The document describes two activities called Articulate and Gesticulate. In Articulate, one person describes words to their partner who tries to guess them within 30 seconds. In Gesticulate, the same is done but without speaking, only through gestures. It then prompts questions to reflect on learning skills used and how they could apply elsewhere. The purpose was to develop oral literacy, confidence, participation and knowledge through an enjoyable group activity.

1. ARTICULATE
In pairs....
Rules of the game:
• You will be describing and guessing words
• Play in pairs – one person sits with back to the screen – they listen
and do the guessing
• The person giving clues may only speak – they cannot
mime, gesticulate or use any part of the word being described.
• You can pick the words in any order
• Move on if you need to
• Try to guess as many as possible in 30 seconds
• Don’t cheat, it’s more fun trying to do the game properly and you
learn more!

2. ARTICULATE
Round 1:
Talking Writing
Thinking Playing
Round 2:
Questioning Reflecting
Empathising Persevering

3. GESTICULATE
Rules of the game:
• This time, the person giving clues may only gesticulate, they cannot
speak.
• You can pick the words in any order
• Move on if you need to
• Try to guess as many as possible in 30 seconds
Round 3:
Stick at it Be curious
Talk about learning Make links

4. Time to Think, Reflect and
Talk about learning
Talk to your partner about the following
questions. Be prepared to share your
thoughts.
1. What do you think was the purpose of that activity?
2. Did you learn anything from doing that?
3. What ‘learning skills’ did you use when explaining/miming?
4. What ‘learning skills’ did you use when guessing?
5. In what other situations could/would you use those
‘learning skills’?

5. Articulate
Why Articulate (in its various
forms)?
*Develop oral literacy (EAL?)
P Alban Berg
*Boosts confidence in group speaking
*Encourages active and equal I Xylophone
participation – every student has to take
W 1741
part.
*Broadens knowledge of variety of M pentatonic scale
topics/subject specific R Clapping Music
*Leads to discussion
* Tutor group enjoyed it and developed it
into a whole group activity
Small groups in Year 11 GCSE
tutor time Music revision
– made board
Whole class game
“Articulate”

6. P Alban Berg P Anoushka Shankar
I Xylophone I Wurlitzer piano
W 1741 W 1791
M pentatonic scale M perfect cadence
R Clapping Music R dayan
P Anton Webern P Antonio Vivaldi
I viola I Uillean pipes
W 1810 W 1909
M plagal cadence M Recapitulation
R Db major R emotion
P Arnold Schoenberg P Benjy Wertheimer
I violin I Tuba
W 1912 W 1957
M resultant melody M rondo
R fff R Five Orchestral Pieces

7. ….An activity that gets them
“talking about learning”?
What’s the point?
My aims….
Reflect on their learning and the learning habits they use.
Encourage students to be comfortable and confident talking
the ways in which they learn.
Begin to understand how and why certain learning habits are
important and appreciate the value of being able to think and
talk about it.
What the students say
Yr9 / yr7?

8. Creating a balance
v.
“Active learning in lessons is a good place to start but a bad place
to stop” ?

9. Talking about Learning?
• Connect to an activity – balance “thinking” and “doing”
• Link to an aim – split screen dual objectives
(check learning of “learning habits” aim too)
• Look at the bigger picture – how can these learning habits
be relevant outside the lesson/curriculum/school? Ask
questions. In what other situations could/would you use
those ‘learning skills’? Explore possibilities.
• Make time for discussion and feedback. Student
voice value. Fronter forums, interviews, discussion
?

10. Talking about Learning?
“Learning is not a spectator sport.”
D. Blocher
Daybreak this morning questioning the value of
GCSEs?