This document discusses various topics related to challenging learning, including: - Alfred Binet argued that intelligence can be developed through training the will, attention, and discipline, rather than being a fixed quantity. - Carol Dweck's research found that a "growth mindset" which sees intelligence as malleable leads to greater achievement than a "fixed mindset". - Praise should focus on effort, strategies, and progress rather than innate qualities to encourage a growth mindset and continued learning. - Asking questions is an effective way to challenge students' thinking and encourage deeper understanding.

1. Challenging Learning, LNNZ, May 2012
James Nottingham www.challenginglearning.com

3. Scandinavians talk about ‘curling parents’

4. Learning how to learn
„What (students) should learn first is not the
subjects ordinarily taught, however important they
may be; they should be given lessons of will, of
attention, of discipline; before exercises in
grammar, they need to be exercised in mental
orthopaedics; in a word they must learn how to
learn.‟
Alfred Binet
1857 - 1911

5. Alfred Binet, creator of the first IQ test
„Some recent philosophers
have given their moral approval
to the deplorable verdict that
an individual‟s intelligence is a
fixed quantity, one which
cannot be augmented. We
must protest and act against
this brutal pessimism … it has
no foundation whatsoever.‟
Alfred Binet
1857 - 1911

8. Self-fulfilling prophecies

9. Dweck& Hattie: We should focus on progress, not rank order
92 90 90
85 86 85
73 78 84
64 70 78
43 41 40
32 35 34

10. 900+ Meta-analyses (covering 50,000+ studies)
2009 2011

11. Every student should be
making progress of 0.4
effect size every year
How do you know what
progress your students
are making?

12. Where are we going and how will we know we‟re there?
Learning Intentions
o To find out what links the Vikings with North East England
Success Criteria
o Know when and where the Vikings came from
o Identify names and places associated with the Vikings
o Ask relevant questions about the Vikings

13. Why did they Gate
AD 700 - 1100 attack Lindisfarne? Bairns
Lad
Tarn
Vikings Thriding
Norse Rape &
language pillage
Did they believe in
Longships God?
Dragon Horned
ships helmets

14. Marzano – groups of 3 work best
Informal
Formal
Long-term

15. Why did they Gate
AD 700 - 1100 attack Lindisfarne? Bairns
Captured
Lad
Yorvik in 866
Tarn
Vikings Thriding
Norse Rape &
language pillage
King Cnut Did they believe in
ruled England Longships God?
from 1016 Dragon Horned
helmets Gods included
ships Odin, Thor,
Eric Bloodaxe
Frigg & Loki
Dead warriors went died in 954
to Valhalla

18. Sharp pencil ✔
Title ✔
Date ✔
Capital Letters ✔
Full stops ✗
Describe the character ✔
Describe the place ✗
First, next, then, finally ✔
And, but, so, while, because ✗
Fun action words (bounded, sprang) ✔
Rhyming words (loud, proud, crowd) ✔

19. Marking sheet for history essays (Frank Egan)
Introduction Conclusion
 4+ sentences  3+ sentences
 Proposition stated  Summation
 Outline of narrative  Proof of proposition
 Context of topic  Specific reference to
assess/evaluate as last sentence
Body of essay Literacy
 3+ paragraphs  Spelling accuracy
 6+ facts per paragraph  Grammar structures
 Inter-relationships
“I can actually see how to
 Argument is relevant
improve, it’s obvious.”
 Quote with source given

21. “The art of effective
teaching is to provide
the right form of
feedback at, or just
above, the level at
which the student is
working – with one
exception …”
“… do not mix praise
into the feedback
prompt, because this
dilutes the effect!”
Visible Learning for Teachers (Hattie, 2011), pp 121

22. Praise that dilutes the positive effect of feedback
Clever girl!
Gifted musician
Brilliant
mathematician
Bright boy
Top of the class!
By far the best

23. The effects of different types of praise
Mueller and
Dweck, 1998
In six studies, 7th
grade students
were given a
series of
nonverbal IQ
tests.

24. Mueller and Dweck, 1998
Intelligence praise
“Wow, that‟s a really good score. You must be smart at this.”
Process praise
“Wow, that‟s a really good score. You must have tried really
hard.”
Control-group praise
“Wow, that‟s a really good score.”

25. Number of problems solved on a 3rd test
6.5
6
Effort Praise
5.5
Control Praise
5 Intelligence Praise
4.5
Trial 1 Trial 3

26. Not everything counts
Not everything that counts can be
counted, and not everything that
can be counted counts
Sign hanging in
Einstein's office at Princeton

27. Boys get 8 times more criticism than girls

28. The effects of praise
Swimming
“You do your best
swimming when you
concentrate and try your
best to do what Chris is
asking you to do”
Ballet
“You‟re the best
ballerina in the world!”

29. 1.Good girl; 2.How extraordinary; 3.Great effort; 4.Outstanding
performance; 5.What a scientist you are; 6.Unbelievable work;
7.You‟re a genius; 8.You're getting better; 9.Clever boy 10.You
should be proud; 11.You've got it; 12.You're special; 13. Very
talented; 14. You've outdone yourself; 15. What a great listener;
16. You came through; 17.You‟re very artistic; 18.Keep up the
good work; 19.It's everything I hoped for; 20.Perfect; 21.A+ Work;
22.You're a shining star; 23.Inspired; 24.You're #1; 25.You're very
responsible; 26.You're very talented; 27.Spectacular work;
28.Great discovery; 29.You're amazing; 30.What a great idea;
31.Well worked through; 32.Very thoughtful; 33.You figured it out;
34.Top of the class; 35. You make me smile

30. We all have beliefs about intelligence & talents
People who believe
intelligence comes
mainly from nature have
a „fixed‟ mindset
People who believe
intelligence comes
mainly from nurture
have a „growth‟ mindset
Professor Carol Dweck, Stanford

31. Fixed Mindset Growth Mindset
 Intelligence and ability are fixed  Intelligence and ability can be
 Nature determines intelligence grown & improved
 Nurture plays a big role
Priority
 Prove myself Priority
 Succeed with little effort, as this Improve myself
proves I am clever  To learn as much as possible
Response to Difficulties Response to Difficulties
 Feel inferior or incapable  Feel inspiredto try new
 Try guessing the answers or strategies
copying others  Seek advice& coaching
Motto Motto
 If you have to try, you must be  No pain, no gain
stupid

32. Learning Detectives

35. Socratic questions
Clarify Are you saying that …?
Can you give us an example of …?
Reasons Why do you say that …?
What reasons support your idea?
Assumptions Are you assuming that …?
What would happen if …?
How could we look at this in a different way?
Viewpoints
What alternatives are there to this?
Wouldn‟t that mean that …?
Effects
What are the consequences of that?

36. What are the best ways to
challenge all our learners?

37. challenginglearning.com
p4c.coop
james@p4c.com
@JamesNottinghm