Videopaper and teacher education Student teachers create ...

Influences on the pace of the lesson
Clarity of instructions!
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Action: By keeping instructions shorter and more concise the class will not have time to lose
concentration or to get bored, and it should also inject a sense of pace into the lesson as the
transitions between tasks will be much shorter - pupils will ideally get the sense that the
information being given is important and useful, and will be encouraged to focus (and to
carry this focus on to the activity being explained).
Give clear time warnings - and stick to them.
Action: Continue to give clear time warnings, but do not be distracted by questions during the
last minute of any task (after the 'one minute' warning has been given). Indicate that any
urgent questions can be raised during feedback from the task, or the instruction for which the
class's attention is required, has been given. This should help to inject a sense of pace as the
class will know that each timing given relates to 'actual time' (one minute means one minute)
and will encourage them to focus on the task by creating a sense of urgency. Though
encouraging focus and pace, it is also of course linked to feedback as pupils must equally
know that if they have not completed the work during the allotted time then it will be picked up
on during the lesson.
Kate came up with possible solutions that would help her overcome her issues. As
discussed earlier, it is important that the outcomes of reflection enhance the quality of
practice (Kreber, 2004). Kate had the opportunity to go back to school, after creating the
Videopaper, and she commented that the process of creating the Videopaper helped her to
improve her teaching.
‘I am far more conscious of the amount of time I spend talking to the class, and try
whenever possible to write my instructions, or present them through different media –
though sometimes I do slip back – the reflection prompted and allowed in making the
Videopaper gave me more things to think about and allow for in my planning and, hopefully
over time, they will become more automatic so I will be able to focus on another aspect’.