3 MGCoA Episode 5.mov

Direct Instruction

In this lesson, learners are creating a Scientific Report based on an experiment undertaken by their two teachers. This writing lesson began with a whole space (Ako 3) launch where everyone watched the movie of the experiment, shared useful vocabulary on a digital word bank and then went away in small groups to research the topic on chrome books.

Following this, learners were scaffolded through the Scientific Report structure and then given time to plan their Report on a google drawing.

Once the plan was completed learners wrote their Report out using full sentences under the given headings. The idea of each heading signalling the start of a new paragraph was discussed and connected to last week's writing task.

Extended plan here

Reflection

Most of this lesson's reflection focuses on my way of delivering the content to learners as well as the importance of learning being rewindable.

Delivery of content: I feel that I can better deliver the content of lessons by slowing down the speed at which I speak. When I watched the launch of this lesson to the whole space (not shown in the video above), I noticed that I spoke quite quickly, as if I thought I was going to lose the attention of the learners if I slowed down. This is also visible in the experiment video which the learners watched. At times, I speak quite quickly, making it difficult to understand or catch what I am saying. I started to think about the number of times I repeat instructions. Repeating can be a useful strategy, however I could be overusing/ misusing it as a result of not being clear enough with my instructions or statements in the first instance.

Rewindable Learning: The value of making learning rewindable was evident in this lesson. By modelling an experiment, filming it and then making it visible online, learners were able to re-watch the experiment as much as they needed. By adding vocabulary to the digital word bank, learners were able to look back at vocabulary which they may find useful to add into their writing. Learners were able to use the movie to instigate and support their discussions with their classmates. Learners who were absent at the launch of the writing task were not disadvantaged as they could quickly catch up by watching the movie and looking through the word bank that was created in the launch.