“Alls I’m Saying Is…..”
Written by Jane Haggath
Following the Inspire session last week, focused on engagement and challenge, one theory really struck a chord. Ultimately, I was left pondering the question of whether it was more purposeful to aim at the top and then differentiate down. In many ways this theory made absolute sense and when reflecting upon my practice there was indeed evidence of this: planning aimed high with challenge and extension naturally incorporated and then secondarily focused on areas that would require differentiation and support, which in turn led to a variety of materials being sourced and generated. Lower ability students were catered for by scaffolded and supported processes in order to climb the ladder of success and reach the dizzying heights of whichever level they needed to attain or surpass. And, I felt confident that top attaining students would be engaged whilst thinking carefully to reach their potential.
However, reflecting on mine and others ‘delivery’ of this planning it did not always match the high expectations and aspirational challenge in one significant way…the way it was conveyed to the students. And, by this I specifically mean the spoken delivery.
No matter the high-brow content or challenging questioning, something just didn’t ‘sit right’ in the way teachers sometimes spoke to the students, myself included. Why was and is it that we adopt a dumbed down vocabulary when it comes to delivery? Do we think that adopting a more simple vocabulary, or in some witnessed cases a level of yoof speak, will help engage them with the content and ideas? Okay, a certain accommodation has to be made in the way that we speak in order to create that all important rapport with students but surely we shouldn’t undermine our subjects or indeed the brains and vocabulary of our students in favour of making sure that they all ‘get it’ on a simplistic level.
As someone proud of their northern heritage, I’m not advocating an abandonment of our roots or indeed our accent. What I’m calling for is a real focus and promotion of academic register when delivering subject knowledge and ideals, especially in order to engage and challenge that higher end. A higher end who will be subjected to high level sophisticated reading texts and who need to master a variety of sophisticated vocabulary themselves in order to express their ideas not only eloquently but succinctly in an examination. For our A and A* grade students it is the level of vocabulary which will make a colossal difference to the grade they achieve. Importantly, it is us they will hear this vocabulary from and we have a duty to model speech and expression of ideas in the best way possible!
With this now at the forefront of my mind I am experimenting with a very careful thought process about how I speak in my classroom. Furthermore, I am making every endeavour to increase the vocabulary of my students. First reactions appear very positive and I have to admit smiling knowingly as I listened to Courtney exclaim, “Adhere to my articulate vocabulary because I sound well posh. You’d think I was proper mint with my nominalisation!” A proud moment, I can tell you. Okay it wasn’t perfect but she had learnt new words and used them in the correct context with a sense of pride at expressing herself in a different way. What wasn’t there to love?
I’m now on a quest to convert and raise levels of vocabulary in all people I meet; including esteemed colleagues one of whom learnt that ‘yous’ is not an actual word when referring to a collective group of people. I pledge to think carefully about the way I continue to express and explain myself and work to include challenge and engagement focused on synonyms and connectives to structure and express ideas which I admit have so far gone down a treat…I mean been received and devoured in an enthusiastic appetite for articulateness.
Written by Jane Haggath
