JOHN HENRY NEWMAN CATHOLIC COLLEGE

CASE STUDIES Impact of the iPad

Vanessa McMenamin DEPARTMENT: MFL THE CHALLENGE: Why did you want to use the iPads? The MFL department has been developing strategies to engage kinasthetic and visual learners in lessons. In one particular lesson, students had to discuss a film in Spanish by speaking in pairs and recording each other. Students work was targeted at level 6c to 7a in group 9W1, out most able group in year 9. MEETING THE CHALLENGE: What did you do? Students worked from Active Teach to give their opinions on the films in question and describe what the different films were about. They prepared and practised their material/reviewed their work in pairs and then recorded each others speaking. Two MFL teach first teachers are also developing straightforward strategies that use the iPad. Will Bland is using an app called flashcardlet to create starters please see video about this. Kirsty Burton is using Socrative to create engaging but powerful AfL strategies . IMPACT: What difference has it made to students? This approach has led to big increase in the confidence of young people. It has also provided the perfect vehicle for peer assessment and AfL in lessons, a key priority for the College. Students have also been able to redraft and respond to both peer feedback and teacher feedback to improve the quality of the work. Student attainment was at the level of their individual MELP and in some in cases exceeded their MELP with some students attaining Level 8

Do you have specific examples of students who have benefitted from this strategy? Students like Alex or Sasha , both year 9, who are very good but very quiet in lessons have really benefited in lessons. Their confidence has improved through considered and structured pairwork and increased confidence in their oral skills. Students have been able to develop their oral skills away from the attention of the class. Three quarters of this particular class are showing 2 clear levels of progress since the start of year 7. Quotes endorsing impact I felt redundant as they had the confidence and the skills to get on with the activity by themselves Mrs McMenamin Suddenly they were enjoying the most boring topic and loving it!!! Miss Burton after using Socrative in KS3 MFL lessons Why did it work? The critical factors that made this work were Engaging nature of tablet device technology, Cross curricular links improving others skills as well as language skills What links, resources or contacts would you recommend to others that supported your success in this work? Outcomes (stats)