Teaching and Learning Resources

 Making a matrix for planning  Establishing roles

purposes  Collaborative learning strategies
 Brainstorming  Personal learning
 Graphic organisers  Strategies to support personal learning
 Questioning  Generic skills and competencies
 Collaborative learning  The Key Competencies
 Structures  Enterprise skills
Teaching and learning strategies
A range of different teaching and learning strategies is described briefly to provide some
ideas for actively engaging students in their learning and engaging higher order thinking.
Planning a range of challenging activities for students requires an understanding of their stage
of cognitive development and knowledge of their preferred ways of learning. There may be
significant differences in the strategies used to create a positive learning environment for
students at different stages of development and schooling. It is important that students are
taught how to use these tools and the purpose and thinking focus they reflect. When students
have developed their knowledge, confidence and competence in using these tools and
strategies they will begin to use them independently to improve their learning. Most of these
strategies can be used with all students but will require different levels of support and
scaffolding for different age groups.
Making a matrix for planning purposes
Taking into account the various theories of learning and the students' stages of development,
Bloom's taxonomy and Gardner's theory of multiple intelligence can be combined in a grid to
help plan selection or modification of activities, or to record what was done. It is unlikely that
any one unit or section of work will offer a full range of activities addressing all learning
styles, student attributes and competencies.
The sample matrix planning document, however, provides a useful reference for checking the
range of different learning styles, key ideas and concepts covered over, say, a term or
semester.
Sample matrix planning document

Unit:________________________________ Level: _____________

  remembering understanding applying analysing evaluating creating

Verbal            
Logical/   Insert the        
mathematical activity
Visual            
Body            
Musical            
Interpersonal            
(social)
Intrapersonal            
(self)
Naturalist            

Brainstorming
Brainstorming is an individual and collaborative process which is used to generate a
large number of ideas and encourage creative thinking.
For brainstorming to be effective a safe and supportive classroom culture is essential.
Rules, protocols or agreements as outlined in Collaborative learning are essential.
DOVE guidelines
Teachers may wish to teach and use the DOVE guidelines for brainstorming as a
protocol for these activities in the classroom. The DOVE guidelines for brainstorming
call for all students to:
D – Defer judgement on anyone else's ideas or comments
O – Opt for the unusual and creative
V – Generate a vast number of ideas
E – Expand on the ideas by piggy backing off others.
These guidelines can assist in the creation of an environment where all ideas are
valued and where students listen effectively to others' and value each others' opinions.
Teachers may wish to make A4 posters of these guidelines to place on the tables of all
groups as a reference.
With all brainstorming activities it is important for deep understanding that all groups
have the opportunity to report on the outcomes of their discussion and that teachers
ask questions focusing on why they came up with those points, what the thinking was
behind the responses, and what was learnt from the activity and how. Further detail on
the types of questions that can be asked in these situations can be found in personal
learning.
Further information on brainstorming can be found at: Step by Step Guide to
Brainstorming
Useful tools and strategies for brainstorming are:
Think, pair, share
This strategy encourages students to think first and then discuss their opinions with a
small group of people.
In groups students consider a question or issue. They begin by reflecting on their
opinions and ideas on the topic and recording them on a template, pairing up with the
student next to them to discuss their ideas and opinions. The next stage of the process
requires the team to come together and share their ideas and collate a group response.
This should then be fed back to the class as a whole.
Y chart
A Y chart is also known as 'looks like, sounds
like, feels like' and encourages students to
think outside of the square while
brainstorming. On a large sheet of paper
teachers or students draw a large Y shape and
label the different sections as shown below.
The results can be displayed around the room.
Possible follow up activities could include all
class members walking around the classroom,
considering the responses given by each group
and how they varied from their own.

Placemat
The placemat is drawn on a large sheet of paper. The page is divided so that each
group member has a section to write in with a square or circle in the middle to record
the group response. Students are given an issue, topic or question to consider and they
begin the process by considering their responses and ideas. Responses are recorded in
their section of the placemat. Students share their perspectives and a team response is
recorded in the middle of the sheet. Possible follow up activities could include all
class members walking around the classroom, considering the responses given by
different groups and how they varied from their own.
Graffiti wall
This process involves the collection of knowledge and ideas from all class members
in the one process. Students are encouraged to use coloured markers to make the wall
interesting.
Large sheets of paper or rolls of paper are placed on the walls of the classroom.
Students write their responses, draw pictures and record their thoughts on the given
topic on the graffiti wall.
Sunshine wheel
The sunshine wheel is used to brainstorm ideas
in groups. The central topic is written into the
middle and then the arms on the outside are
used to record student responses. They could
be emotions associated with a word,
components that make up an object or thing,
adjectives to describe an object.
Depending on the developmental level of
students, teachers can easily adapt this tool to
make it more challenging and extend thinking
in a particular direction. Teaching this tool is
also a possible beginning step in introducing
students to the process of mind mapping.

A to Z
Using the A to Z proforma in groups, students brainstorm and research words and
terminology associated with a topic that begin with the different letters of the
alphabet. Answers are recorded on the sheet next to the relevant letter. Depending on
the developmental level of students, teachers may wish to extend the task by requiring
students to find a greater number of words or by challenging them to think outside of
the square by listing adjectives or synonyms. Dictionaries and other reference
materials can be consulted for the activity. Teachers may adapt this strategy to
encourage the drawing of diagrams and pictures next to the relevant letter. Students
need to be able to explain the meaning and relevance of any word placed on their
sheet.

A to Z ACTIVITY
Place instructions for students in here
 A B
C D
E F
G H
I J
K L
M N
O P
Q R
 S T
U V
W X
Y Z
Graphic organisers
Graphic organisers are tools that may be used to plan activities and investigations or
to assist with reviewing and reflecting on progress, understanding and skills. Students
are able to visually organise their information, ideas and research using these tools.
Graphic organisers are also highly effective in extending students' thinking by
encouraging in-depth thought on topics and issues.
Graphic organisers can be given to students as proformas or templates when being
introduced for the first time. Teachers need to formally instruct students on the
purpose and use of the graphic organiser and the type of thinking being targeted in the
activity. Students can also be taught how to develop their skills in using and
developing graphic organisers using software such as Kidspiration, Inspiration and
Visio.
Additional graphic organiser samples and ideas for their use are provided in Using
cognitive organisers in the middle years by David Brown on the VCAA website.
Sample graphic organisers and their applications are provided below.
Concept map
Concept maps show relationships between ideas or concepts. Concept maps can be
used to identify students' prior knowledge and understanding, to summarise concepts
and to organise information. Beginning with the central idea or theme in a middle box
students then consider four to five components or sub ideas to this theme. Teachers
could ask students to concept map a story they are writing. The central box contains
the title of the story and then each of the outlying boxes could comprise components
such as characters, plot, beginning, middle, climax. From each of these outlying
squares students make brief notes about what will happen in their story.
Mind map
Mind maps are completed on plain paper and visually record students' thinking.
Information may be recorded on the map as words or as images. A mind map has a
central image which depicts the topic or issue being mapped. From the centre a series
of coloured stems emerge which reflect the components of the topic. Beginning with a
stem, students draw a series of branches which show the interrelationship and
connections between the ideas. Mind mapping can also be a highly reflective revision
tool to evaluate the depth of students understanding in a topic or concept and their
ability to make connections between ideas.
Venn diagram
Venn diagrams help make comparisons. Similarities are shown in the overlapping
area and differences are shown in the areas that do not overlap. For example,
diagrams A and B below.
Issues map
An issues map can help identify the different dimensions or perspectives that relate to
a particular event or topic of concern. It is often helpful to have issues phrased as
questions as these can be answered differently depending on the point of view held by
those who suggest an answer. The responses can then be categorised as positive or
negative.

Flow diagram
Flow diagrams sequence ideas, procedures or events. They can be used for
preliminary planning or, with appropriate annotations, they can represent a timeline or
final action plan.

Storyboarding
Storyboards show pictorially the sequence of ideas, procedures or events. These are
similar to flow diagrams but are pictorial rather than text-based and provide students
who are visual learners with ways to demonstrate their ideas visually rather than in
print.
Fishbone diagram
The fishbone diagram is an analysis tool that provides a systematic way of looking at
effects and the causes that create or contribute to those effects. Because of the
function of the fishbone diagram, it may be referred to as a cause-and-effect diagram.
Teachers can modify this diagram to incorporate a different de Bono thinking hat at
the end of each stem to direct students' thinking in problem-based learning.

Further information can be found at

Fishbone Diagram A Problem-Analysis Tool
Lotus diagram 
The lotus diagram supports students in engaging in creative thinking and critical
analysis as they explore new ideas. Students develop deeper understanding by
examining a variety of related areas by breaking broad topics into components. The
steps involved are:
 Determine the topic to be studied and state it clearly.
 Brainstorm to prioritise the major topics.
 Write the main topic in the centre of the rectangle of the lotus diagram.
 Place each of the eight sub-topics in the rectangles surrounding the centre
rectangle.
 Transfer each of the sub-topics to its corresponding numbered rectangle and
brainstorm more subtopics or applications.
Lotus process