CPD - Teaching Theory

An Introduction

Reviewing Material (1 and 10)

Getting learners to practice or review the learning on a daily basis strengthens the neurons in the brain and helps with retrieval. The more times you view/practice/visit something the easier it becomes.

Make sure that when you are designing your course or reviewing sequencing that you are allowing time to recap and review previous learning. Why is this important? Working memory is limited in size, and our cognitive load quite small. Without recapping and reviewing previous information then the effort of trying to recall old information will get in the way of learning new information.

Set high expectations of your learners to commit to frequent practice at home, set home learning activities. You will soon know who is doing this as they will be the learners who are able to recall information and make links in learning.

Keyways to review previously learnt materials:

·       Correcting and reviewing homework

·       Asking learners what they are finding difficult

·       Ask learners to summarise the previous week (rather than you the tutor going over key points)

·       Quiz based on previous learning

·       Set a task based on previous learning

Questioning (1 and 6)

Asking questions is as keyway that we check for learning and understanding.  Questioning done well enables us to assess all learners, clarify misunderstanding, encourage engagement.

Questions enables learners to practice retrieving information, and for the tutor to see how well the material is learned.

Less successful tutors ask, “are there any more questions?”, with no questions meaning there are no problems.  Less effective tutors ask fewer questions and nearly no ‘process questions’. Skilled tutors will use questioning techniques to assess all learners, use questions to help learner make connections to previous sessions and learning.  The greatest significant of questions is that they strengthen students long term memory.

To learn more about being an expert questioner see the resources and materials on the Effective Questioning section at Course: CPD - Teaching Knowledge & Skills (participationandlifelonglearning.co.uk)

Modelling and Scaffolding (2, 4 and 8)

Stages of Practice (5, 7 and 9)