21st Century Skills: Communication and Teamwork 21st Century Skills: Communication and Teamwork Helping Students to Communicate and Work Together Effectively
Mike Gershon is an internationally-renowned trainer, author and educational consultant. He is the owner and director of Gershon Learning Limited, through which he provides training and consultancy services to schools, colleges, charities, government bodies and businesses in the United Kingdom and overseas to improve teaching and learning, raise achievement and share best practice.
He is the author of over 40 books on teaching, learning and education, including numerous bestsellers, as well as over 70 guides to classroom practice and a suite of online courses. Mike’s online teaching resources are some of the most popular of all time, having been viewed and downloaded more than 4 million times, by teachers in over 180 countries and territories.
Senior leaders and classroom teachers
In this practical, thought-provoking workshop, bestselling author and internationally-renowned educationalist Mike Gershon helps you unlock the secrets to facilitating successful student communication and teamwork. This vital 21st century skill is of utmost importance to the students of today. In this workshop, Mike will help you to understand how you can transform your classroom into a bustling hive of collaborating students, working together and communicating with skill and precision to achieve great learning gains. With a practical focus throughout, you can be sure that you will leave the workshop with a wide range of strategies, activities and techniques you can apply in your classroom to make effective student communication and teamwork a day-to-day reality for all your learners.
- Understand the key drivers of student behavior and interactions in the classroom
- Know what effective student communication and teamwork looks like
- Understand how to plan for successful communication and teamwork
- Be able to apply a wide range of practical strategies, activities and techniques to your own practice
8.00 – 9.30: Session 1
9.30 – 9.45: Tea/Coffee Break & Networking
9.45 – 12.00: Session 2
12.00 – 1.00: Lunch
1.00 – 2.30: Session 3
2.30 – 2.45: Tea/Coffee Break & Networking
2.45 – 4.00: Session 4
Session 1 – The Classroom as a Social and Cognitive Space: Laying the Foundations for Successful Student Communication and Teamwork
In this session we examine how classrooms work on a social and cognitive level and what impact this has on the successful planning and delivery of group work. We explore what teachers can do to lay the foundations for successful student communication and teamwork, looking at both the barriers to this and how to overcome them.
Session 2 – Embedding Discussion, Collaboration and Verbal Rehearsal in Learning Activities
The second session is highly practical in nature, as it demonstrates a range of strategies, activities and techniques teachers can use to facilitate successful student communication and teamwork. The three themes of discussion, collaboration and verbal rehearsal tie the collection of teacher tools together, giving thematic coherence.
Session 3 – Planning for Progression in Group Work Activities: Using Taxonomies to Maximize Progress
In Session 3 we address the risk that by promoting communication and collaboration, particularly through group work, we run the risk of not achieving the learning gains we might otherwise secure. We examine how teachers can use taxonomies to underpin their activity planning, therefore ensuring a high level of progress is inherent to any group work that forms part of their lesson.
Session 4 – Reflecting on Current Practice and Planning Next Steps
We conclude the workshop with some time for reflection and to plan next steps. The aim here is to consolidate the learning done throughout the day. Delegates will have the chance to think about what are their next steps and how they will apply learning from the day to their own practice.