TLLM

TLLM information on bluesky

2006-08-01T08:42:00.000+08:00

Check out this website for more information on TLLM:
http://www.moe.gov.sg/bluesky/tllm.htm#a

Cooperative Learning

2005-10-20T07:47:00.000+08:00

The following website has links to Cooperative Learning ideas.
http://www.ncsu.edu/felder-public/Cooperative_Learning.html

ACTIVE AND COOPERATIVE LEARNING
In the traditional approach to college teaching, most class time is spent with the professor lecturing and the students watching and listening. The students work individually on assignments, and cooperation is discouraged.

Such teacher-centered instructional methods have repeatedly been found inferior to instruction that involves active learning, in which students solve problems, answer questions, formulate questions of their own, discuss, explain, debate, or brainstorm during class, and cooperative learning, in which students work in teams on problems and projects under conditions that assure both positive interdependence and individual accountability. This conclusion applies whether the assessment measure is short-term mastery, long-term retention, or depth of understanding of course material, acquisition of critical thinking or creative problem-solving skills, formation of positive attitudes toward the subject being taught, or level of confidence in knowledge or skills.

TLLM strategies used by NIE lecturers

2005-10-19T18:00:00.000+08:00

The lecturers at NIE have used some of the following TLLM strategies to engage us and help us in our learning:
 Research work
 Thought provoking questions
 Writing of reflections
 Games
 Role plays
 Learning journeys via school visits and work attachments
 Movies and movie clips
 Organizing events like forums
 Co-operative Learning e.g. ‘Jigsaw’
 Discussions of case studies
 Group projects and presentations

TLLM in Rulang Primary, Yishun Town Secondary and Swiss Cottage Secondary

2005-09-25T09:33:00.000+08:00

Teach Less, Learn More (TLLM)

ST(Straits Times) and ZB(Zhao Bao) profiled Rulang Primary, which had reworked its curriculum to encompass the essence of TLLM. They highlighted the following:

§ Rulang Pri had incorporated robots into its Mother Tongue and EL lessons (ST, ZB). Ms Janice Beh, Head of Niche and Innovation/Rulang Primary, noted that this had added an element of excitement among children, and helped them to learn better (ST).
§ Almost all subjects from Pri 1 to 5 had been redesigned and infused with a hands-on experience on robotics (ST).
§ Rulang Pri had also integrated speech and drama into the curriculum (ZB).

ZB also highlighted Yishun Town Sec and Swiss Cottage Sec, and noted the following:
§ Yishun Town Sec had given more emphasis on the teaching of skills and developing students’ interest in History and Geography. Open book exams were also used to test students’ ability to analyse case studies so as to encourage them to apply what they had learnt.
§ Swiss Cottage Sec had gradually adjusted their teaching from this year with collaborations among different departments.

Dr Ng Pak Tee's thoughts on TLLM

2005-09-25T08:48:00.000+08:00

In his book, ‘The Learning School’, Dr Ng Pak Tee, an Assistant Professor at the National Institute of Education shares his thoughts on TLLM. If you refer to pages 252-253 of his book, you will find the following:

‘Teach Less, Learn More
Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong’s call to “teach less and learn more” is now a talking point in town.

We’ve got to teach less to our students so that they will learn more. Grades are important, don’t forget to pass your exams but grades are not the only thing in life and there are other things in life which we want to learn in school. (Lee, 2004)

I think this is an exciting opportunity to rethink our understanding and approach to education. The opening move has been made. Can we build on the momentum? Content reduction, as a structural change, is relatively easy to accomplish. The challenge is to resist the temptation to rush in to fill the time with more drilling so as to get better results. This will not be acting in the spirit of the Prime Minister’s call.

I think we have added too much onto our plate over the years. We have to examine our plate and get rid of things that are no longer relevant to us. We have to create space for new and important things on our plate. Reflect deeply upon the things we are doing in school. Ask, “Why are we doing what we are doing? Are these things essential?” I think the way forward is to do less but concentrate on the more important things. We will end up achieving more.

I would like to share another perspective to this exciting call to “teach less and learn more”. I think this call goes beyond merely cutting the syllabus. We have concentrated a lot on the teaching process. We try to teach clearer. We try to provide more material. But by spoon-feeding students, we may be developing passive learners. Instead, we should let our students take greater charge of their learning, and be independent and self-directed in their learning. Therefore, we should emphasise more the students’ learning process, rather than the teachers’ teaching process, not that this is unimportant. The students should be proactive learners, instead of passive receivers. Less on the teaching; more on the learning.’

Pupils learn to draw cartoons

2005-06-29T19:28:00.000+08:00

Do introduce pupils to http://www.artwebsvps.blogspot.com to teach them how to use the internet to learn how to draw cartoons. Pupils who love to draw will soon be using the internet links to learn cartoon drawing at their own pace and in their own time.

Pupils compose songs with Apple's GarageBand

2005-06-29T19:21:00.000+08:00

Music lessons with Apple's GarageBand software aids teachers in teaching less and the students learning more. With a simple and easily learnt interface, pupils with little or no formal music training are able to put together various musical compositions with the help of high-quality, pre-recorded musical loops. A class of Primary 3s and 4s demonstrated its possibility when they attempted a video of their class IPW/MI project, complete with an original musical composition as accompaniment with their form teacher, Mr Andre Yeo.

Removal of some units and workbooks

2005-04-30T22:24:00.000+08:00

To effectively carry out TLLM, teachers as well as pupils require more time. These are strategies adopted by some schools in Cluster W2:
-Some units in English and Mother Tongue are removed from the syllabus.
-Health Education periods are used for teaching Science. Health Education topics that are important are taught during Science lessons.
-Pupils do not have to purchase or do Health Education or Social Studies Workbooks. Worksheets of important topics are provided instead.
-Social Studies is incorporated into English lessons so that TLLM activities which require more time can be effectively carried out.
-In one particular school, instead of 6 common tests and 2 examinations a year, pupils do only 1 continual assessment in semester 1 and 2 examinations a year. Pupils are assessed on project work done in semester 2 instead of sitting for tests. This strategy has also helped to free up more time for pupils as well as teachers.

Games Concept Approach for PE

2005-04-30T22:23:00.000+08:00

In Unity Primary School, PE teachers adopted the Games Concept Approach in teaching PE. Pupils play modified games where they are encouraged to explore and experience different game situations. Teachers act as facilitators as they allow pupils to reflect on their experiences. Teachers do not teach the skills per se, but relate it to the needs of the game. This allows the pupils to better conceptualized the game and the need to learn the specific skills of the game. The teacher has to make conscious effort to set time for pupils to ask questions to hone their reflective thinking. Through reflective thinking, pupils learn game concepts.

Posted by Mrs Angeline Goh

PW and Learning Journey

2005-04-30T22:19:00.000+08:00

In Unity Primary, learning journey is tied to PW. Pupils go into the field and are able to experience first hand, the subject matter. Pupils expand their learning when they relate what they have learnt in books to real life situations. It is truly an experiential learning process as pupils get to do research work, gather in groups to discuss ideas and findings, and also to interview parties concerned. Pupils generate questions and decide on what are good questions. They get a feel of how to ask the right questions. They also get to present information/findings using IT software. Teachers facilitate pupils learning and remain at the sidelines, guiding and encouraging.

Posted by Mrs Angeline Goh of Unity Primary

MI and Thinking Skills

2005-02-27T23:21:00.000+08:00

Two more TLLM strategies contributed by the Science Department of South View Primary School:

The thrust of TLLM is to switch learning from teachers to students so that students perceive learning as their choice and gain knowledge through various thinking skills. TLLM should build up the students’ capacity to generate new knowledge and in the process of weaving in knowledge , students learn more from less. Students learn to apply knowledge into the real world.

·Teach students the way they learn. The switch to better learning is to create opportunities to help students discover their intelligences and participate in the learning process their way. A topic on forces could include a series of concept lessons to cater to students who prefer to learn by doing, watching, thinking or feeling. The essence of the lessons is to develop and enhance students’ abilities and capabilities through the multiple intelligence approach. The activities could be in the form of role play, debate, drama or group discussions.

·Infuse thinking skills into the classroom teaching so that students learn to make comparison and contrast , make decisions and predictions or find causes through the problem solving process. Questions requiring Higher Order Thinking could be used to develop students’ thinking skills and enhance their problem solving abilities.

Student interaction and use of comics

2005-02-27T23:16:00.000+08:00

The Chinese Department of South View Primary has contributed 2 more TLLM strategies:

-Get students to interact with one another in class instead of teachers doing the talking.

-Use comics as a teaching tool. Students are generally interested in comics and they can come up with a composition based on the comics instead of the traditional picture composition. They can even draw their own comics and write an essay about it. In addition, they can use comics to express the meaning of Chinese idioms which makes learning more interesting.

Worksheets with challenging questions, heuristics and manipulatives

2005-02-27T22:49:00.000+08:00

The Mathematics Department of South View Primary has contributed 3 more TLLM strategies:

-Pay more attention to the weaker pupils by letting them sit in front during lessons. We can coach them in class while letting the higher-ability pupils try out the more challenging questions on their own (teacher-prepared materials - collaborative work from level committee members)

-Give enrichment worksheets which train pupils on the different heuristics. We can give pupils fewer questions but each worksheet comprising 2 or 3 questions can be used to train pupils on the different heuristics in problem solving.

-Use manipulatives to allow pupils to discover certain math concepts

KWL and Peer Tutoring

2005-02-21T23:20:00.000+08:00

The English Department of South View Primary has contributed 2 more TLLM strategies:

-KWL
Know : Ask pupils what they know about the topic (Eg. The unit on IMAGINATION)
What : Ask pupils what they want to know
Learnt : At the end of the whole unit, ask pupils what they have learnt
Pupils to set own targets and decide on what they want to achieve.

-Peer tutoring
When pupils tutor their peers, they have to understand the concepts taught. They benefit and enhance their own learning when they need to explain and correct their peers. Tutoring also allows pupils to practise what they have learnt.

Excursions, fieldtrips and overseas trips

2005-02-17T16:42:00.000+08:00

When pupils are given opportunities to go for excursions, fieldtrips and overseas trips, a lot of learning takes place. Pupils may be asked to plan what to bring and do. This will help them develop lifeskills like decision making and time management. Overseas trips provide many opportunities for pupils to put into practice what they have learnt in the classroom. For example, in converting currency, pupils will be using what they have acquired in Mathematics.

IPW (Interdisciplinary Project Work)

2005-02-10T06:55:00.000+08:00

IPW is another way to implement TLLM. Teachers usually act as facilitators and guide pupils as they carry out their IPW. Pupils are involved in research work, team discussions and have to present their ideas at the end of their project. Some pupils even harness IT when they present their projects using powerpoint slides or i-movies.

Drama

2005-02-07T14:16:00.000+08:00

Involving pupils in drama is one sure way to teach less and enable pupils to learn more. When they have to learn their lines in order to act, they internalize what they are supposed to learn. Getting pupils engaged in making props, masks and costumes adds a fun element to their final presentation.

2005-02-07T14:12:00.000+08:00

Pupils were engaged in script writing for a pirate play and created masks and props required to present their plays.

Older pupils to plan and carry out CIP projects

2005-02-07T08:23:00.000+08:00

Last year at the South West CDC 'Our Children Speak', the older pupils aged twelve and above requested that they should be given opportunities to come up with CIP projects. If this is encouraged and implemented, we will see a greater number of pupils willing to commit to carrying out CIP with a heart as they have ownership of their ideas. Teachers can act as facilitators and monitor, giving advice where necessary.

Pupil create revision quizzes

2005-02-06T23:45:00.000+08:00

Pupils may be placed in groups to create quizzes. These can be done on powerpoint slides with the answers provided on the next slide. After the teacher has made the necessary corrections and improvements, pupils can present their quizzes. This will enable the whole class to revise what was taught, a useful and effective TLLM strategy.

PE Relays designed by pupils

2005-02-06T23:30:00.000+08:00

After acquiring the required PE skills e.g. rope skipping or ball skills, pupils work in groups to think of relays that would help them practise such skills. Each group can then demonstrate to the class and explain the skills they would be practising. Such activities will challenge pupils to think creatively as well as make practising PE skills more fun. Pupils will also take pride in coming up with more interesting relays as they have more ownership of the PE lesson.

Pupils create games incorporating lessons learnt

2005-02-06T23:24:00.000+08:00

After the fundamentals of a lesson is taught, pupils can be challenged to create games incorporating lessons taught for example after a Social Studies lesson on World War II, pupils can create card games, board games.... based on the knowledge of World War II.

Pupils Teach

2005-02-06T23:19:00.000+08:00

Assign topics that can be easily read up and presented as a lesson to pupils who are of higher ability. Pupils who have to teach a particular topic may be asked to mind map their lesson or produce a powerpoint slide so that the teacher can check if they are on the right track and guide them accordingly. This will provide the teacher with more time to help the weaker pupils.

Mind Maps & Concept Maps

2005-02-06T10:37:00.000+08:00

Getting pupils to draw up mind maps and concept maps are useful strategies in TLLM. Pupils can be asked to present and using such tools enable them to present in a systematic and logical way.

Reflect and Record

2005-02-06T10:34:00.000+08:00

When pupils have to record their reflections of what they have learnt, they internalize what was taught. Pupils may be asked to write their reflections on how the knowledge gained could be applied in the real world. An example is when pupils learn about the body system. They can write reflections on what they should do in the real world to watch their diet and keep their body fit and healthy.

E-learning Portals

2005-02-06T09:35:00.000+08:00

Encourage your pupils to use an e-learning portal. At South View Primary, all pupils have a 'moreatonce' account. Pupils are able to log in to www.moreatonce.com even when they are at home. There are tutorials for pupils to relearn a topic they have not grasped and lots of interesting exercises and fun activities for pupils.

To implement differentiated learning, pupils can be asked to redo exercises that they have scored poorly in until they have succeeded in making less than 3 mistakes. As weaker pupils have to go over an exercise till they achieve a better score, they will definitely pay more attention to the mistakes they have made and learn from them. Teachers can view the number of times pupils have attempted an exercise and the scores achieved each time.

Teachers can assign tests which are computer graded. The results of these tests can easily be generated so that remedial help can be given.

Other primary schools in W2 Cluster are also using E-learning portals like Moreatonce and Litespeed.

Research work

2005-02-06T09:28:00.000+08:00

Getting students to do research work is one way to teach less and allow pupils to learn more. Besides the library, the internet is a goldmine of useful information. Two recommended sites are ask.com and google.