Research School Network: Durrington Research School Twilight Programme 2018 – 19


Durrington Research School Twilight Programme 2018 – 19

by Durrington Research School
on the

Alongside our menu of 3 day training programmes next year (details here) we are also offering a programme of FREE twilight sessions next year for colleagues to attend. These run from 4pm‑5.30pm and are an opportunity to hear some key messages from research around a particular topic, as well as some approaches to help you mobilise this research back at you school.

The sessions will be suitable or primary and secondary colleagues.

Please note – maximum number of delegates per school is 2.

The programme follows:

Cognitive Load Theory

Educationalist Dylan Wiliam recently described cognitive load theory as the single most important thing for teachers to know’. Indeed, there is a huge body of research that suggests that cognitive overload is one of the main reasons why students struggle to acquire and retain the content they have covered in lessons.

In this practical twilight session, delegates will be introduced to cognitive load theory and will discuss its implications for day-to-day teaching practice.

Further details here.

An evidence informed approach to mentoring

It is essential that early years teachers (ITT, NQTs and RQTs) are supported effectively if they are going to grow and develop during these formative years. This session will examine what the research evidence says about effective mentoring and how to implement this in role.

Further details here.

Unpicking formative and summative assessment

Finding the balance between formative and summative assessment is one of the trickiest challenges facing all schools and subject leaders. This course will first aim to unpick the key principles underpinning both forms of assessments. From there we will explore how and when to assess and practical tips for the differing forms assessment can take.

Further details here.

Explicit vocabulary instruction

Research evidence shows a clear link between students’ outcomes and their vocabulary knowledge. Furthermore, the research evidence also shows that there are profound differences in vocabulary knowledge among students from socioeconomic groups, with those from disadvantaged backgrounds having a considerable paucity of vocabulary compared to their peers. Once established, the differences in vocabulary knowledge remain. Consequently, the explicit teaching of vocabulary is an essential part of any classroom practice aimed at reducing the gaps in outcomes for these students.

Further details here.

Revision Strategies

The EEF’s Metacognition and Self-Regulated Learning’ guide highlights the importance of explicitly teaching pupils how to organise and effectively manage their learning independently. These skills are especially crucial in the time leading up to examinations when pupils need to be revising outside of the classroom. However, many pupils lack the knowledge of how to revise effectively, and so time dedicated to revision is often wasted on unhelpful activities that have no impact on learning or outcomes.

In this twilight, we will use research evidence from cognitive science to explore revision strategies that work. Furthermore, we will suggest ways in which these revision strategies can be explicitly taught to pupils so that they can revise independently and effectively across all areas of the curriculum.

Further details here:

The role of the school Research Lead

A growing number of schools are beginning to recognise the impact a Research Lead role could have in their school. This is either an individual or a team of teachers, who support staff with understanding the research evidence that is relevant to their school context and how to mobilise it in their classrooms.

This series of 3 twilights will support colleagues who are new to this role, or are interested in performing this role in the future.

Further details here.

Using nudge theory to improve attendance

This twilight will explore a research driven approach to improving attendance and outcomes for disadvantaged secondary students.

  • Are you looking to improve the attendance and also outcomes of your disadvantaged students?
  • Do you need to help shift their engagement within the school community?
  • Do you need a research driven, quick, easy and cheap strategy to make gains?

Further details here.

Using the EEF toolkit and other sources of evidence

This session will help colleagues to unpick and understand the range of evidence sources available from the EEF, including the teaching and learning toolkit’. We will also discuss and share practical ways in which teachers and leaders can then use this evidence to improve teaching.

Further details here.

Getting to grips with feedback.

The twilight will explore the research evidence behind what kind of feedback is most likely to have a positive impact on students’ learning and outcomes, and will also consider how this evidence can be applied through practical strategies in the classroom. Drawing on the EEF’s paper A Marked Improvement in particular, part of the twilight session will be spent exploring the potential benefits and disadvantages of marking, and potential ways in which time spent on this type of feedback could be improved.

Further details here.

High Attaining Students

This twilight session is aimed at primary and secondary classroom teachers and school leaders who are interested in supporting and stretching high-ability students. We will explore what the research says about the following questions:

  • What teaching strategies are most likely to be effective when working with high-achievers?
  • How do we increase the aspirations of all students?
  • How do we make academic learning more socially desirable?

Further details here.

Addressing Gender Underperformance

Many schools face a similar picture when unpicking data; that male students appear to be underachieving when compared to female students. This twilight will attempt to highlight some possible reasons for this and promote a pragmatic and evidence-informed approach to addressing the issue.

Further details here.

Improving teacher explanation and modelling

Teacher explanation and modelling are two essential features of great teaching. This session will explore what the research evidence says about how to do this effectively and then how this can be mobilised by teachers.

Further details here.

Improving teacher questioning

Teachers ask hundreds of questions every day. This session will explore:

  • Why we ask questions?
  • What the evidence says about how we can shape our questioning to support better learning?
  • Where do we often go wrong with questioning?
  • How can we use this in a practical and sustainable way in the classroom, to facilitate deeper learning?

Further details here.

Using evidence to address workload

In 2016 the Independent Teacher Workload Review Group published three documents exploring how teacher workload could be addressed around three areas:

  • Marking
  • Planning
  • Data management

This session will explore the key points from these three reports and how they can be used in schools to address teacher workload issues.

Further details here

Using the EEF Implementation Guide

This session will talk you through how to effectively implement a new approach in schools, whether this be at a whole school level, or a smaller team, using the research evidence from the EEF implementation guide.

During the session you will also be given support with developing your own implementation plan for a new approach that you are planning.

Further details here.

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