Teach Secondary Issue 14.2

Effective online TEACHING Head of School Amy Husband explains why online teaching is a powerful tool we can’t afford to overlook when it comes to alternative provision... O nline teaching is a crucial educational tool, particularly for students who attend alternative provision. Typically, these will be students who have faced challenges inmainstream settings, ranging from Emotionally Based School Avoidance (EBSA), to repeat suspensions, difficulties in self-regulation or even permanent exclusions. As an experienced headteacher, working with a diverse range of pupils who have additional needs in an online alternative provision setting, I’ve witnessed first-hand the transformative power of effective online teaching. But what is it that makes an online teacher genuinely effective? Fresh starts Teachers who choose to work in alternative provision understand that for some students, the idea of yet another educational setting can feel daunting, rather than promising. At Academy21 – the UK’s first, DfE-accredited online alternative provision – we embrace a ‘fresh start’ philosophy. Our teachers often choose to not know the reasons behind a student’s enrolment, thus ensuring that they welcome each learner without any preconceptions. Instead, they focus on creating the foundation for a positive and supportive learning experience. In an online setting, non-verbal communication becomes evenmore crucial. Teachers’ body language should be open and relaxed, and their facial expressions ABOUT THE AUTHOR Amy Husband is Head of School Academic at Academy21 should convey warmth and engagement. At Academy21, our teachers maintain a friendly and warm tone, which helps students feel at ease. Teachers provide clear instructions while supporting students’ engagement through the use of varied vocal tones and facial expressions, creating a non-threatening environment in which students can feel comfortable engaging without fear of making mistakes. The power of praise Praise and encouragement are fundamental to excellent online teaching in AP. The focus isn’t on getting the correct answer, but on having a go . This approach helps build self-esteem, which is essential if students are to participate regularly and in greater depth. With this foundation established, teachers can then provide academic feedback to advance learning, but it’s a process that takes time. Compared to the walls of a physical classroom, there’s limited space for permanently displaying reminders, key vocabulary and other points of information during online teaching, meaning teachers must prioritise what information is made visible to students and when. Visual prompts and scaffolds can help students with auditory processing or memory retention difficulties, reducing cognitive load so that space can be freed up for new concepts. Chunking information into small, manageable sections will prevent students from becoming overwhelmed. The ‘ I do, we do, you do ’ approach – where teachers model tasks before students attempt them independently – is particularly effective. Retrieval practice A spiral curriculum provides opportunities to consolidate prior learning and engage in retrieval practice. Students consolidate what they have learned by revisiting topics throughout the year, supporting information transfer fromworking memory to long-term memory. This can then be applied to other areas of students’ learning, aiding their understanding and development of critical thinking skills. Online teaching isn’t suitable for every student or teacher, but it does offer an effective solution for many who can’t attend a physical school setting. Peer-to-peer socialisationmay be optimal for most students, but not always in the best interests of every learner. Effective online teachers recognise this, and will take steps to help students reach a place where reintegration is possible. At Academy21, we focus on staged reintegration at students’ individual pace, working in partnership with local authorities, schools, andMATs to provide an excellent online education experience. Confidence, participation, and engagement are at the core of our provision, and our teachers excel at conveying this through every interaction. While building relationships is the most critical aspect of our work, the academic rigour underpinning our teaching and curriculum is widely regarded as an excellent provision for students at their greatest time of need. 71 teachwire.net/secondary T E C H N O LO G Y