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The effective teaching of A-Level Biology – the fun way to achieve A*

The effective teaching of A-Level Biology – the fun way to achieve A*. Speaker : Jane Dockray Head of Biology at Churston Grammar. Why don’t more AL Biology students achieve top grades?. What are the barriers to success?. Lack of ability?. We can’t create intelligence

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The effective teaching of A-Level Biology – the fun way to achieve A*

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  1. The effective teaching of A-Level Biology – the fun way to achieve A* Speaker: Jane Dockray Head of Biology at Churston Grammar

  2. Why don’t more AL Biology students achieve top grades? What are the barriers to success?

  3. Lack of ability? We can’t create intelligence but we can: • Develop existing potential • Improve our recruitment of able students

  4. Lack of motivation / ambition? We can’t change personality or background but we can: • Encourage • Facilitate • Inspire

  5. Lack of time? We may need to argue for: • Adequate curriculum time • Labs which are suitable, comfortable & pleasant • Sensible group sizes

  6. Problems with teaching or teachers?? • “Quality of teaching is a crucial factor in promoting effective learning in schools” • Good teachers make a difference…. • A level teaching isn’t easy

  7. What Is Good A Level Teaching? • Direct, causal relationships between teaching & attainment are hard to find • But research shows clear links between attainment & certain characteristics of teaching & learning

  8. Enabling Strategies Some ideas

  9. 1. Organise your course Produce a termly timetable for students detailing: • Topics & dates • Homework assignments & deadlines • All timetabled practicals • Reading list (Y12) • Important events e.g. fieldtrip, mock exam

  10. 2. Pay attention to detail • Know your stuff! • Plan lessons & produce resources • Stick to the syllabus • Set & mark 3/4 hours work per week • Vary the work set e.g. notes, past paper Qs, tests, essays, practical write-ups

  11. 3. Provide feed-back Feedback should be: • Personal – mark students’ work your-self & add comments • Prompt – next lesson if possible • Precise– use a standardised mark scheme & explain errors • Persistent – chase students until they meet deadlines

  12. 4. Develop positive group ethos • What is “positive group ethos”? • How can we help it to develop?

  13. 5. Demonstrate your commitment to your students • Invite comment & feedback • Be caring, available & approachable • Be enthusiastic • Work hard for your students • Look for solutions not problems • Take an interest • Raise their self-esteem

  14. Reflection

  15. Extension work? • Why haven’t I mentioned it yet?

  16. Making changes • What could you change easily & immediately? • What could you work on in the medium term?

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