterpretations or progress not being sustained the teacher effectively intervenes. Where necessary they confidently resume whole class teaching clarifying the skill or vocabulary to sustain progress. Questions to consider when assessing the understanding of entitlement vocabulary and adjust the learning journey accordingly. -‐ -‐ -‐
Are you clear on the skill/vocabulary you expect to see during the completion of the formative assessment task? Have you decided the method you intend to use to consistently and promptly identify success in student’s work? Do you have a measure of at what point you would halt the formative assessment and resume whole class teaching to clarify any misconceptions?
Model Example Stage 4 Assess the understanding of entitlement vocabulary and adjust the learning journey accordingly. The teacher actively circulates as students complete the formative assessment and marks the summary according to the students understanding of the poet’s intentions and their use of the entitlement vocabulary. Stage 5: Empower independent application of entitlement vocabulary through a summative assessment task that increases in cognitive demand
The final stage of the entitlement vocabulary cycle provides an opportunity for students to build on the highly effective learning that has taken place in the earlier stages. Due to the carefully considered foregrounding learning activities students are orientated and confident with regards to the skill they have been mastering. In addition to this they own and are able to utilize a bank of vocabulary that will enable them to explore and investigate the skill in greater depth in this final stage. The teacher precisely introduces the final summative assessment clarifying the requirements of the assessment criteria. It is at this point that various forms of modelling are used to demonstrate how to utilize the skill taught in a more complex task. This includes use of pre-‐planned models, deconstruction of models, the completion of real time models and collaborative models of both the skill and how the entitlement vocabulary can be used to enhance that skill. Enabling the students to fully understand what an effective outcome looks like and enabling them to successfully evaluate models will undoubtedly ensure they too have the confidence to independently produce an outcome that demonstrates exceptional progress. Questions to consider when empowering independent application of entitlement vocabulary through a summative assessment task that increases in cognitive demand -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐
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Have you precisely introduced the summative assessment explaining what is expected and how it will be assessed? Have you effectively planned, prior to the learning journey, a model of the expected written/verbal/practical outcome? Have you, in collaboration with students, deconstructed the model drawing out the key elements that meet the assessment criteria? Have you expertly demonstrated in ‘real time’ a further example of the outcome? Are you clear enough to be able to offer a verbal commentary explaining the success of the outcome as it carried out? Have you offered an opportunity for students, in groups, to construct a collaborative response independent of the teacher?
Model Example Stage 5: Empower independent application of entitlement vocabulary through a summative assessment task that increases in cognitive demand In this final stage of the lesson the teacher then introduces the summative assessment task. ‘Once Upon a Time explores the difference between children and adults, who over time become less honest and genuine. Which words or phrases suggest this negative change? The teacher clarifies that the poet makes conscious language choices to communicate his intended message. The teacher models how one word/phrase from the poem can be analysed effectively. The plan is then deconstructed according to the assessment criteria which focus on the poet’s intention and the students’ ability to communicate his intentions. The teacher then provides groups of four with words/lines from the poem and asks them to analyse them using the same multi-‐layered analytical approach seen in the pre-‐planned model. It is clear that students are expected to use the range of entitlement vocabulary studied in the earlier stages within this analysis process. During the time they are completing the analytical task as a group the teacher will assess quality of contributions and negotiate with groups who will feedback the shared response. The teacher provides selected students with the opportunity to place the collaborative written outcome under the visualizer and encourages the students to draw out where the group has successfully hit the assessment criteria
within their response. It is at this point students are now able to attempt analysis of another word or line in the poem independently and once again it is reinforced that their response will be marked according to their understanding of the poet’s intentions and their use of key words within the analysis. Result: “Literacy supports learning. Students need vocabulary, and expression to cope with the cognitive demands of all subjects.” Predicting, teaching and consolidating students’ understanding of ‘entitlement vocabulary’ enables all students to have a clear understanding of the topic and promotes complete engagement in the learning journey. This understanding and resulting confidence allows students to decode other relevant words which culminates in a deeper understanding of the topic. Heightening literacy skills to this extent nurtures multiple intelligences including vital intra-‐personal and interpersonal skills as students feel equipped to discuss ideas. Training students to value and develop their language skills undoubtedly results in students making considerably better progress than might be expected.