Religious Education - Exemplification in subjects - A Coherent Pedagogy for Secondary Schools

Religious Education
A Religious Education Lesson in Key Stage 3

There is something for pupils to do as soon as they come into the room, a puzzling, question, an interesting picture or a challenge, for example, which captures their interest and ensures that they are engaged and motivated from the start of the lesson.

The objectives of the lesson are shared with pupils in language that is clear to them and focuses on what they will learn rather than on what they will do.

Lessons have a clear focus, with the objectives linked appropriately to the requirements of the locally Agreed Syllabus.

Lessons are planned to use interactive teaching strategies and classrooms are set out to facilitate this with good sight lines, so that pupils can see, hear and interact with each other as well as with the teacher.

The pupils see RE lessons as active and engaging - they are expected to participate and they know this.They are frequently asked to stop, think, suggest and explain.

They may talk with a partner or work on a problem individually and show answers on white boards or the OHP.

Teachers aim to ask fewer closed and lower level questions. They pose questions that are interesting, challenging, will make pupils think, and are likely to prompt the higher order responses of analysis, synthesis and evaluation.

Tasks involving these concepts are also more challenging because they require pupils to adopt more diverse approaches and strategies in their thinking.

The teacher observes individual, paired or group activities in progress intervening, if necessary, with prompt questions and identifying pupils to take the lesson forward.

This may involve pupils who have contrasting points of view or different ways of tackling or responding to the issue, coming to the front to present their argument and explain their thinking using the OHP or whiteboard.

The teacher encourages pupils to ask them questions and add their own points, modelling this appropriately, helping the pupils to compare and contrast the different perspectives presented.

Question and answer is used as a strategy for encouraging discussion.When teachers encourage pupils to ask questions and comment they give them 20 or 30 seconds in pairs to rehearse their answers for the more challenging questions.

This 'wait time' allows pupils to organise their thoughts and discuss initial ideas, prompts depth of thought and increases the level of challenge.

Pupils gain confidence as speakers and as listeners. They are able to express their views thoughtfully and listen critically but respectfully to the views of others, valuing their contributions.