Run a department workshop

Use a real upcoming task to produce a rehearsed teaching move and a review plan.

Prepare the material

The department lead brings one upcoming task, a complete teaching model and two anonymised learner responses showing different needs. The EAL colleague identifies likely vocabulary, sentence and text demands. Ask colleagues to bring the lesson in which they will use the routine.

Agree one narrow focus

Choose a decision learners need to make: selecting evidence, linking cause and effect, qualifying a conclusion or interpreting a representation. State the subject goal and the language needed to communicate it. Avoid trying to solve every issue in one workshop.

Rehearse rather than discuss alone

The facilitator models for three minutes while thinking aloud. Partners identify the disciplinary decision and language move. Each teacher then rehearses the same move with their own material; the partner gives feedback against two agreed criteria.

Plan the classroom trial

Each teacher records the task, model, learner rehearsal, independent check and what support will be reduced. Agree which response samples to bring back. Keep the task and review small enough to fit normal planning.

Return to learner evidence

At the next meeting, compare the trial responses with the original examples. Discuss whether learners understood the subject relationship, expressed it clearly and worked with less help. Keep, adjust or replace one part of the routine.

Suggested session agenda

Adapt this schedule to the material, team and available time.

Worked example

In science, the team notices conclusions that list values without explaining the relationship. The model links a claim, two values and a qualified conclusion. Teachers rehearse with a second dataset and choose an exit response asking learners to explain the relationship independently.

Plan your session or trial