In times of change the learners will inherit the earth, while the knowers will find themselves beaut

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• In times of change the learners will inherit the
  earth, while the knowers will find themselves
  beautifully equipped to deal with a world that no
  longer exists.
• Eric Hoffer

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What is Accelerated Learning?

• Accelerated Learning is an umbrella term for a
  series of practical approaches to learning which
  benefit from new knowledge about
• how the brain functions
• motivation and self-belief
• accessing different sorts of intelligence
• retaining and recalling information.
• Accelerated Learning carries with it the
  expectation that, when properly motivated and
  appropriately taught, all learners can reach a
  level of achievement which currently may seem
  beyond them.
• Pupils learn to learn and thus gain life-long
  learning skills.

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Where does Accelerated Learning come from?

• Tony Buzan - Memory
• Howard Gardner - Multiple Intelligence
• Edward de Bono - Thinking Skills
• Reuven Feuerstein - Instrumental Enrichment
• Eric Jensen - Brain-based Learning
• Robert Sylwester - Behaviour, Stress Learning

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The accelerated learning cycle

• Supportive learning environment
• Connect the learning
• Big picture
• Describe the outcomes
• Input
• Activity
• Demonstrate
• Review for recall and retention

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A supportive learning environment

• A positive and supportive learning environment
• characterised by high teacher and learner
• expectation is a necessary constant for any
• learning to take place.
• the learners must be free from anxiety or stress
  and be challenged
• whilst learning the learners are in a
  'resourceful' physical state
• the elements of building and maintaining positive
  self-esteem are in place
• the teacher communicates high expectations
  positively and provides consistent 'educative
  feedback

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(STAGE 1) Connect the learning

• This is the stage where the topic or unit of
• work about to be completed is connected with
• what has gone before and what is to come. It
• builds on what the learners already know and
• understand and helps them assimilate and
• integrate new information.
• help learners see how this follows previous work
  and anticipate what is to come
• participatively review what has gone before
• use prediction exercises to access what is
  already known and to pre-process thinking about
  the content to come
• provide the learners with the learning outcomes,
  the keywords and the questions they will be able
  to answer by the completion of the experience

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(STAGE 2) The big picture

• Describe the content and processes of the
• lesson first.
• access right hemisphere first
• continue pre-processing the questions learners
  will have begun to ask themselves
• make links with content and process explicit by
  explaining what we do and why we do it encourage
  meta-cognition and learner self-knowledge
• continue to alleviate anxieties over the
  accessibility and relevance of the material

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(STAGE 3) Describe the outcomes

• Tell the learners what they will have
• achieved by the end of the lesson and
• structure a formal or informal opportunity
• for them to set personal performance
• outcomes.
• chunk down the content into 'bite-size' pieces
• have the learners affirm for themselves personal
  performance targets
• encourage the use of planning templates to
  develop structured outcomes thinking
• differentiate outcomes using 'must', 'should',
  'could'

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(STAGE 4) Input

• Input the content of the lesson, topic or unit
• utilising VAK.
• the input of new information should utilise
  Visual, Auditory and Kinaesthetic modes
• the input stage will begin to access the
  long-term memory if sufficiently distinctive
• input can be repeated using different strategies
  e.g. active concert, dramatised reading, visual
  display
• utilise the active learning approach
• allow space for reflection, assimilation and
  review
• the duration of the input stage should not exceed
  the on-task capability of the learner

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(STAGE 5) Activity

• Utilise the balance of multiple intelligences in
  the
• learners by designing appropriate activities to
  access
• the content and to deepen understanding.
• access all 7 (1) of the multiple intelligences
• provide a 'balanced diet' of activities (over
  time)
• encourage them to know and use the learning cycle
  and reflect on their own learning preferences
• explain the processes you use and why you use
  them
• use individual, pair and group activity and
  develop pole-bridging skills and structure for
  extensive use
• encourage learners to make choices and measure
  their own progress against success criteria

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(STAGE 6) Demonstrate

• In this stage the learners demonstrate
• their understanding of the new knowledge.
• use paired 'shares' with memory maps, posters,
  booklets, visual displays and other ways of
  'showing you know'
• include demonstrations, tests, quizzes, talks,
  mock lessons
• encourage further reflection on processes used
• provide feedback which is immediate, relates to
  the criteria and is educative
• provide opportunities to 'model' success

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(STAGE 7) Review for recall and retention

• Review is vital to long-term learning and
• recall.
• use a variety of review techniques and apply the
  'six times' rule (by the end of the lesson the
  learners should have received the key information
  in at least six different ways)
• teach different memory and recall techniques
• use concert review at the completion of units

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Does this mean major changes in policy within
school?

• Not at all. Accelerated learning is not a
  curriculum or a scheme and does not necessitate
  any additional paperwork or radical alteration of
  current policies. It will involve a rethinking of
  some long-accepted traditions such as the use of
  display areas and the pace of lessons, but it
  neednt involve any major policy changes. It is
  simply a more informed process of teaching,
  because it requires an understanding of how the
  brain functions. The same lessons can be
  delivered, just in a more effective manner,
  enabling the school to maximise learning
  opportunities for all children through minimising
  barriers to participationindeed, the new
  Curriculum 2000 with its focus on learning to
  learn fits very well with accelerated learning
  techniques.

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How will it be implemented?

• Initially in Key Stage 2 at years 3 and 4 and in
  the Nurture Group. It is hoped to trial
• techniques and materials in these 3 classes so
  that we can learn about using
• accelerated learning methods and plan how they
  might be phased across the school if
• deemed worthwhile. It is expected that use of
  accelerated learning techniques will
• generate interest among other staff who will wish
  to find out more and try some
• techniques in their own classrooms
• Support will be provided in the following ways
• 500 to provide books and motivational prizes.
• AST time to work alongside teachers in their
  classrooms.
• AST time to demonstrate lessons using accelerated
  learning techniques.
• Access to relevant INSET.
• Regular planning meetings where reflection on
  successes and failures is encouraged.