Live modelling is considered to be one of the most powerful strategies in the teacher’s toolkit and I absolutely agree!
Through live modelling I can take my students through a step-by-step process of completing the task at hand. These steps are process driven and they support students’ metacognitive thinking. This is the first stage of scaffolding where I ‘think aloud‘ and show/explain to them how to ‘think’ their way through the task.
Modelling and scaffolding allows me – the expert teacher to guide and stretch my novice learners. This instructional strategy allows my students to learn by observing my thought process. The aim of this instruction is to engage my students in imitation of a particular behaviour that encourages learning.
*Modelling of metacognitive regulation is essential to encourage our learners to be more independent.
Planning stage (before the task) – Have I seen this type of a question before? What strategies can I employ to tackle it? What should I do first?
Monitoring stage (during the task) – Am I on track? How do I know? Do I need to change my approach?
Evaluation stage (after the task) – What worked well? What have I learned that I can use in future tasks?
Over the time and with plenty of practice fewer of my learners will need this type of demonstration to tackle the task. With the support of guided practice they will be able to complete the task independently and apply what they have learned to similar tasks they encounter in the future. They will be able to transfer these skills, strategies and metacognitive knowledge.
Below you can watch me ‘live’ modelling a writing and a reading task under my visualiser. I have recorded my screen whilst going through the process, so any student absent from my lesson or any student who would like to re-watch the metacognitive approach again, can do so on demand. It is a resource that I can use at any time in the future and in the past, I have also set it as HWK to watch before an assessment.
My students have found it extremely useful and feedback has been very positive, so much so that colleagues from other departments were interested to see it and use it for their subject.
Live modelling – 80-90 word writing task
Live modelling – GCSE reading task – TL
Some examples of students’ feedback:
*Reference:
Jennifer Webb: The Metacognition Handbook
Exam papers: German GCSE Edexel Sample papers 2021
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