Category Archives: Science Teaching

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Teaching science to SEN students – ideas and strategies from #ASEchat (on Twitter)

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Tonight the focus of #ASEchat was on teaching science to SEN students.  (If you want to know more about #ASEchat on Twitter read this).  The full text of tonight’s chat on Twitter can be found here (in my unofficial archive) or on the ASE site here.

The chat session started off discussing the P-levels and the new guidance that had been issued earlier the same day by the DFE.  It was felt that the levels for P7 and P8 were harder than those for level 1 which is supposed to be more challenging.  @Cleverfiend explained that this was because the P-levels were added to the national curriculum as an afterthought.

The topic moved onto strategies to use when teaching SEN or lower attaining students.  I’ve included the twitter ID of those who mentioned each strategy so you can get in touch if you want further details:

  • Pictorial or symbolised instructions for use for practical work (also good for EAL learners) – @ejw232 @cleverfiend
  • Repetition using different tasks @ejw232
  • Use of digital photography to create the method and turning them into a digital photostory @Mallrat_uk
  • Use of low literacy activities with not much writing. Collaborative poster work, wipe clean surfaces, pictures instead @90_maz
  • For low literacy levels, lots of emphasis on key words, lots of practical, short notes, diagrams @13loki
  • A reminder that you may go back to previous key stages or select parts of the curriculum for students who have SEN.  However @cleverfiend reminded chatters that there is already plenty of repetition in the national curriculum as it is!
  • Use of symbol software like communicate in print @90_maz (@cleverfiend reminded purchasers to check their stringent copyright terms first)
  • Repetition of key words by the class @anhalf
  • Relevance to everyday lives. An example given was making speakers from cupcake cases @asober
  • An interesting debate broke out about writing on walls and desks (using appropriate pens). @mallrat_uk and @cleverfiend were in favour.
  • Use of Velcro to display key words and allow repositioning on wall @cardiffscience
  • Voicethread as an assessment tool @asober
  • Scaffolding or using writing frames. They allow students to focus on the content rather than the structure @biolady99 @cleverfiend
  • Use of random name picking like The Hat to select random pairs @cleverfiend
  • Use of special software on iPad to create comic strips @mallrat_uk
  • Clear learning objectives, use of WALT and WILF @biolady99

Accreditation at 16 was varied across the schools discussed, ranging from GCSE (AQA B) through BTEC to Entry level.  It was felt that the new format of linear assessment for GCSE wouldn’t suit children with SEN.  The final word however must go to @anhalf who reminded us that “defined learning outcomes, well-pitched lessons are no different for sen than mainstream!”

Useful links:

New resources uploaded

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I created this website with the intention of sharing resources and ideas with other teachers. I’ve uploaded a selection of resources here (and some to the TES resource bank) that I use with my SEN and low ability students.

Topics include:

  • BTEC Level 1 Chemistry (periodic table and chemical change factors)
  • BTEC Level 1 IT users
  • Entry level biology topics
  • Misc updated worksheets.

Please download and use these resources as you see fit.  Usual copyright terms apply.

Do teachers want CPD in their own time? When is the best time to organise CPD?

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Earlier this week we were forced to cancel a course we’d organised for the weekend (we being the East Midlands region of the ASE).   Unfortunately we failed to attract sufficient numbers to justify running the course, with an average of four members per workshop (assuming everyone who had expressed an interest attended).

The course in question was a half day event organised on a Saturday morning.  The location was chosen to be central and easy to get to (and had the bonus of plenty of free parking for those that chose to drive).  Previous courses we had run at the venue in a similar time slot attracted in excess of thirty people. 

There are a number of reasons why we might not have attracted enough people:

  • Our publicity machine might need a little oiling, as people can only book onto a workshop they know about
  • The day of the week was a poor choice – people may not have wanted to give up a Saturday morning
  • Competition with other regional events – many people have been organising science teacher events so we are competing with each other
  • Venue – not everyone can get to Nottingham Trent University
  • Price – the workshop was advertised at £7 to members (£14 to non-members) with a free book.  Perhaps we were too expensive.

Unfortunately it isn’t possible to directly ask the people who didn’t book because we don’t know who they are.  I would appreciate some feedback from those of you who read my blog or receive my email feed when is the best time to organise CPD events and what encourages you to book onto a course when you see one advertised.  Better still if you are in the East Midlands and you knew about our event but didn’t book I’d love to know why so that we can do better next time!

Image © ComputerClipArt.com

Advice for teaching electricity (from #ASEChat)

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I’ve advocated #ASEChat on Twitter before as a source of excellent CPD.  If you want to know more about #ASEchat then check out  my guide here and look at the official #ASEchat page here.

 

Last night I moderated (if that is the appropriate term) a discussion about teaching electricity which made for very interesting reading.  I’ve posted a summary of the chat below, and as with all #ASEchat sessions, the official archive and summary can be found on the official #ASEchat page.  I maintain an unofficial archive of #ASEchat transcripts on Google Docs in spread sheet format which allows you to sort by contributor, highlight links etc.  The electricity chat can be found here.

 

Summary of Topic 24 – Teaching Electricity

I chose this topic as a biologist because I’m not sure I always do it justice. I wanted to hear from experienced and creative physicists how they introduce the concepts and any models they might use. I’ve listed some of these below:

  • The Rope Model: recommended by the IoP and several ASEchat participants, the rope model can be used to model flow of charge around the circuit (several participants didn’t like the phrase ‘flow of current’). For those who haven’t seen this model before, this video captured at a regional ASE workshop (featuring Helen Pollard from the IoP) demonstrates how it works.
  • The penguin rollercoaster was mentioned more than once (similar to this one) in which @gwiff explained the penguin is the charge, the height is the voltage, the current is the penguins going past, the resistance is the friction and finally the battery is the escalator.
  • Several teachers said they introduce the term coulombs early on in KS3 and to specifically avoid referring to electrons. @Lethandrel said “Coulombs given joules each (EMF) Mission give them all away (pd is each charitable donation) Must do it in conga line” and shared an image of her own furry coulomb.
  • Several teachers pointed out that many of the models have flaws in them (credit to @alomshaha and @informed_edu for pointing out the flaws in the rope model). All is not lost however as other contributors suggested that discussing models and their limitations fits in very well with ‘how science works’. In fact @alomshaha points out “It was while struggling with electricity as a student myself that I first really understood what a model was in science”.
  • Primary teachers have a part to play in teaching electricity. Advice included avoid referring to electrons, don’t teach students that current decreases round a circuit, make circuits and test for breaks in these circuits, testing different sized batteries.
  • Finally the question was asked if electricity is taught poorly in many instances, are we not better off leaving teaching electricity until KS4 so it can be taught by subject specialists. The response was mixed, however physicists are in short supply and many schools don’t have this luxury, so good models and explanations are essential for all teachers.

Top tweets

ViciaScience: Is teaching electricity just about understanding how bread is transported from bakery to supermarket?

Lethandrel: Avoid talking about electrons – kids end up obsessed and can’t think of electricity without them

Lethandrel: I talk about coulombs per sec and joules per coulomb, cute furry creature with bag of jewels/joules nice visual to hang it on

Agittner: have we all seen John Travoltage on the Phet simulations?

informed_edu: pet hate: "current flows round the circuit"

informed_edu: @Bio_Joe Charge flows around the circuit. Current is the number of coulombs flowing past each second.

alomshaha: @asober The IOP’s rope model is inadequate. Does not explain potential difference or drop in P.D across resistor

Useful links mentioned in the discussion

PhET Interactive Simulations – http://phet.colorado.edu/en/simulations/category/physics

Squishy circuits – http://courseweb.stthomas.edu/apthomas/SquishyCircuits/index.htm

Teaching Science for Understanding (Electricity) – http://www.education.leeds.ac.uk/research/cssme/ElecCircuitsScheme.pdf

Klunky Schematic Editor – http://www.qsl.net/wd9eyb/klunky/

Switched On Kids – http://www.switchedonkids.org.uk/

Hilary Osoko has advice for Primary teachers – http://www.tes.co.uk/article.aspx?storycode=96600

Making sense of children’s ideas http://staff.science.uva.nl/~joling/vakdidactiek/documenten/electricity.pdf