The document provides information on developing a 15-minute lesson plan to challenge a group of students with varying cycling abilities, from those who have never ridden a bike to those who can ride a few meters. It discusses the importance of providing an appropriate level of challenge for all students to avoid boredom or anxiety. Various challenge cards are proposed that students can use to direct their own learning of French grammar structures at different levels, with examples of tasks for different cards related to topics like using opinions, adverbs, linking words, tenses (past, conditional, future), irregular verbs, and paragraphs.

1. Task: You have a group of
students who need to learn to
ride a bike.
Plan a 15 minute lesson which
provides challenge.
Students
• 1 student fell off previously and does
not want to ride again
• 5 can ride a few metres
• 5 students have never sat on a
bicycle before

2. Session Objectives
• To develop new strategies to challenge all
students within your lessons.

3. What is stretch and challenge?
‘Stretch and challenge’ is perhaps first best defined by what it
is not. The idea here is not to focus solely on G and T students
by simply adding an extension task to your lesson. What
‘stretch and challenge’ aims to do is provide a level of
challenge for all students/groups of students in a lesson so that
the work they are presented with pushes them yet is still
accessible – a perfect storm of good learning attitudes/skills
and challenging work, leading to even better learning attitudes
and more highly developed skills. If the level of challenge is too
low for students then this is likely to lead to boredom and
apathy. If you pitch the level of challenge too high then this can
lead to student anxiety. A simple example might suffice to
illustrate.

4. What is stretch and challenge?
1. Tasks are appropriately challenging
2. Teacher input is minimised
3. Classes have the necessary learning skills /
attitudes / habits
4. Clear and worthwhile goals
5. Feedback is immediate (not always reliant on
teacher feedback – high-calibre PA/SA)
6. Passion and variety

5. Large Learning
Large Learning-What is it?
Large learning is any activity in which we specifically
require our students to make their thinking transparent
as they work. Put learners into small groups, give them
flip chart paper and ask them to organise and record their
thinking processes on these during the activity. This
technique enables learners to compare how their own
thinking differs from the thinking of others, and to
examine why that might be. The divergence in thinking
might well prompt learners to consider other points of
view. It also gives the teacher immediate feedback about
how the class is really progressing and which learning
gaps still remain.

6. Large Learning
• I wanted a set 2 Year 10 class to be able to approach an
exam question independently and in a more resilient way.
• We had not looked at any essay planning or essay questions
before.
• In pairs, students wrote an essay question in the middle of
a large sheet of sugar paper. They had to read the question
and write down any ideas or any questions or problems
they had about this question (therefore making their
thinking skills transparent). This included questions such
as: How do I write an introduction? How many points of
comparison should I include? How should I write about….
• I collated the questions but did not tell them anything.
• Then, they had to talk through these questions and work
out how they might answer them.

7. Creating dilemmas (Using PMI tables)
Creating dilemmas –What is it?
This task challenges learners to think more deeply
about a specific issue. Ask students to come up
with three to five plus and minus points and two or
three interesting points around a particular issue.
This framework will force learners to think more
deeply about the issue. You could also ask groups to
consider only one aspect of the issue (P, M or I) and
then bring them together to debate the pros and
cons. At the end of these activities, you can get the
learners to record their points on a PMI template
which will provide them with a summary that can
be used to write an essay.

8. ‘Something Old, Something New’
Considering how he feels and what’s happened to him, should
he just leave?
Plus Minus Interesting Points

9. ‘Something Old, Something New’
Considering how he feels and what’s happened to him, should
he just leave?
Plus Minus Interesting Points
Doesn’t have to suffer the
changes and stresses of
staying (we know from his
past he doesn’t cope well with
this.)
He loves her-he should marry
her if he wants to.
Will they ever truly be happy if
they are so different?
Being in her country he
realises he doesn’t really know
her as well as he thought so
he’s better off ending things
now.
She’s trying to help him fit in
and doing her best to. He has
a duty to stay and marry her.
Does she do enough to help
him try to feel like less of an
outsider?
Their cultures are too different
to make this work.
He is learning new things
about her-this shows how
interesting she is as a
character and how interesting
their lives could be together.
Will her family be too much of
a strong presence in the
marriage, therefore ruining it?
He’s been hurt in the past and
he should avoid this again.
He has given up on things in
the past-he shouldn’t do this
again.
Do they really love each other
or do they love that they are
different?

10. Therefore we are have decided to experiment with a challenge card system to
enable students to be in control of their own individual learning .
Their purpose is to encourage progression through explanation of key points, which
students can use in their own time or when they have completed a task during a lesson
The cards are intended to empower the individual with choosing their own
routes according to their own level and requirements.
In languages there is a new focus on grammar in the new 9-1 GCSE mark scheme and
so in response to this need we have tried to think of ways to support and teach our
students earlier down the years to be more grammatically confident.
We are trying to show links to the new 9-1 GCSE criteria to explain their
importance and highlight how they can benefit the students in the long term.

11. Hier il pleuvait j’ai bu de la limonade au café à
Kent. Demain s’il fera chaud je vais écouter de
la musique…
Demain je vais faire mes devoirs, je déteste ça
mais après je vais manger des frites. Je l’adore
7–8 ● Some variation of grammatical structures, occasional complex structure
● Produces frequently extended sentences, well linked together
● Generally accurate language and structures, including successful references to
past, present and future events; occasionally errors occur that hinder clarity of
communication
In GCSE a piece of work, which is 80-90 words, will score 20 marks.
12 for content
8 for accuracy and linguistic knowledge
This example shows evidence of
Challenge cards 4-11

12. J’ai joué au foot mais je déteste le foot car je crois
que c’est affreux et ennuyeux.
J’ai un chien…….. Je pense qu’elle est mignonne
10–12 ● Communicates information relevant to the task with expansion of key
points and
ideas
● Effective adaptation of language to narrate, inform, interest and give
convincing personal opinions
● Frequent examples of creative language use to express individual thoughts
and
ideas; a variety of vocabulary and expression, some examples of uncommon
language
● Appropriate use of register and style throughout with minimal inconsistency
Challenge card 1

13. Set class task
completed? What
can I do now?
Can I learn some
different
opinions?
GO TO
Challenge card 1
Using more opinions
• read and complete the tasks in your book.
Can I add an
example to my
work?
Can I learn step 4
with the past
tense?
Can I learn how to
use reflexive
verbs in the past?
Can I learn how to
use different
subjects with the
past tense?
Can I learn some
adverbs?
Can I learn some
different linking
words?
Can I learn the
start of the past
tense.
Can I learn some
step 3 with the
past tense?
Can I learn the
next step in the
past tense ?
GO TO
Challenge card 8
Using ‘he’,’she’, ‘we’ ‘they’ in the past
• read and complete the tasks in your
book.
GO TO
Challenge card 9
Using reflexive verbs: se laver = to
wash oneself, in the past
• read and complete the tasks in
your book.
GO TO
Challenge card 2
Recognising and using adverbs
• read and complete the tasks in your
book.
GO TO
Challenge card 3
Recognising and using different linking
words
• read and complete the tasks in your
book.
GO TO
Challenge card 4
Avoir and the past
• read and complete the tasks in
your book.
GO TO
Challenge card 7
Using irregular verbs in the past
• read and complete the tasks in
your book.
Can I add an
example to my
work?
Can I add an
example to my
work?
Can I add an
example to my
work? Can I add an
example to my
work?
Can I add an
example to my
work?
Can I add an
example to my
work?
Can I add an examp
to my work?
Can I add an
example to my
work?
GO TO
Challenge card 5
etre and the past
• read and complete the tasks in
your book.
GO TO
Challenge card 6
Putting Er,ir,re verbs into the past
• read and complete the tasks in
your book.

14. Set class task
completed? What
can I do now?
Can I use the past
tense?
GO TO
Challenge card 10
Using all elements in a paragraph
• read and complete the tasks in your book.
Can I add an
example to my
work?
Can I learn how to
say ‘would’
(conditional
tense)?
Can I learn some
idioms?
Can I learn how to
use different
subjects with the
conditional
tense?
Can I learn the
perfect infinitive
and the present
participle?
Can I learn the
imperfect tense ?
Can I learn the
future tense.
Can I learn how to
use irregular verbs
in the future?
Can I learn how to use
different subjects in
the future ?
GO TO
Challenge card 17
Using ‘he would’,’she would’, ‘we would’
‘they would’
• read and complete the tasks in your
book.
GO TO
Challenge card 18
Using expressions/sayings e.g. it’s
raining cats and dogs
• read and complete the tasks in
your book.
GO TO
Challenge card 11
How to say: ‘after having (done)’ and
‘having (done)
• read and complete the tasks in your
book.
GO TO
Challenge card 12
How to say ‘I used to’ ‘I was …ing’
• read and complete the tasks in your
book.
GO TO
Challenge card 13
How to say ‘I will’
• read and complete the tasks in
your book.
GO TO
Challenge card 16
e.g. I would eat/ I would go/ I would work
• read and complete the tasks in your
book.
Can I add an
example to my
work?
Can I add an
example to my
work?
Can I add an
example to my
work? Can I add an
example to my
work?
Can I add an
example to my
work?
Can I add an
example to my
work?
Can I add an examp
to my work?
Can I add an
example to my
work?
GO TO
Challenge card 14
Using ‘he will, she will, we will, they will
• read and complete the tasks in your
book.
GO TO
Challenge card 15
Putting aller and other irregular verbs in the
future eg I will go
• read and complete the tasks in your book.

15. Challenge Card Number 1
Upgraded opinions:
The following opinions can be used to give your opinion in a more sophisticated way:
Je pense que =
Je considère que =
Je crois que =
J’estime que =
A mon avis =
Selon moi =
1. Where can you find these expressions in the class room?
2. What do they mean?

16. Challenge Card Number 1b
Upgraded opinions:
The following opinions can be used to give your opinion in a more sophisticated way:
Je pense que = I think that
Je considère que = I consider/ feel that
Je crois que = I believe that
J’estime que = I reckon that
A mon avis = in my opinion
Selon moi = according to me
1. Where can you find these expressions in the class room?
On the table mats/ in the clear plastic wall mounted holders
Example:
J’habite dans une maison jumelle. C’est une grande maison . J’aime ma maison parce que c’est moderne.
I live in a semi -detached house. It is big, I like my house because it modern. This could be made to sound more
sophisticated by using upgraded opinions:
J’habite dans une maison jumelle, j’estime que c’est une grande maison, j’aime ma maison parce que à mon avis
c’est moderne.
Activity:
Can you make the following sentence more sophisticated?
J’ai un frère et une soeur, ma soeur est sympa mais je n’aime pas mon frère parce qu’il est agaçant

17. Challenge Question
Jake: How does the poet use form to convey her ideas? How does
the use of form affect our interpretations initially?
Sophie: Consider the opening of the individual stanzas. What
impact do they have on the rest of the stanza?
Riodhna: Examine the poet’s use of rhythm. How does this
compare to his other poems?
I used the questions above to challenge specific students based on their targets
from a recently assessed piece of work. It was clear from my marking that these
students had grasped the key ideas of the poems we were looking at and now
needed to consider layers of meaning.
I have also started to use post-it note questions during a lesson as I circulate to
encourage more challenging response, pick up on misconceptions etc.

18. Stretch and Challenge Strategies
In groups of 4, you will circulate around the room reading
and discussing a range of different strategies. Consider the
following questions as part of your discussion:
1. How do I support students when they are struggling
with challenging tasks?
2. How do I ensure that challenge becomes the status quo
in my lessons?
3. How do I account for the fact that students need to be
challenged at an individual level?
4. How do I motivate my students to accept tough
challenges?
5. Which teaching strategies will allow challenge to come
to life in my classroom?

19. Stretch and Challenge Strategies
What strategies do you employ already?
How could you apply some of these strategies to
your own lessons?

20. Teaching and Learning Pledge
One idea I will trial after this workshop will be
I will measure the success of this strategy by / through

21. Task: You have a group of students who
need to learn to ride a bike.
Plan a 15 minute lesson which provides
challenge.
Students
• 1 student fell off previously and does
not want to ride again
• 5 can ride a few metres
• 5 students have never sat on a
bicycle before
Is there another strategy you could use
now in this lesson?