Improving behaviour through explicit teaching - the FAST approach (ResearchEd 21)
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Bertram Richter, deputy headteacher at Southam College, emphasizes the importance of teaching behavior through structured routines to address post-lockdown learning challenges, aiming to establish high expectations and improve student engagement. The plan outlines specific routines to enhance classroom behavior, such as active listening, answering questions correctly, maintaining proper posture, and being prepared with materials. Through these efforts, the school seeks to foster a positive learning environment and support students in catching up on missed learning time.
Improving behaviour through explicit teaching - the FAST approach (ResearchEd 21)
- 1. Bertram Richter Deputy Headteacher Southam College bertramrichter@yahoo.com @bertramrichter Improving behaviour through explicit teaching:
- 2. Behaviour is learned. Behaviour needs to be taught. Routines -> Habits -> Character The power of routine
- 3. • pre-occupation with following Covid-protocols > learning • general ‘sluggishness’ in lessons, lack of care with presentation • vastly differing home-learning experience • vastly differing parental expectations / ability to support • 20min registration / start of the day most affected • significant minority of students taking up majority of pastoral time – out of learning habits and healthy routines • background: aspiration to achieve/secure ‘outstanding’ behaviour The problem: post-lockdown blues
- 4. The solution: Routines 1. Teaching behaviour vs telling students to ‘behave’ 2. Making compliance visible -> building habits and strengthening norms 3. Clear, accessible definition of ‘high expectations’ / ‘be the best you can be’ 4. Common language = common purpose (“Show me F.A.S.T. learning”, “make it F.A.S.T.”, “I need to see everybody in F.A.S.T. mode in 3-2-1”, “At Southam, we learn F.A.S.T.” , “Remember your F.A.S.T. learning” “Let’s do this again – this time F.A.S.T.”) 5. Every lesson = teaching opportunity to practise/praise/improve/correct each routine accelerating learning -> catching up on missed learning time!
- 5. Accelerating learning through routines Why now? • We missed out on 35% of direct learning time last academic year • Over 400 students have missed 10-14 days of school due to self-isolation during Term 1 = 20% of term 1 • We missed 8 weeks in Term 2 (20% of the whole year)
- 6. How do we teach? • clearly defined outcomes & rationale • complex task broken into smaller steps • each step practised separately • small steps add up to complex schemata over time • ongoing feedback / correction / retrieval practice
- 7. How do we teach behaviour? • clearly defined outcomes & rationale • complex task broken into smaller steps • each step practised separately • small steps add up to complex schemata over time • ongoing feedback / correction / retrieval practice
- 8. Imagine: • every lesson starts purposefully with minimal lead-in time • students are visibly engaged (eye contact, active listening) • every student attempts to answer your questions • students have their equipment ready from the start ? The power of routine
- 9. Routines & Marginal Gains
- 10. Using these 4 routines is guaranteed to help students: • learn more • remember more • develop more self-control, confidence and resilience – habits for life • show you are a polite, approachable, kind and respectful person Accelerating learning through routines
- 11. Implementation timeline 1 • LOTS of reading 2 • deciding on 4 routines & acronym • pitching/discussing with the Head 3 •refining my pitch, ‘branding’ & ideas with: Pastoral Leaders, HoDs, teaching & learning team •training day: launch with all staff 4 • Whole-school launch: after Easter holidays – using period 1 teachers to teach FAST routines • plaster school with FAST banners 5 • weekly FAST focus with a taught activity during registration and a clear emphasis that this is the start of a Behaviour Curriculum
- 12. But… 1. “This is superficial / gimmicky” 2. “It’s nothing I don’t do anyway” 3. “Most students know and do this already – is there really a need?” 4. “Are we doing S.L.O.W learning next year?” If we all teach these routines and insist on them, it will have a profound impact on all students’ progress Most students in most lessons do this which is why behaviour is good at Southam - not outstanding. We are raising the bar for students because we know they can rise to it. see above. Also – given the disruption to learning routines, there is a need to spell out our minimum expectations. This is the launchpad for a taught ‘Behaviour Curriculum’ No – our 5 learning/behaviour routines won’t change for 2021/22 (and beyond!)
- 13. Routine 1 Follow the speaker
- 14. Routine 1: Follow the speaker - THEORY Why? How? How not? • Look at the speaker, the powerpoint (eye contact) • Look at the PowerPoint • Turn to the person who is talking • Show that you’re listening (nod, smile, etc) ->active listening • Looking around the room / out of the window • Looking down • Looking at other students • Following the speaker whilst talking or doing something else • easier to understand what is talked about • you’ll remember more • it is polite and respectful • it is an essential skill for every job interview and in every career
- 16. Routine 2: Answering questions - THEORY Why? How? How not? • In full sentences • Facing the speaker • Speaking clearly • using subject-specific vocabulary If you don’t know: • hypothesise “I’m not sure, but …” or • articulate: “What I don’t understand, is …” • Mumbling • Answering in half-sentences • Answering “I don’t know” • Not answering • Shouting out the answer • Interrupting others • Impatiently • you’ll learn more • thinking about what you’ve learned helps you remember more • it’s polite and builds confidence • communication is a life skill used for every job interview and in every career
- 17. Routine 3 Sit up straight
- 18. Routine 3: Sit up straight - THEORY Why? How? How not? • arms close to sides • shoulders relaxed • legs under your desk • both feet flat on the floor • slouching (can hinder serotonin production) • leaning back / forward • moving your chair around • increases oxygen flow • aligns the vertebrae in your back • increases energy, concentration and memory • positive, attentive body language • higher self-esteem • lower anxiety
- 19. Routine 4 Take out your equipment
- 20. Routine 4: Take out your equipment - THEORY Why? How? How not? • pen • reading book / revision material • pencil case (ruler, pencil, spare pens –essential items) • check/pack equipment the night before • missing equipment • asking for a pen at the start of a task • disrupting lesson by asking other students for equipment • having to stop learning because your pen ran out (spare pens) • makes it easy to learn from the start of each lesson • looks confident & professional • makes you less dependent on teachers’ reminders
- 21. Extended registration: Routine 1 Follow the speaker Routine 2 Answer questions Routine 3 Sit up straight Routine 4 Take out your equipment
- 22. How F.A.S.T. are you? 1. Pack away 2. Your teacher will tell each row where to stand (e.g. back of the classroom etc) 3. When your teacher says “Fast” – you need to: • Go to your seat and unpack all equipment • Attempt the ‘Revise in 5’ task in your pack • Answer when your teacher asks you • Look at your teacher when they speak, sitting up straight Your teacher will time you!
- 23. 1. What does F.A.S.T. stand for? 2. What are 2 benefits of good posture (=sitting up straight)? 3. List 3 different ways of showing your teacher/peers that you are actively listening? 4. List two elements of a good answer. 5. What can you say instead of “I don’t know”? F.A.S.T. learning @ Southam
- 26. Routine 1: Follow the speaker – PRACTICE Prepare to talk for 30 seconds about: “A skill I’m proud of” • Your teacher will start and then select 3-4 students • If you are selected: talk so that the whole class can hear you • If you listen: turn to the person who is talking and show that you’re listening attentively • Your teacher will then ask 3-4 more students a follow-up question End
- 27. Routine 2: Answering questions – PRACTICE Quiz – best answer wins! • Your teacher will put you in four teams • You will be asked a question and have 1 minute to come up with an answer • Your teacher will give each answer a score out of 5 • Highest-scoring team wins!
- 28. Routine 3: Sit up straight - PRACTICE Memorise this for 30 seconds Shoulders relaxed
- 29. Routine 3: Sit up straight - PRACTICE How many do you remember? Shoulders relaxed
- 30. Routine 4: Take out your equipment-PRACTICE Equipment check 1. reading book 2. black or blue ballpoint pens* 3. pencil sharpener 4. pencils* 5. pair of compasses 6. pencil eraser 7. ruler 8. coloured pencils/fine fibre tips 9. protractor 10. pencil case 11. calculator 12. dry-wipe board pen *SPARES! reading book Pencil case pen, pencil
- 31. Retrieval practice Follow-up schedule: Week 2: getting FASTer (finding Southam’s FASTest tutor group) Week 3: Answering questions Week 4: Good posture (S) Week 5: Equipment / Reading book (T) Week 6: Being consistent (FAST) Week 7: Cold-calling (A)
- 32. Follow-up registration task – example:
- 33. Evidence 1: Learning Walks (SLT & HoDs)
- 34. Evidence 2: External evaluation • Two external reviews – led by two different HMIs • part of an ongoing Trust-wide quality assurance process • Deep dives into Personal Development and Behaviour: “The new behaviour curriculum (as seen in the consistent promotion of FAST routines in form periods) has already contributed to students’ capacity to learn and is likely to have a significant impact with continued and consistent implementation.” “Behaviour and attitudes to learning are exceptional because the College has high expectations for student’s behaviour and conduct.” “The vast majority of students behave respectfully towards their peers and staff. Students behave and conduct themselves extremely well during lessons and at social times.” “Registration activities are purposeful and add to the cultural capital of students whilst embedding the school’s focus on consistent application of FAST routines.”
- 36. Kindness Confidence Resilience 1. Give a genuine compliment 2. Show an interest in other people 3. Engage somebody you don’t know in a conversation 4. Identify positive behaviour in others and copy it 5. Understand and apply self-care 6. Acknowledge if somebody/something makes them feel good 7. Show their admiration 8. Offer to help others when they don’t know the answer 9. Show respect for our environment 10. Do something for somebody else 11. Display good manners/etiquette 12. Be a good listener 13. Boost other people’s confidence 14. Do something for others without them knowing it 1. Speak publicly 2. Present a clear argument 3. Give a presentation to the tutor group 4. Give feedback 5. Tell somebody else the truth/be honest/point out when they’re not kin (e.g. tell a friend to stop a certain behaviour or that it’s wrong) 6. Join an after-school club without their friends 7. Take on responsibility for other students (student leadership / rewards system) 8. Engage with visitors, external speakers 1. Stick with a difficult task 2. Recognise and manage negative emotions 3. Resolve conflicts 4. Receive and act on feedback 5. Calm themselves down 6. Ban “I can’t do this” / “I’m no good at …” 7. Make a compromise 8. Understand Sanctions/Consequences vs resolutions What behaviours do we want our students to leave with? Staff survey (by value) showed the following results:
- 37. Behaviour Curriculum for Registration
- 38. Reading list Tom Bennett: Running the Room (2020) Peps McCrae: Motivated Teaching (2020) Doug Lemov: Teach like a Champion 2.0 (2015) / 3.0 (14 Sept 2021)
- 39. Bertram Richter Deputy Headteacher Southam College bertramrichter@yahoo.com @bertramrichter Improving behaviour through explicit teaching:
Editor's Notes
- #6: We need to ACCELERATE learning – best possible way to ‘catch-up’ rather than having a longer school day, summer school or extra tuition/tutors!
- #10: explain that small changes, day after day lead to huge changes over time
- #15: Emphases that students need to be active listeners which can be done in a range of ways. Eye contact OR looking in the direction of the speaker OR looking at the ppt for example. Students who say “I can listen AND do something else” – reply with: but it’s not as effective as it could be and we’re looking to be the best we can be, not just good
- #27: Ask students to think of question to ask refer back to the different ways of showing active listening This could be anything: bike riding, baking, listening to my friends, singing, rugby tackle, making other people laugh, organising my work etc. Feel free to substitute this for a topic linked to your subject if you feel it would yield a better result
- #28: This could be something from your subject area – otherwise use the following questions – or just one if you need to gain time: Is it more important to be respected or liked and why? One thing you would change in school following last year (exams vs teacher grades, video lessons vs in-school lessons etc) – and why? Explain why some answer are better than others (giving a reason, length of the sentences, depth of thinking behind it)