Accelerated learning

Painting the big picture

Students find it easier to learn if they can relate new learning to what they already know.

Teachers should briefly recap previous relevant lessons.  This will help the teacher to assess students' understanding and will enable students to make connections and build a mental map.

The teacher should either explain how the current lesson ties in with other lessons and topics - or elicit this information from the students.  There may have been questions raised in a previous lesson that can now be addressed.

Preview the lesson.  Set out what you are going to do together.  The presentation of the big picture helps the students to realise that there is no great ogre of difficulty lurking within the lesson.

Explain the relevance of the lesson.  Build a sense of expectation.

This phase of the lesson, brief as it is, leads naturally into the next - when goals and targets can be set.  These can be broken down into “sub-targets” (where appropriate) to make the goals achievable.

Accelerated learning overview

Learning environment - The big picture - Outcomes - Input - Activity - Demonstration - Review