1. Improving speaking and listening
through collaborative learning
@helenlochead

2. The problem…
AS and A2 students lacking confidence when
speaking about Chemistry
• Volume of technical and scientific vocabulary
• First language other than English
• Significant intervention at KS4/GCSE
• Social groups

3. Find someone who
Can be used as a revision activity
Can be used as a teaching activity (if students
are all given one piece of information to teach to
each other)

4. You must have:
1. The answer 2. The person you spoke to 3. The follow up question you asked for polymers
Peptide link between alanine
and glycine
Kevlar monomer 2 Kevlar
Terylene Nylon-6,6 monomer 1 Lactic acid
Nylon-6,6 Polylactic acid Kevlar monomer 1
Terylene monomer 1 Nylon-6,6 monomer 2 Terylene monomer 2
WWW: EBI: LR done?

5. Follow up questions...
1.That’s interesting, what makes you say that?
2. That’s true but why do you think that?
3. Can you explain how you worked that out?
4. How does that answer compare to this one?
(Compare to another polymer)
5. That’s right but could you say it using more
scientific language?

6. Quiz Quiz Trade
6 x questions (with answers) on separate slips of paper
Each student has one slip
Students move around the room and pair up
Student 1 asks their Q and will either receive an answer
or give the answer if student 2 is stuck (QUIZ)
Student 2 asks their Q and will either receive an answer
or give the answer if student 1 is stuck (QUIZ)
Students TRADE their question slips

7. Rainbow grouping
Students are put in a colour group to learn new
information together and become experts
Student are then put in a number group to
share new information with other

12. Silent debate
Writing = Speaking Reading = Listening
http://www.pedagoo.org/2013/02/silent-debating/

13. Viewers and Listeners
bulmershetoolkit.blogspot.co.uk

14. “I’ve heard someone say…”

15. Outcome
• High quality chemistry conversations
• Improved confidence when discussing
scientific ideas
• Collaborative classroom environment