Using resources
Those awarded Qualified Teacher Status must demonstrate that they select and prepare resources, and plan for their safe and effective organisation, taking account of pupils’ interests and their language and cultural backgrounds, with the help of support staff where appropriate
Scope
Teachers need to select, prepare and manage resources in ways that best support all pupils’ learning, whether they are, for example, boys or girls, pupils from minority ethnic groups or those learning English as an additional language. Resources that are of interest to pupils are more likely to motivate them to learn. Teachers also need to ensure that resources are safe, and that pupils know how to use them safely. Trainees need to be able to select from available resources such as books and other published materials, museum and gallery resources, visual aids, tools, specialist equipment, artefacts and software, and also show that they are able to prepare their own resources where necessary. Trainees need to be able to use the advice and support of colleagues in their selection, preparation and use of resources.
Evidence relevant to meeting the Standard
Lesson plans, observation reports and direct observation of teaching will provide evidence of the quality of trainees’ selection and preparation of resources, and the extent to which they are able to choose or devise resources that interest pupils and stimulate their learning. Observation of lessons will show whether the trainees use resources safely and whether they teach pupils to handle resources so as to ensure their own health and safety and that of others. This will also provide evidence for meeting S3.3.8 (safe and effective use of resources). In subjects such as science, technology or ICT, planning for the use of resources might require trainees to be able to liaise closely with technicians. Primary trainees may work with early years assistants to plan the use of resources for play. Trainees may work at any stage with school librarians who can advise on choice of books or with EAL support staff who can advise on, for example, the use of bilingual texts and other resources.
When judging trainees’ teaching, assessors may wish to consider, for example: can the trainee select and use resources appropriate for speakers of languages other than English, and to reflect cultural diversity? Can the trainee recognise poor, unsafe or unsuitable resources and adapt or replace them with more appropriate ones? Is the trainee able to recognise bias and stereotyping in text and image-based resources? Can the trainee establish clear routines with the pupils for getting out equipment, using it safely and putting it away? Does the trainee liaise with other adults and support staff, where necessary, to help in planning for the use of resources to support learning? Does the trainee consult with pupils about their views on different resources and their impact on their learning and development?
S3.2.5
English as an additional language (EAL)
Those awarded Qualified Teacher Status must demonstrate that with the help of an experienced teacher, they can identify the levels of attainment of pupils learning English as an additional language. They begin to analyse the language demands and learning activities in order to provide cognitive challenge as well as language support.
Scope
In many schools there are pupils for whom English is not their first language. In order to ensure that these pupils achieve the standard of which they are capable, teachers need to be able to identify their levels of attainment and to provide support that will improve pupils’ language skills and help them to learn. Trainees need to show that, with the help of an experienced teacher, they could assess the levels of attainment of pupils for whom English is an additional language. They will need to be able to identify tasks and activities that take account of pupils’ language needs and that are intellectually demanding and appropriate to the pupils’ assessed levels of attainment. The Standard does not require trainees to teach pupils for whom English is an additional language.
Evidence relevant to meeting the Standard
Some trainees will be able to demonstrate that they have met this Standard through their direct work with pupils for whom English is an additional language. Others will not have an opportunity for such direct work and may meet the Standard through using video and exemplification materials, through contributions to discussion with specialist teachers and advisers, and through working with case study data. Trainees might provide evidence, for example, in an assignment relating to the QCA (2000) guidelines for assessing English as an additional language, showing their understanding of how these can be used to identify features of pupils’ developing English which are most likely to benefit from particular attention.
In schools, trainees may have the opportunity to demonstrate their awareness of how to work effectively and co-operatively with specialist staff, including bilingual assistants, in planning, supporting and monitoring pupils’ work. Evidence might also come from trainees’ planning of differentiated tasks which do not depend entirely on English language fluency. For example, trainees might plan to make use of the pupil’s first language, visual aids and diagrams, physical activity, and co-operative work with peers who share the same language. Other evidence may come from their use of resources to support pupils with English as an additional language and the preparations they undertake with teaching assistants.
Further references
Blair M and Bourne J (1998) DfEE Research Report 59 Making the Difference: teaching and learning strategies in multi-ethnic schools
OFSTED (1999) Raising the Attainment of Minority Ethnic Pupils: school and LEA responses
QCA (2000) A Language in Common: assessing English as an additional language
QCA (2000) Language for learning in Key Stage 3
SCAA (1996) Teaching English as an additional language: a framework for policy
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S3.3.5
Supporting EAL
Those awarded Qualified Teacher Status must demonstrate that they are able to support those who are learning English as an additional language, with the help of an experienced teacher where appropriate.
Scope
English is the main medium of instruction in the primary and secondary curriculum in England. To learn effectively, pupils for whom English is an additional language (EAL) often need particular help with the spoken and written English associated with the subject or topic being taught.
This Standard requires trainees to show that they could employ some practical strategies to support pupils for whom English is an additional language. Trainees might need, though are not required, to work effectively with classroom assistants or with specialists to support these pupils. Opportunities for trainees to work with pupils for whom English is an additional language will vary with the circumstances of their training. The Standard does not require trainees to teach pupils for whom English is an additional language.
Evidence relevant to meeting the Standard
Trainees might demonstrate that they meet this Standard by showing that they can analyse, with support, the English language demands of tasks and activities set in relation to a particular topic, and can establish a classroom environment in which pupils develop their language and literacy skills. Evidence might take the form of trainees drawing on pupils’ knowledge and experience of language, including their home languages.
When judging trainees’ teaching, assessors may wish to consider: can the trainee use carefully framed questions and explanations to establish pupils’ confidence in the English they need for a particular purpose? Can the trainee provide learners with opportunities to work with a variety of other pupils in a range of different groupings, ensuring that learners with English as an additional language are not inappropriately placed in groups for low-attaining pupils? Where trainees do not have the opportunity to demonstrate evidence for meeting this Standard in their teaching, the analysis of, for example, video-based case studies of pupils for whom English is an additional language or the preparation of resources might provide some evidence. This Standard is closely linked to S3.2.5 on the monitoring and assessment of pupils for whom English is as an additional language.
Further references
OFSTED (1999) Raising the Attainment of Minority Ethnic Pupils – schools and LEA responses
TTA (2000) Raising the Attainment of Minority Ethnic Pupils
National Literacy Strategy, Framework for Teaching: Additional Guidance: supporting pupils learning English as an additional language, www.standards.dfes.gov.uk/literacy/publications.
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S3.3.6
Taking account of diversity
Those awarded Qualified Teacher Status must demonstrate that they take account of the varying interests, experiences and achievements of boys and girls, and pupils from different cultural and ethnic groups, to help pupils make good progress.
Scope
All pupils have a range of interests, experiences and achievements. When teachers take account of this in their teaching, pupils are more likely to be motivated to engage in learning. Trainees will need to show some awareness of relationships between culture and ethnicity and pupils’ achievement, and of factors that can have different effects on the learning of boys and girls. In order to meet this Standard, trainees will need to demonstrate that they can find out about and take account of pupils’ interests, experiences and achievements to help individual pupils to progress.
Evidence relevant to meeting the Standard
Most evidence for this Standard will be demonstrated by trainees in their teaching, including their planning, in their discussion of their teaching, and in written evaluations of their lessons.
Assessors will need to take account of the range of contexts in which training takes place. When judging trainees’ teaching, they may wish to consider, for example: is the trainee able to set tasks that are sufficiently open to enable pupils to pursue and extend their own interests? Can the trainee provide supporting materials to give access to the curriculum for pupils learning English as an additional language? Does the trainee avoid cultural stereotyping and reinforce positive messages about minority ethnic groups and cultures? Does the trainee value the experiences pupils bring from their lives outside the classroom, including linguistic and cultural differences? Does the trainee encourage the use of home and shared languages to support learning? Does the trainee provide a range of texts and teaching materials that avoid cultural stereotyping and that reinforce positive messages about cultural and ethnic groups? Is the trainee able to demonstrate in their teaching, for example, careful ask setting, choice of resources, well-chosen use of examples and the use of non-stereotypical vocabulary?
Evidence for this Standard could also come from S3.1.3 (selecting appropriate resources), S3.2.5 and S3.3.5 (EAL), S3.3.1 (valuing diversity), and S3.3.14 (challenging stereotyped views).
Further references
DfES (2002) Minority Ethnic Pupils in Mainly White Schools. Tony Cline, Guida de Abreu, Cornelius Fihosy, Hilary Gray, Hannah Lambert and Jo Neale.
www.dfes.gov.uk/research/data/uploadfiles/RR365.pdf.
GTCE (1998) Making the difference: teaching and learning strategies in successful multi-ethnic schools. M. Blair and J. Bourne.
www.gtce.org.uk/research/differencestudy.asp.
National Curriculum (2000) Inclusion Statement
OFSTED (1999) Raising the Attainment of Minority Ethnic Pupils – schools and LEA responses
OFSTED (1996) Recent Research on the Achievements of Ethnic Minority Pupils
OFSTED (2002) Support for minority ethnic achievement: continuing professional development www.ofsted.gov.uk/publications.
OFSTED (2001) Managing Support for the Attainment of Pupils from Minority Ethnic Groups www.ofsted.gov.uk/publications/docs/1137.pdf.
TTA (2000) Raising the Attainment of Minority Ethnic Pupils
DfES Standards website: www.standards.dfes.gov.uk/genderandachievement.
Inclusion: Providing Effective Learning Opportunities for all Pupils in the National Curriculum for England and Wales, www.nc.uk.net.
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