What is your teaching style? Do you portray more dominance, cooperation, opposition, submission or an equal variety of all or some? What are the best styles? Theo Wubbels is a professor of education at Utrecht University and he has formulated a matrix that can pinpoint where a teaching style sits between dominance, opposition, submission and [...]
Begin your lesson with a mind capturing task that introduces your children to the theme of your lesson without you explicitly saying what the theme is. As soon as your pupils enter your classroom doors or straight after they take their seats, dish out the ‘Starter’ task. Do this even before you run through the [...]
If you have chatty class in your Madrassah, read this article for advice on how to regain authority and control through efficient lesson planning. Remember structured discussion and talk are very beneficial for learning, but not endless and random chatter. One teacher gives his tips for how you can plan ahead to avoid low-level [...]
To improve is to raise to a more desirable or more excellent quality or to make better. As Madrassah teachers you have a responsibility for imparting Islamic knowledge to your Madrassah pupils, taking them on a journey where they learn each day, implement new learning and improve. Good Madrassah teachers are continually checking their pupils' learning [...]
In many Madrassahs, it is common for the Madrassah teacher to stand or sit at the front and teach the whole Madrassah class the same material, in the same manner. All Madrassah pupils are expected to do the same tasks, some pass whilst others inevitably fail. The focus is often on teaching, not on learning. [...]
There are many different ways Madrassah teachers can teach Madrassah pupils. What you teach is often determined by the Madrassah, but how you teach so that Madrassah pupils learn effectively is determined by you as the Madrassah teacher. This page outlines some good strategies you can use in your Madrassah. Tips There are five ways [...]
It is important to check students have understood before moving introducing new concepts. Concept Check Questions are questions the teacher asks to check the students have understood the lesson. The teacher should be careful to use words and language at the level of the learner. Questions such as, ‘do you understand?’ should be avoided. CCQs [...]
Each lesson should have a beginning, middle and end. Beginning: A warm up or lead in activity that sets the context for the lesson. Middle: Controlled and free practice activities. End: Warm down activity, summary and wrap up. What to consider when planning a lesson The students: What do the students enjoy doing? How [...]
Evidence from mosque and madrassah audits over the last decade have shown that many teachers are not effective at providing children with the feedback they require to help them evaluate their learning and identify what or how to improve. In general, most feedback is too little, too late, too vague, too impersonal or in most cases non-existent. Effective feedback should [...]
'Assessment for learning' refers to all the activities undertaken by teachers and their students to know where they are in their learning and what to do next to make good progress. This includes adjusting teaching and learning activities to keep pupils engaged and motivated. Why use it? AfL helps Madrassah pupils [...]
