Research School Network: Making vocabulary visible through technology (Part 1) How digital technology is being harnessed to boost retrieval practice in a Y3 classroom

The EEF’s Guidance Report on Digital Technology launched in March 2019 outlines four key recommendations:

1. Consider how technology will improve teaching and learning before introducing it
2. Technology can be used to improve the quality of explanations and modelling
3. Technology offers ways to improve the benefits of pupil practice
4. Technology can play a role in improving assessment and feedback

Our ongoing project at Coupals Primary Academy and its associated professional development resonates with all four of these recommendations and is having significant impact on those involved – pupils and staff!

To find out more about our ongoing development of teaching and learning through the use of digital technology read to gain a sense of our evolving case study:

Defining our learning need

The issue we sought to address was that a significant proportion of pupils enter the school with a deficit in language and communication. In foundation subjects, tier 2 and 3 vocabulary needed to be made even more visible, useable and complement the oracy focus identified in the school development plan.

Desired outcomes

Pupils access high quality, meaningful tier 2& 3 vocabulary to improve retention and understanding of the content they are being taught.

We’ve identified five active ingredients that are underpinning our thinking:

1. A whole class shared write is easily distributed enabling pupils to directly access the modelled examples so they can innovate and write their own. The zoom feature allows pupils to spotlight specific modelled examples.

2. Knowledge notes were created by Alex and are used as teaching tools as well as content support for pupils. They were are either used as digitally distributed resources via Airdrop and Apple Classroom or printed material stuck in books.

3. Quizzes, both paper and then digital, validated and informed us about pupil strengths and support needed.

Also, it helped us assess where knowledge had been acquired across a sequence of lessons as well as how skilful they were with that knowledge. Quizzes informed our feedback and the next step and sequence for learning

We’ve found that digital quizzing has reduced teacher workload, increased analysis, motivation and engagement. The principle of the test is the same, but technology allows it to be far more versatile.

EMERGING REFLECTIONS: (For PART 2 Click here)

Read part 2 to discover our findings on:

1. Knowledge rich digital content
   Retrieval practice, knowledge notes and digital knowledge notes
2. Improved classroom communication
   Discussions, language of painting, drawing, place & culture
   Interventions
3. Supporting independent tasks and activities
   Online digital thesaurus & dictionary
   Green screen technology