Teaching Thinking and Differentiated Instruction in classroom

Teaching Thinking and Differentiated Instruction in classroom

1. Teaching Thinking Description:

We all agree to the fact that in addition to content knowledge, students in the 21st Century need to acquire particular skills to equip them for a modern world of work, one of which is the ability to think – and think well. Students need to effectively use mental processes to solve problems, make decisions, ask questions, make plans, pass judgements, organise information, create new ideas, etc. In this context, teachers play a crucial role in teaching thinking skillfully and teachers are also responsible for creating a stimulating and supportive classroom climate.

Focus of the session:

Teaching Thinking: The session will explore ways of teaching thinking in classrooms, going beyond instrumental models in order to set out a vision of pupils as thinkers, engaging and interacting with the world around them. Through the introduction of a continuum of four key aspects of learning, an educational approach will be outlined that can support educational professionals in developing pupils’ cognition, metacognition, criticality and creativity.

2. Differentiated Instruction Description:

Differentiation is a way of teaching; It asks teachers to know their students well so they can provide each one with experiences and tasks that will improve their learning. Differentiating instruction means that you observe and understand the differences and similarities among students and use this information to plan instruction. Teachers can differentiate instructions based on student readiness, interest, or learning profile. The differentiation is in terms of content, process, products, or the learning environment, the use of ongoing assessment and flexible grouping makes this a successful approach to instruction.

Focus of the session:

Differentiated Instruction: The session will outline some key principles underpinning differentiation in the classroom. This approach is framed by the University of Strathclyde’s ‘three domains’ model, exploring how educational professionals can differentiate for their pupils in terms of cognitive knowledge and skills, cultural and social capital and their personal and social identities. This broader model enables differentiation strategies that are both impactful and person-centered. The potential benefits of high-quality differentiation for pupil wellbeing, through Csikszentmihalyi’s flow theory, will also be explored. This can be a powerful tool in creating a classroom where pupils and teachers flourish.

Who can attend: Teachers, Principals, School Leaders and Teacher Educators

Programme Date:

Teaching Thinking: 11^th September 2020, Friday

Differentiated Instruction: 12^th September 2020, Saturday

Number of Days: 02

Duration of the Session: 02 Hours (1 hour 15 minutes presentation and 45 minutes Q & A)

Session Timings: 5:00pm-7:00pm (IST)

Webinar fee ( 2nd Early Bird offer till 20th August 2020)

Participants from India:  1199 INR 

Participants from Overseas: 40 USD

About the speaker:

Brittany Wright, Senior Teaching Fellow, Centre for Teacher Education, University of Warwick, UK.

Brittany Wright is a Senior Teaching Fellow in the Centre for Teacher Education, University of Warwick, UK. She previously worked in secondary education. Although her most recent school-based role was as Head of English in a large secondary school, Brittany has also led on provision for higher-ability learners and coordinated widening participation programmes focused on supporting learners from disadvantaged backgrounds in pursuing further and higher education. As an experienced school-based mentor of trainee teachers and NQTs, she believes that it is important for university and school-based staff to work together in order to provide the best experience for early career stage teachers.

Since moving into initial teacher education, Brittany has also worked with schools in North London, supporting professional development of teachers. Providing targeted CPD and a proficiency-focused approach to classroom observation in English, she supported a North London secondary school in achieving the third highest Progress 8 results in its borough. As well as teaching across Primary and Secondary Post Graduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) programmes, Brittany has also led on curriculum development in English for a London-based MAT.

Alongside her work in initial teacher education, Brittany is also a doctoral student in the School of Education at the University of Nottingham. Her research focuses on social justice and gender in education. Brittany recently co-authored Engaging, Motivating and Empowering Learners in Schools (2018), exploring the potential implications for self-determination theory and positive psychology in primary and secondary schools.