3:17 PM (3 hours

ago)

PHILIP SILVESTER

to me
Hi Samir
I would love to work in Algeria again; I am not sure when the next assemblies are planned for.
Tutorial Classes - your recent workshop/presentation etc.
In the UK, a tutorial is a small class of one, or only a few students, in which the tutor, a
lecturer, or other school/university staff member, gives individual attention to the
students. There is a history of using the term 'tutor' to refer to either a) the class teacher or key
person with pastoral responsibility for the class or ii) a subject specialist. So be careful - the
same 'term' can mean a range of different things in the UK!
We might well call your 'Tutorial Classes (TD)' booster classes. These are particularly used to
support the development of skills i) in literacy and numeracy, ii) for children who find the
learning difficult or iii) for children who are learning quickly and need to be 'stretched' further. I
attach a range of documents which should offer further examples of these approaches.

Teachers' Handout for the meeting of 17 November

Clearly your 'new' TD classes (coming from the Ministry's Circular 1313 from 30/06/13) are
designed to offer pupils the opportunity to work collaboratively in groups and strengthen their
skills.
It is useful that you differentiate between mixed ability and setted grouping strategies. Clearly
the grouping strategies used need to be conscious ones - used by the teacher in order to more
effectively deliver his or her lesson objectives. For 'setting' - the teacher needs to a) know his
pupils really well, b) have reliable attainment data and c) understand the difference between
levels of functioning and ability levels - which will depend on the task in question.
How will the effectiveness of these TD/tutorial sessions be evaluated/measured?*
- by outcomes/pupil performance (so the starting points/baseline data needs to be
strong/precise/individually accurate)?
- by the teacher (self-reflection)?
- by peers (other teachers' observations)?
- by pupils (feedback - anonymised or not/)?
* This would be a really good 'starter' session for a future workshop - linking to recent
training/new methodologies in use etc.

Tutorial Classes Meeting and Workshop (.ppt)

This presentation is clear, well-organised and attractively set out. It engages the
reader/participant at many levels. It is a little shorter than some others I have seen - well
done! The timings are well-considered, clear and seem (to me) appropriate.
The slides can be more easily accessed/referenced/used if they are numbered.
I enjoyed the clear link at the start of the workshop to prior learning' allowing participants the
opportunity to feedback/become involved right from the outset. Good.
It was great to see your reference to Bloom and the emphasis you offered in relation to
improving behaviour (we might say to promote 'behaviour for learning'). This is sooooo
important.
The use of different examples (including two 'games') is a really good idea, in my judgement.
At the close of this packed, morning workshop, teachers are working on their own lesson plans
for TD lessons (using the INSET and following theory into practice) to use in their
schools. What about getting them to bring these lesson plans (suitably amended and annotated
in the light of use/experience) to a future workshop/meeting in order to share them widely
across the whole group ('bonding' the group more and 'saving' time)? There is no clear
message at the close of the .ppt presentation 'advertising' your next training session - how this
learning will be shared/built upon, next steps in learning etc.

INSET 2nd meeting and Workshop (Tutorial Classes)

This document is clear, well-focused and it coheres with your suite of documents really well. I
particularly like your 'Interaction' column and the way you use this (could a similar column be
used in lesson plans written by teachers?).
At the close of the workshop - more time could be focused on linking to the next training which
you are offering.
'The problem of weak learners' would make a good starting point for a group discussion at
another training session. It would also be interesting to change the word 'learner' for 'teacher' or
'inexperienced teacher' and discuss it!!

Your colleagues are in good hands. I must (also) to properly reflect and celebrate the excellent
quality of all your materials, their comprehensive scope and imaginative approach.
Very well done!
Best wishes

Phil