Pupils vary enormously in their
individual learning needs and in their learning
abilities. Every classroom is therefore a mixed-ability
learning community, even when 'setting' or 'banding'
for ability has occurred. An important aspect
of mentoring novice teachers, reviewing the teaching
of more experienced colleagues or conducting
a Learning Study, is to focus on how far the
lesson is catering for pupil diversity.
For example, are all pupils in the class able
to keep pace with the lesson, or are some pupils
being left behind in their thinking or in the
work? Are some pupils spending time just waiting
for others to catch up? And how can we be sure
that all pupils are being given maximum learning
opportunities? What strategies can we use to
try to achieve that aim?
In addition, we can ask to what extent all
pupils in the class can master the critical features
(concepts, ideas, and processes) that will help
them to understand the object of learning and
proceed further in their studies. One important
aspect of this process is for teachers to recognise
that pupils have different ways of perceiving
and understanding the same phenomenon. The teachers'
role is therefore to:
- be aware of the individual differences of
pupils
- clearly identify the object of learning
for the lesson being taught
- identify the critical features for teaching
the particular topic,
- teach the lesson in such a way that it helps
pupils to master the topic, even though they
are coming to it from their own individual
perspectives.
The purpose of this Unit is not to try to cover
the whole issue of pupil diversity, but rather
to begin to consider some of the issues from the
perspective of a mentor helping novice teachers
to cater sensitively for pupil diversity without
labelling children. |
