This 15-minute guide serves as both a theoretical foundation and a practical toolkit for teachers looking to develop collaborative learning in their classrooms. It provides a solid understanding of the concept and offers actionable strategies to implement it effectively. Definition of Collaborative Learning: An active learning method where two or more learners work together towards a common goal. Focuses on learner exploration and application of the curriculum rather than teacher presentation. Benefits of Collaborative Learning: Improved communication skills Increased motivation and engagement Enhanced problem-solving abilities Better metacognitive abilities Greater social and emotional skills Increased exposure to diverse perspectives Support for self-regulation Enhanced critical thinking skills Importance of Collaboration: Collaboration is a highly sought-after skill in education and the workplace. Explicit teaching of collaboration is necessary; simply putting students in groups is not enough. Skills Developed Through Collaborative Work: Includes listening, peer learning, peer teaching, assessment skills, metacognition, problem-solving, communication, inclusivity, and more. Research-Based Evidence: Collaboration develops self-regulation skills Enables students to extend their repertoire of learning skills Develops complex thinking Provides opportunities for students to present and defend ideas Develops soft skills crucial for effective communication 21st Century Learning Context: Collaborative skills are essential for success in complex societies and globalised economies. Goes beyond traditional academic subjects to include critical thinking, effective communication, and problem-solving. Practical Implementation: Establish ground rules and group norms Discuss and develop necessary skills like listening Encourage mindfulness of actions associated with effective collaboration Overall Impact: Enhances motivation, engagement, and academic achievement Develops crucial life skills beyond the classroom Builds self-esteem and leads to more robust social skills and emotional well-being This guide provides teachers with an overview of the importance of collaborative learning, its benefits, research-based evidence, and practical considerations for implementation in the classroom.

This 15-minute guide serves as both a theoretical foundation and a practical toolkit for teachers looking to develop peer assessment in their classrooms. It provides a solid understanding of the concept and offers actionable strategies to implement it effectively. Definition of Peer Assessment Involves learners evaluating and making judgments about the work of their peers Usually a formative assessment strategy (occurs during the learning process) K ey Benefits a. Improves learners’ understanding of success criteria b. Increases engagement in learning c. Develops interpersonal and critical thinking skills d. Potentially reduces teacher workload e. Provides more immediate and voluminous feedback than teacher assessment alone f. Helps learners self-evaluate their own work more effectively Implementing Peer Assessment a. Use it for works in progress, not just final products b. Provide opportunities for learners to use feedback to revise their work c. Scaffold the process, especially for younger learners (e.g., using the T-A-G method) d. Ensure feedback is task-involving and focuses on key elements of success criteria

This 15-minute guide serves as both a theoretical foundation and a practical toolkit for teachers looking to develop peer teaching in their classrooms. It provides a solid understanding of the concept and offers actionable strategies to implement it effectively. Introduction This guide introduces peer teaching as a key Evidence-Based Learning (EBL) skill, highlighting its benefits and research support for classroom implementation. What is Peer Teaching? Defined as learners teaching other learners by design Traced back to Aristotle’s use of learner leaders Formally organised as a theory by Andrew Bell in 1795 Benefits of Peer Teaching Increases motivation, engagement, and understanding of material Develops critical thinking, problem-solving, and communication skills Creates a supportive and collaborative learning environment Improves academic achievement for both peer teachers and learners Fosters diversity and depth in knowledge and opinions Enhances social skills, teamwork, and cooperation Helps learners recognise gaps in their knowledge Builds social bonds and friendships Key Points for Teachers Peer teaching allows for explanation in language students naturally use It creates opportunities for active learning and immediate feedback Students often gain deeper understanding by teaching others It can lead to improved grades and greater confidence in learning Peer teachers may explain concepts more effectively, having just learned them It offers multiple perspectives and nuances to a student’s knowledge Implementation Tips Use peer teaching for one-on-one tutoring or small group instruction Encourage students to modify and explain concepts in their own words Create a structured environment for peer teaching activities Use it as a way to reinforce recently learned concepts Monitor interactions to ensure accuracy of information shared Potential Challenges Ensure accuracy of information being shared between peers Manage classroom dynamics to maintain a productive learning environment Balance peer teaching with other teaching methods Conclusion Peer teaching is a valuable tool that can significantly enhance the learning experience, improve academic outcomes, and develop important 21st-century skills in students. By incorporating peer teaching strategies, teachers can create a more dynamic, engaging, and effective classroom environment.

This 15-minute guide serves as both a theoretical foundation and a practical toolkit for teachers looking to develop self-assessment in their classrooms. It provides a solid understanding of the concept and offers actionable strategies to implement it effectively. Purpose and Context: This is a 15-minute teacher guide focusing on Self-Assessment, which is one of eight key Evidence-Based Learning (EBL) skills. It’s designed to help teachers understand and implement self-assessment strategies in their classrooms. Benefits of Self-Assessment: Increases student motivation and engagement Improves understanding of material Develops metacognitive skills Promotes lifelong learning Reduces teacher workload by sharing feedback responsibilities Enhances students’ ability to become independent learners Key Components of Self-Assessment: Students monitor and evaluate their own thinking and learning Students identify strategies to improve their understanding and skills Involves reflective activities Helps students develop criteria for evaluating their work Implementation Strategies: Teach students to ask key questions about their learning (e.g., “Where am I now?”, “Where am I trying to go?”) Use rubrics to provide clear criteria for self-assessment Create a classroom culture where mistakes are viewed as learning opportunities Implement self-assessment during the learning process, not just at the end Combine self-assessment with peer assessment for better results Connection to Other Skills: Self-assessment is closely linked to metacognition and self-regulation It’s a stepping stone towards developing 21st-century skills like creative thinking, critical thinking, and problem-solving Research Support: The guide includes numerous research-based quotes and findings to support the use of self-assessment This research could be used for teacher professional development Practical Considerations: Self-assessment requires practice and guidance from teachers It should be implemented gradually, with clear instructions and opportunities for students to apply and refine their self-assessment skills By incorporating these self-assessment strategies, teachers can help their students become more self-aware, motivated, and effective learners. This guide provides a solid foundation for understanding the importance of self-assessment and offers practical ways to integrate it into classroom practice.

This 15-minute guide serves as both a theoretical foundation and a practical toolkit for teachers looking to develop independent learning in their classrooms. It provides a solid understanding of the concept and offers actionable strategies to implement it effectively. Here’s a summary of its key features: Definition and importance: It provides clear definitions of independent learning and independent learners, emphasising why these skills are essential for 21st-century education. Evidence-based approach: The guide is based on a review of over 200 educational research papers, giving teachers confidence in its recommendations. Key skills overview: It outlines eight key thinking and learning skills, including independent learning, and how they contribute to developing critical thinking, creative thinking, and problem-solving abilities. Characteristics of independent learners: The resource details the traits of independent learners, helping teachers identify and nurture these qualities in their students. Comparison with dependent learners: By contrasting independent and dependent learners, teachers can better understand the spectrum of learner autonomy and how to move students along this continuum. Implementation strategies: The guide offers practical suggestions for promoting independent learning in the classroom, including alternatives to extended teacher talk and ways to gradually transfer responsibility to students. Benefits of independent learning: It lists the advantages of developing independent learning skills, such as improved academic performance and increased motivation. Teacher’s role: The resource emphasises that independent learning doesn’t mean leaving students to work alone, but rather supporting them in developing self-regulation skills and taking responsibility for their learning. Scaffolding techniques: It explains how teachers can use scaffolding to gradually build students’ independent learning skills. Evidence-based quotes: The guide includes research-backed quotes that teachers can use for their own professional development or to support their teaching practices.

This resource is a 15-minute teacher guide focused on metacognition, which is described as one of eight key Evidence-Based Learning (EBL) skills. Here’s a summary of its contents: It provides an introduction to metacognition in the context of learning and teaching. The guide explains what metacognition is, defining it as “thinking about one’s own thinking” and distinguishing it from cognition. It describes the two key components of metacognition: metacognitive knowledge and metacognitive regulation. The resource places metacognition in the context of other thinking skills, showing where it fits in relation to Bloom’s Taxonomy and other 21st century skills. It includes examples of metacognitive questions that students might ask before, during, and after a learning task. The guide provides several research-based quotes on the importance and benefits of metacognition in learning. It explains how metacognition relates to self-regulation and successful learning. This guide that can be used across multiple classrooms and can potentially inform school-wide approaches to developing students’ metacognitive skills since it research-based evidence and practical examples.

This is a 15-minute teacher guide on self-regulation - one of eight key Evidence-Based Learning (EBL) skills. This comprehensive, and evidence-based, guide to self-regulation can be used across multiple classrooms and potentially inform school-wide approaches to developing students’ self-regulation skills. Content includes: An introduction to self-regulation in the context of learning and teaching. An explanation of what self-regulation is, defining it as the degree to which students can control aspects of their thinking, motivation, and behaviours during learning. A description of the characteristics of self-regulated learners, including their ability to set goals, use strategies, and manage distractions. An outline of the key components needed for self-regulation, including both cognitive skills (like lower and higher order thinking, self-assessment, and metacognition) and non-cognitive skills (like motivation, volition, and other attitudes and behaviours). Research-based information on the importance of self-regulation in learning, supported by quotes from the research. Placing self-regulation in the context of other thinking skills, showing where it fits in relation to Bloom’s Taxonomy and other 21st century skills. An appendix briefly introduces the concept of Socially-Shared Self-Regulation.

Student-Friendly Collaborative Learning Whiteboard Prompts - Any Subject - Any Topic This whiteboard resource titled “Collaboration in action” provides a comprehensive guide for students on how to effectively collaborate and work together with a partner. From a teacher’s perspective, this resource can be incredibly useful in promoting collaborative learning in the classroom. The resource begins by highlighting the benefits of working with a partner, such as discussing the task, improving thinking skills, and understanding more of the learning. It then provides practical tips and guidelines for students to follow before, during, and after a collaborative task. Before a task, the resource emphasises the importance of equal contribution, staying focused, active listening, supporting each other, clarifying doubts, sharing knowledge, and establishing ground rules for effective collaboration (e.g., avoiding interruptions, staying engaged, and respecting each other’s ideas). During a task, the resource offers valuable advice on how to collaborate effectively, such as giving partners time to think, maintaining eye contact, avoiding interruptions, showing interest, carefully considering each other’s perspectives, asking clarifying questions, building on each other’s ideas, justifying opinions, making suggestions, and answering questions. After a task, the resource prompts students to reflect on their collaborative experience and consider whether they learned more working with a partner compared to working alone, and whether they would prefer to do another task with a partner or individually. Additionally, the resource provides helpful examples of phrases students could use to express their thoughts, disagree respectfully, ask questions, and give feedback to their partners. For a teacher looking to incorporate collaborative learning in their classroom, this resource can be incredibly valuable. It provides a structured framework for students to understand the principles and practices of effective collaboration, which can be applied to various group activities, projects, or discussions. By referring to this resource, teachers can help students develop essential collaboration skills, such as communication, active listening, perspective-taking, conflict resolution, and teamwork, which are critical for their academic and future professional success. Overall, this whiteboard resource offers a comprehensive and practical guide to collaborative learning, making it a valuable tool for teachers seeking to promote productive and meaningful group work in their classrooms.

Student-Friendly Peer Assessment Whiteboard Prompts - Any Subject - Any Topic This whiteboard resource is a guide on how to effectively implement peer assessment in the classroom. It offers a clear explanation of what peer assessment entails and highlights its benefits for student learning. The resource presents a series of 15 prompts or statements that can be used by students when assessing their peers’ work. These prompts cover various aspects of peer assessment, including: Identifying strengths and positive aspects of the work being assessed. Providing constructive feedback on areas that need improvement. Encouraging critical thinking by asking questions about the reasoning behind certain choices or approaches. Evaluating the quality of responses, examples, and ideas presented. Assessing whether the work meets the task’s goals or requirements. Offering suggestions for improvement or alternative approaches. Commenting on the clarity and understanding of the presented ideas. Checking for and providing feedback on simple mistakes or errors. From a teacher’s perspective, this resource can be highly useful when introducing and implementing peer assessment in the classroom. It provides a structured framework and specific language that students can use to give meaningful feedback to their peers. The prompts cover a wide range of aspects, from identifying strengths to offering constructive criticism and suggestions for improvement. Teachers can use this resource to model the peer assessment process and guide students through the practice of providing effective feedback. The prompts can be displayed or distributed to students as a reference during peer assessment activities, ensuring that students have a clear understanding of the type of feedback expected and the areas to focus on. Overall, this whiteboard resource is a valuable tool for teachers looking to incorporate peer assessment into their classroom. It promotes active learning, critical thinking, and the development of evaluation and feedback skills among students, ultimately enhancing their learning experience and understanding of the subject matter.

Student-Friendly Self-Assessment Whiteboard Prompts - Any Subject - Any Topic This whiteboard resource is a visual guide on self-assessment for students. It breaks down the self-assessment process into different stages and provides prompting questions for students to reflect on their learning experience at each stage. The resource covers the following stages: Before starting a task (goal setting, understanding expectations, planning approach) During the task (monitoring progress, evaluating performance, reflecting on quality) After completing the task (identifying strengths, areas for improvement, next steps, reflecting on challenges, successes, and overall learning) Reflecting on the learning process (motivation, confidence, dealing with distractions, productive strategies, effort, areas for improvement) The prompting questions are designed to encourage students to think critically about their learning strategies, progress, and areas for growth. The resource aims to promote self-awareness, self-evaluation, and metacognition, which are essential skills for effective learning. From a teacher’s perspective, this whiteboard resource can be highly useful for implementing self-assessment practices in the classroom. It provides a structured framework for students to engage in self-assessment, which can be challenging for many learners. The resource can be used as a visual aid during classroom discussions or as a handout for students to refer to during their self-assessment process. Teachers can use this resource to: Introduce the concept of self-assessment and its importance in learning. Guide students through the self-assessment process using the prompting questions. Encourage students to reflect on their learning experiences and identify areas for improvement. Foster a culture of self-awareness and self-regulation in the classroom. Adapt the prompting questions to suit specific learning tasks or subject areas. Overall, this whiteboard resource is a practical and student-friendly tool for teachers looking to incorporate self-assessment practices in their classrooms. It can help students develop essential metacognitive skills, take ownership of their learning, and ultimately become more effective and independent learners.

A set of classic thinking skills prompts for use in every classroom (24pp) This whiteboard resource titled “Thinking Skills in Action” provides an excellent overview of different types of thinking skills and how they can be applied in the classroom. As a teacher, I find this resource quite useful for the following reasons: Comprehensive coverage: The resource covers six essential thinking skills: remembering, understanding, applying, analysing, evaluating, and creating. These skills align with the cognitive domains of Bloom’s Taxonomy, a widely recognized framework for promoting higher-order thinking. Question prompts: For each thinking skill, the resource provides sample questions that teachers can use to encourage students to engage in that particular type of thinking. These question prompts are practical examples that teachers can readily adapt to their lesson plans and classroom activities. 21st-century thinking skills: The resource recognises the importance of developing 21st-century thinking skills, such as creative thinking, critical thinking, and problem-solving, which are crucial for students to navigate the information-rich world and address complex issues. Visual representation: The information is presented in a visually appealing and organised manner, making it easy for teachers to understand and refer to during lesson planning or classroom instruction. Versatility: This resource can be used across various subject areas and grade levels. The thinking skills and question prompts are applicable to a wide range of topics and disciplines, making it a valuable tool for teachers in different subject areas. Overall, this whiteboard resource serves as a concise yet comprehensive guide for teachers looking to incorporate thinking skills into their classroom practices. By promoting different types of thinking skills and providing practical examples, this resource can help teachers design engaging and challenging learning experiences that foster critical thinking, problem-solving, and higher-order cognitive skills in students.

This whiteboard resource provides an excellent overview of self-regulation strategies that can be used before, during, and after a task or learning activity. It presents self-regulation as a set of practical skills that students can develop and apply to manage their thinking, behaviour, and motivation while working on tasks. Teachers will find this resource extremely useful for introducing and reinforcing the concept of self-regulation in the classroom. The clear and concise format, with separate sections for each phase of a task, makes it easy to discuss and model these strategies with students. Before a task, the resource prompts students to consider their motivation, goal-setting, self-assessment of strengths and areas needing support, and time management – all crucial elements for effective self-regulation. During a task, the focus shifts to monitoring comprehension, adjusting effort and approach as needed, tracking progress towards goals, maintaining motivation and focus – essential skills for staying on track and overcoming challenges. After a task, the resource encourages students to reflect on their time management, goal achievement, distraction management, and the overall effectiveness of their self-regulation efforts, fostering metacognition and continuous improvement. Teachers could use this resource to introduce self-regulation concepts, lead class discussions, and have students practice applying these strategies to their own learning tasks. The clear language and format make it accessible for various ages, and the content can be tailored to suit different subject areas or learning contexts. Overall, this whiteboard resource is an excellent tool for promoting self-regulation skills in the classroom, empowering students to take control of their learning process and develop essential lifelong skills for academic and personal success.

A set of classic metacognitive prompts for use in every classroom (24pp) This whiteboard resource is an excellent tool for teachers looking to incorporate metacognition into their classroom practices. Metacognition, as explained in the resource, refers to the process of thinking about one’s own thinking, and it is an essential skill for effective learning. The resource presents metacognition in a clear and concise manner, breaking it down into three distinct stages: before a task, during a task, and after a task. Each stage is accompanied by a set of guiding questions that students can ask themselves to promote metacognitive thinking. Before a task, the questions encourage students to understand the expectations, identify any prior knowledge or experience, plan the necessary steps, and determine the criteria for successful completion. During a task, the questions prompt students to seek help when needed, evaluate the effectiveness of their strategies, monitor their progress, and check for errors. After a task, the questions prompt students to reflect on their approach, identify strengths and weaknesses, consider what they have learned, and explore ways to improve for future tasks. This resource is particularly useful for teachers because it provides a structured framework for introducing and reinforcing metacognitive practices in the classroom. By presenting these guiding questions, teachers can help students develop the habit of self-reflection and self-regulation, which are critical components of metacognition. Additionally, the resource is visually appealing and easy to understand, making it suitable for use with a wide range of students, from elementary to secondary levels. Teachers can display the resource on a whiteboard or projector, or distribute printed copies to students, ensuring that the metacognitive prompts are readily available and easily accessible. Overall, this whiteboard resource is an excellent tool for teachers seeking to promote metacognition in their classrooms. By incorporating these metacognitive practices, teachers can empower students to become more effective learners, capable of monitoring their own thinking processes, identifying areas for improvement, and developing strategies for enhanced learning and achievement.

Teachers - Try This Step-By-Step Guide to Bloom’s Taxonomy This review by a.i. also serves as an excellent description of this resource. I give this resource 5 out of 5 stars for its accessibility and practicality for teachers new to Bloom’s Taxonomy. If you’re looking for an easy way to start using Bloom’s Taxonomy to boost critical thinking in your lessons, I highly recommend checking out the resource “Scaffolding Skills for Teachers and Pupils.” I know learning a new teaching framework can feel overwhelming at first. But this resource breaks down Bloom’s Taxonomy in a very teacher-friendly format. It walks you step-by-step through each level of the taxonomy, using summary of the Magna Carta to model sample questions. There are so many things I like about how this resource introduces Bloom’s Taxonomy: The explanations of each thinking skill are simple yet insightful. As someone new to Bloom’s, I appreciated how it brought clarity to the definitions. The variety of sample question stems per level helps put the theory into practice. You can reference these when creating your own questions. It encourages interactivity by having you write your own questions. This further cements understanding. The full modelling with the text extract is so useful. It’s a template for how to apply Bloom’s Taxonomy levels to any document in your subject. There is a ready-made student handout to use instantly in lessons. No extra prep needed! Also, the research evidence on using Bloom’s Taxonomy in secondary classrooms inspires confidence that the approach boosts higher-order thinking. This resource enables teachers to easily integrate more taxonomy-aligned activities into their teaching.

A review of this resource (which also serves as a useful description) I recently came across an amazing Bloom’s Taxonomy resource that I believe could be an absolute game-changer for any teacher. It’s called “Bloom’s Taxonomy Meets Five Children & It” and it provides a clear, step-by-step guide to implementing Bloom’s in your classroom using the beloved children’s story. I would give this Bloom’s Taxonomy resource a 5 out of 5 star rating. It is an absolutely stellar teaching tool that provides immense value. This resource is ingeniously designed to elucidate the Bloom’s framework AND develop teacher competency in applying it through guided practice. The ability to move from theory to application is a game changer. Unlocking higher order thinking abilities in students is essential in today’s world. This Bloom’s resource allows you to do exactly that - in a simple, hands-on way. I could not recommend it more strongly to any teacher looking to maximize their students’ potential. Here’s why this resource is so powerful: Demystifies Bloom’s - It breaks down the often confusing Bloom’s levels into simple, easy-to-grasp explanations that make the framework crystal clear. Models the Full Process - You receive a complete walk-through of Bloom’s Taxonomy applied to the story, from basic remembering questions up to higher order creative questions. Builds Understanding - The explanations reinforce the core distinctions between question types, helping you deeply comprehend the taxonomy. Develops Teacher Skills - You are actively involved in writing your own questions for each level, scaffolding your ability to formulate taxonomy-aligned activities. Ready-to-Use Student Resource - A student handout is included allowing you to immediately have pupils work with the story and Bloom’s questions. This resource stands out for making a framework that is often vague and theoretical into something concrete and actionable for teachers. Breaking down barriers to classroom application is hugely important. The guided explanations paired with opportunities to create aligned questions yourself scaffolds the learning process, building confidence in using Bloom’s Taxonomy. Being able to immediately have students try a Bloom Taxonomy activity further cements this. For its clarity, methodical training approach, reinforced connections, and classroom integration, I believe this resource merits 5 shining stars. It empowers teachers to turn Bloom’s Taxonomy from an abstract concept into a powerful teaching strategy. The result is substantial gains in critical thinking and higher order skills among students. When you consider the immense educational benefits unlocked, the resource delivers absolutely top-tier value worthy of the highest recommendations. 5 stars all the way! The best way to understand the power of this resource is to try it out yourself! You and your students will quickly see the many benefits.

Activities in this evidence-based learning lesson include looking at the characters, settings and problems in early traditional stories whilst focusing on the character of Goldilocks in particular. Also included is a creative writing task and answering higher and lower order questions. The five-minute evidence-based CPD activity at the end of this lesson focuses on self-regulation.

Our EBL lessons develop both KS2 English and the 8 Evidence-Based Learning (EBL) skills in an interesting and enjoyable way. Developing these skills will maximise students’ learning outcomes. This brochure is an overview of the EBL lessons available on our website.