Introduction
No Pens Day Wednesday lesson plans have been created by practising mainstream teachers and speech and language therapists. These have then been quality assured by a specialist speech and language therapist to ensure they are fit for purpose.
Lesson plans
The lesson plans provide an example for schools to adapt and build on, though they can be used as they are if this fits in with your planning.
Teachers can use plans from different year groups and adapt them as necessary to be appropriate for the students you work with.
Lesson plans aim to follow good practice principles; e.g. they
· Identify explicit learning objectives.
· Support use of questioning, using Blooms taxonomy, to support learning.
· Include plenary sessions that encourage pupils to reflect on their learning.
Some lessons include reflection on how the “no pens” theme of the day has affected learning. This could be a discussion you could have in any lesson in order to gather pupils’ views on how an emphasis on talk in the classroom has impacted on their learning and enjoyment of lessons.
Each lesson plan also has key vocabulary identified, which is listed in the vocabulary section of the lesson plan. Vocabulary is key for all pupils, particularly those whose language is not at an age appropriate level or pupils learning English as an additional language. Teaching vocabulary explicitly as part of a lesson, using tried and tested strategies can make a significant difference to these pupils in particular. Teachers can have a look at strategies for supporting vocabulary in class in the information for staff section of our website.
How do no pens activities support pupils with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND)?
The aim of No Pens Day Wednesday is to include all students in spoken language activities to support their learning. This includes students who require SEN support, many of whom will have speech, language and communication needs (SLCN).
The SEND Code of Practice, which came into effect in September 2014, emphasises the importance of all teachers playing an important role in identifying and supporting those who have SEND. By taking part in No Pens Day Wednesday you will be able to access and put in place lots of great ways to build in quality support for all student’s communication across the school/setting. This is an important part of removing barriers to learning and engaging in inclusive practice. You’ll also be able to access information and guidance that can help you better understand how to identify and support students who are struggling.
By placing a focus on spoken language in your setting, you may find that you’re more able to spot those students who are struggling with their speech, language and communication development. For those students who have already been identified as requiring SEN support, placing a focus in spoken language means that you are encouraging them to develop their skills in this important area of their development, which is the foundation for so much of their learning.
Lesson plans could also be adapted to link with any objectives that have been set by specialist colleagues, such as a speech and language therapist.
You can find out more about identifying and supporting students with SEND, and in particular those with SLCN in our pack of strategies for every classroom, which can be found in the information for staff section of our website.
Further Education lesson plans – English Literature
Lesson Objectives:
- Consolidate understanding of the narrative plot in a set text (suitable for plays and novels).
- Use abstract thinking to explore key characters in a set text. / Speaking and Listening Objectives:
• Communicate and perform abstract interpretations in a clear and concise manner.
• Make clear and relevant contributions to whole class discussion.
Activity: Revising set texts using abstract thinking.
(Particularly relevant for Shakespeare, but could be adapted for other plays and novels). / Differentiation: / Resources
Vocabulary:
Narrative Plot
Characterisation
Praxis / Extended abstract thinking / -
- Teachers can provide plot outlines and/or key quotations to support students, depending how familiar students are with the text.
- Circulate round groups and extend abstract thinking through questioning/further discussion.
- Provide 5 minute warning before final performances. / - Collection of household objects – the more random the better! e.g. pegs, plastic cutlery, mugs, wooden spoon, cans, empty cartons/boxes, string, toilet roll, sponge, shuttlecock, tennis ball, marbles, paperclips, jelly baby sweets etc.
- Flat tables
- Video cameras (optional) You can just film their hands moving the objects to limit safeguarding issues.
Starter: Cast Your Characters
- Divide the class into groups of 3-4 students.
- Give each group the same selection of objects (you need enough objects for all characters in the text). You can also encourage students to use any objects they might have with them or it could be a homework to bring in one household object.
- Direct students to use abstract thinking to cast the main characters using the objects in front of them. Encourage students to discuss their character-to-object choices and justify their decisions. (5-10 minutes)
- Students to share their final cast with the rest of the group and explain their rationale (you may want to limit this to a couple of characters time dependent). This should prompt some interesting discussion on characterisation and extended abstract connections.
- Extension: Depending on the size of your class, you could also run this as a carousel discussion, where one member of the group stays to present their casting and the rest of the group circulate the room to hear other people’s ideas, before feeding back to their group and making any final edits to their cast.
Main:
- Now that students have their characters finalised, explain that they are going to condense and perform the whole play using their table top cast.
- Show the class a few clips/images from the Forced Entertainment “Tabletop Shakespeare” website for inspiration and guidance: https://www.forcedentertainment.com/project/complete-works-table-top-shakespeare/
- Students should divide themselves into the following roles (or they can rotate roles):
o Director
o Camera Person
o Performer/s
- Students should then plan and rehearse their table top performance. Groups could be assigned a key scene/chapter to explore if time is limited or they can perform the whole text. They will need to summarise and condense the key plot points in their own words. The more dramatic the better!
Plenary:
Each group to perform their table top interpretation to the rest of the group.
Encourage other groups to critically review and question each other’s performances verbally.
Each group could be challenged to ask a question at the end of each performance or to give 1 positive & 1 suggestion.
You could film the performances and put them on a VLE as a revision resource e.g. google classroom.
Assessment for learning:
What did you contribute to your group?
What did you learn from your group?
How well did we explain and listen to each other’s contributions?
Which character was hardest to cast? Why?
Which scene was most exciting or hardest to perform? Why?
What have you noticed about the narrative structure in this text from your performances today?
What are the key themes that have arisen from your exploration of the text today?
Would you change any of your character “objects” now?
Or – get students to write the questions at the end as a plenary!
No Pens Homework:
To watch the recorded performances on the homework VLE / Google Classroom and verbally review/peer assess other groups next lesson. This could lead to a vote for the best performance/production. Extend learning through justification of their choices and further questioning.
Further Education lesson plans – Creative Writing
Lesson Objectives:
Students will discuss the process of characterisation, in other author’s writing and their own.
Students will create their own character profile in response to a physical stimulus.
Students will experiment with oral storytelling using their newly created characters. / Speaking and Listening Objectives:
• To participate in group discussion
• To make clear and relevant contributions to whole class discussion
• To work effectively as a group
• To think creatively and imaginatively
• To present ideas clearly to the class
Activity: Characterisation & Oral Storytelling / Differentiation: / Resources
Vocabulary:
Characterisation
Oral Storytelling
Protagonist
Antagonist
Major / Minor Character
Anti-hero / Teacher to differentiate questioning as required.
Students could be split into smaller groups depending on size/composition of class.
Teacher can provide prompt questions if students are struggling to come up with ideas. See website > / There is an excellent reference for types of characters here: http://learn.lexiconic.net/characters.htm
https://www.freelancewriting.com/creative-writing/questions-for-creating-character-development/
Starter:
Discussion on: What makes a fictional character believable?
Encourage students to identify their favourite (or least!) fictional characters.
Some possible prompts:
· Do you have to like the character?
· Does the author / reader need to know everything about the character?
· As an author, do you prefer to plan your characters before starting writing or develop them as you write?
· What is more important - characters or plot?
Main:
Display an array of miscellaneous objects on a table in the middle of the room. The more random the better, but items of clothing can work well for this. (E.g. wooden spoon, shovel, bicycle wheel, sailors hat, ball gown, pair of men’s shoes, light bulb, car keys etc.)
In pairs students are to choose one object and take it back to their work space. They will then spend about 15 minutes verbally creating a character inspired by their chosen object. Encourage students to discuss their character in depth and to create a detailed history.
After 15 minutes, each pair will then have 2 minutes to present their character to the rest of the group. Encourage students to question each other about their characterisation choices.
OR
You can hot seat one person from each pair in role as their character. The rest of the class have to ask the character 10 questions (or more if time allows) in order to understand more about them. This mini-plenary could also work as a carousel, with students moving around the room speaking to each “character” for a few minutes. A bit like character speed dating!
Plenary:
After the presentations, ask students to place their object (representing their character) into a hat/box in the middle of the room.
Each pair will then randomly be matched up with another pair (or the teacher can organise groups if preferred). In the newly formed groups, students pick ouy two objects from the box/hat (representing two characters), they then have 5-10 minutes to verbally create a “mini-story” including their two characters. Each group should assign a “story teller” to present their story at the end of the lesson.
At the end of the lesson, ask students to self-evaluate the challenge of telling a story orally, rather than writing it down.
Assessment for learning:
Additional mini-plenary: Students to vote on the most “believable” character in the room. Encourage students to justify their vote.
No Pens Homework:
Students to research the tradition of oral storytelling and prepare 3 key findings to share next lesson.
AND/OR
Students to further develop their character/s from this lesson into a short story of their own.
AND/OR
Students to turn their “mini-story” into a play script to be performed next lesson.
Further Education lesson plans – Film Studies
Lesson Objectives:
- To review key film language.
- To analyse the micro features in a range of film trailers. / Speaking and Listening Objectives:
• Participating in group discussion
• Summarising key findings
• Make clear and relevant contributions to whole class discussion
Activity: Film Trailer Analysis / Differentiation: / Resources
Vocabulary:
Lighting & Colour
Sound
Editing
Camera
Mise en Scene / Selection of film trailers – differentiate level of analysis by trailer complexity.
Teacher questioning. / Whiteboard and marker
Projector/screen with sound
Laptops with sound
Key vocabulary worksheet (see Teachit 11218).
Possible trailers:
http://www.wonderslist.com/10-best-movie-trailers-time/
Starter: Students to get into groups of 5 and discuss the following prompt questions. Students should be prepared to share their ideas with the rest of the class.
1. How do you choose whether to watch a film (at home or at the cinema)?
2. What is the purpose of a film trailer?
3. What makes an effective film trailer? (Teacher to record these ideas on a whiteboard as a mind map or list for reference in plenary).
4. What other methods do production companies use to promote films?
5. What are your favourite film trailers? Why? (If appropriate and time allows, play some of the trailer suggestions for the whole class. This can lead to further discussion on the above points).
Main:
- Teacher to briefly recap the key film language needed for the analysis. Start by asking students what the 5 key “Micro” features of film analysis are. (There is an excellent reference resource for this available free on Teachit No: 11218 - Looking at Film Language.)
- Assign each group a film trailer to analyse (or give them a choice if you prefer).
- Students should first watch each trailer 2-3 times as a group and discuss their initial reactions.
- Each person in the group should take responsibility for one of the following features and be prepared to lead the discussion on analysing this feature in their assigned trailer:
o Lighting & Colour
o Sound & Script
o Editing
o Use of Camera – Framing & Movement
o Mise en Scene
- Extension: Encourage students to make links between these features and to explain why the director has made these choices. Consider: genre, mood, atmosphere, audience etc.
Plenary: You could complete all/some of the following plenary activities:
1. Each group to summarise their trailer analysis for the rest of the group. Encourage other groups to listen and ask questions after.
2. Following group analysis, class to vote on their favourite trailer and justify their choice verbally.
3. Refer back to the mind map / list of “Key features of an effective film trailer” from the starter activity. Ask the students if they would edit this list now? Add or remove features? What is the most & least important feature?
Assessment for learning:
Through group discussion, teacher to assess whether students can:
- recall key vocabulary;
- use vocabulary accurately in context;
- made reasonable connections and explained reasoning clearly.
No Pens Homework:
At home, discuss popular film trailers with friends and family. Consider how trailers have changed over time and why. Be prepared to feedback next lesson.
Further Education lesson plans – English Language