Teaching Ideas and Units - Teaching Strategies

Y Charts

Speaking and listening, writing
Bands A,B,C,D

What is it?

A graphic organiser that requires the brainstorming of ideas around three dimensions: what a particular topic/situation ‘looks like’, ‘sounds like’ and ‘feels like’.

What is its purpose?

• It encourages students to think critically about classroom climate and to identify appropriate behaviours for achieving this, for example, what does.a co-operative English classroom ‘looks like’, ‘feels like’ and ‘sounds like’:

Looks like Lots of speaking and listening Interaction, sharing, positives Consulting, helping, not put downs Lots of team work, not competitive Everyone pulling their weight
Feels likes Cheerful, happy, worthwhile, valued all Motivated, engaged, switched on Comfortable, purposeful Satisfying, buzzing, exciting	Sounds like Lots of on-task buzz from Hear positive talk, Laughter, humour, Praise, encouragement

• Focuses students on the importance of social skills and a positive classroom climate
• Establishes the importance of co-operation as a tool for learning
• Gives students the language which best describes appropriate behaviours
• Acknowledges the importance of ‘emotional’ intelligence
• Facilitates critical thinking and problem solving

How do I do it?

• Decide on the topic/social skill you wish to explore with your students
• Divide students into small groups, allocating tasks to each group member such as recorder, reporter, time-keeper, organiser
• Hand out Y chart proforma, A3 size
• Have students brainstorm as many possibilities as they can within a specific time limit
• Each group reports back
• Discussion and clarification follows
• Strengths and weaknesses are identified as the topic/social skill is utilised in the classroom over several days or lessons and follow-up action is suggested

How can I adapt it?

• Use it as an individual exercise for students to reflect on their own social behaviours
• Use it to explore concepts and issues
• Explore features and structures of texts as they are the focus of class work, for example, ‘What does a strong/successful character look like, feel like, sound like?’

How can it be used to evaluate students’ language learning?

• An evaluative tool for analysis and discussion
• Provides a srtucture for effective reflection
• Anecdotal evidence of social skills development
• Useful as a set of criteria for self and peer assessment of effective speaking and listening

Where can I find out more?

Susan Hill and Jane O’Laughlin (1995) Book Talk, Collaborative Responses to Literature, Eleanor Curtin