Learning and Teaching Toolkit Planning

Planning to ensure high quality experiences for learners is an essential feature of professional teaching as these extracts from The Professional Standard Illustrations of Professional Practice illustrate:

“2.1.1 Registered teachers are able to plan coherent, progressive and stimulating teaching programmes which match their pupils’ needs and abilities, and they can justify what they teach.

Registered teachers...

devise and successfully implement plans for effective teaching and learning in the area(s) of the curriculum or subject(s) to be taught, or themes being studied
justify skilfully the content of their teaching in terms of its value in the curriculum, its contribution to children’s learning and general development, and its relevance to the needs of the pupils being taught.”

The planning process involves:

Long-term plans that ensure the main aspects of each curriculum/syllabus area receive attention over time.
Short-term plans, which complement long-term plans and produce the kind of outlines that teachers would normally prepare for blocks of teaching covering spans from a month to a term.
Personal plans, which complement short-term plans by providing the kind of detail that allows teachers to plan work at individual, group or class levels to progress pupils’ learning and teaching over such periods as a day, a week or a fortnight.

Points arising from Research

Quality time needs to be given to the planning process at all levels
The planning process should be cost effective
Duplication of work and effort should be avoided
Planning information is conveyed as simply as possible
Planning should cover all areas of the curriculum
Plans should focus on what the children will learn rather what Teachers will teach
Planning should contribute towards the identification of a clear focus and purpose for a piece of learning
Experienced teachers often internalise the planning by having a mental picture of how the learning will take place
Planning involves thinking about the balance of teaching approaches and relates them to knowledge of the pupils

Key Elements of Planning

Identify clear and appropriate learning objectives and content.

Use planning terminology consistently
Be clear about the lesson purpose
Ensure pupils have the necessary study skills to complete tasks successfully
Assess, through what pupils say, write or do, the extent to which the learning objectives have been achieved

Specify the teaching approaches and assessment for achieving stated objectives.

Assess pupils’ understanding of how far they have progressed
Utilise a range of teaching approaches
Ensure that the teaching and tasks are appropriate and manageable
Make use of formative and summative assessment

Set tasks, including homework, which challenge and motivate pupils.

Set tasks which allow all children to find success
Consider homework as part of lesson planning
Pupil involvement in creating tasks is important
Keep homework tasks manageable for pupils and teachers

Build on prior attainment to set clear targets for learning

Establish what children already know - the ‘big picture’
Be clear about the prevailing form of learning
Use various sources of evidence to assess the quality of learning
Try to be systematic without being rigid
Ensure that curriculum /syllabus priorities are met

Identify and respond appropriately to pupils with learning difficulties

Take account of pupils’ lack of knowledge and misunderstanding in lesson planning and delivery
Use all available expertise as teachers cannot solve every difficulty by themselves
Distinguish between short-term and long-term difficulties

Plan opportunities to contribute to pupils’ personal, spiritual, moral, social and cultural development.

Development is influenced by teacher-pupil relationships
Make good use of unplanned opportunities
Promote rights and responsibilities
Explore moral issues openly
Foster a co-operative climate
Take account of cultural diversity

Reflection and Discussion

The curriculum is a totality of experiences which are planned for children and young people. At all stages from early years to S6, the curriculum will include learning through:

the ethos and life of the school as a community
curriculum areas and subjects
interdisciplinary projects and studies
opportunities for personal achievement.

What connections are made between these aspects in your establishment?

What would the implications for planning be of viewing the curriculum in this way?

What changes would you choose to make to the current balance to reflect this model?

What would the additional benefits be for children and young people in your establishment?

Some Activities Relating to the Issue of Planning

Key element	Objective	Action
Some examples and suggestions
Learning objectives,	Be clear about the lesson purpose,	Specific targets for the lesson explained clearly, expressed in terms of what the pupils will know, understand and be able to do, written on board or front sheet/displayed visually in striking colour.
Teaching approaches and assessment strategies	Assess pupils’ understanding of how far they have progressed.	Carousel: A topic is divided into appropriate number of headings (max 8). Each heading is put on a separate large piece of paper. Groups discuss what they know about heading, using different colour, and record info. on sheet. No repetition allowed. Collate and share information
Challenge and motivate	Pupil involvement in creating tasks is important	Encourage learners to reflect on how they learn best so that they can improve their control over their own learning (see Toolkit section on Learning to Learn ).
Set clear targets for learning	Use various sources of evidence to assess the quality of learning	Encourage expression of knowledge, skills and understanding in non-literary forms. Use all of the intelligences. Avoid writing overkill.
Learning difficulties	Take account of pupils’ lack of knowledge and misunderstanding in lesson planning and delivery.	Teacher ensures weaker pupils are supported and the input reinforced in as multi-sensory way as possible as soon as the rest of the class starts work on the set task(s).
Pupils’ personal, spiritual, moral, social and cultural development	Foster a co-operative climate	Snowball. Pairs discuss an issue, or brainstorm some initial idea, then double up to fours and continue. In groups of 8 compare ideas and sort out best or agree a course of action. Finally whole class drawn together and spokesperson feeds back ideas. Useful strategy to promote more public discussion and debate.