Using timely practice

Owned by Lesley Goddard
Last updated: Feb 14, 2024
25 min read

This topic is necessary for teachers. Read this after having studied the topic best practice for timely practice.

(1) Introduction: talking about questions

The app splits questions first into

  • topic themes: FDPR, algebra, geometryMeasure, integer, probabilityStatistics, wordProblems

then splits these into

  • topics e.g. decimalFraction, sequenceArithmetic, area, factor, discreteGraph and secretADDsign

then splits these into

  • layers e.g. decimalFraction(2), sequenceArithmetic(8), area(6), factor(1), discreteGraph(3) and secretADDsign(11)

and finally each layer is made up of a number of

  • questions, which are similar to each other but slightly different.

scaffolding: internal and traditional

Whenever possible we prefer to learners to build chunks in long-term memory which provide the learner with “internal scaffolding” to learn harder layers.

Sometimes we use traditional scaffolding: often a representative, sometimes a partially complete question. Once the learner has mastered the layer with the scaffold, then the learner needs to be taught to answer questions without the scaffold. Sometimes this process happens naturally without feedback, sometimes the best feedback is “what diagram can you draw to help you answer this question?”

(2) Introduction: finding questions

For each layer there are sets of questions

The table below shows the types of question a learner might practise from the layer givenXsign(9). All the questions in a layer are similar but different.

Generic name

Where to find

When to use (and why)

Format

Specific name

Generic name

Where to find

When to use (and why)

Format

Specific name

Pre-assess question

In the “Already Learned and Remembered?” section of the learner's timely practice assignment.

At least a few lessons before teaching the topic for the first time (to ensure teaching is “of goldilocks” difficulty).

One question, within a number of mixed topic and difficulty questions.

givenXsign(9) Q7

Teach-learn questions

Usually found in the top row of the appropriate <topicName> page of

https://timelypractice.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/CKB/pages/150995025

At the point of teaching: in an/the learning episode within a lesson. The teacher uses the questions to teach a group of learners/the whole class a new skill - ideally using “think aloud”.

Usually 4 questions (1 per page) in a downloadable PDF document, which the teacher can project onto a whiteboard.

givenXsignTL9.pdf

Practise-learn worksheet

Usually in the second row of the appropriate <topicName> page of

https://timelypractice.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/CKB/pages/150995025

At the point of teaching. The learners practise “their skill”, which they learned earlier in the lesson and then self assess using the answers provided.

Usually a worksheet, with cut off (or occasionally fold over) answers.

givenXsign9.pdf

Retrieval practice question

In the “retrieval practice” section of the learner's timely practice assignment.

The app spaces these to

  • post assess the lesson after teaching,

  • gradually stretch the duration of the recall-ability of the skill,

  • practise soon after feedback,

One question, within a number of mixed topic and difficulty questions.

givenXsign(9) Q8

(3) Introduction: the 3 tabs navigation and purpose

Once

  • the learners and the scheme of learning is added (5 to 20 minutes) and

  • enough pre assess is completed (1 to 4 sessions) and

  • the first timely practice lesson has been taught then

the planning and preparation follows a similar format for all subsequent lessons. Jump down to (6) to read more about the planning and preparation of most lessons

Navigation: Each class has 3 tabs

Learner’s Tab

Scheme of Learning Tab

Planning and Preparation Tab

Learner’s Tab

Scheme of Learning Tab

Planning and Preparation Tab

Extra information will be found here.

Learner’s Tab

Information about the learners within the class. Minimal information: the names of each learner.

Level for Learner - the approximate grade the learner would get if they took the GCSE exam tomorrow. (For primary pupils maybe grade 1 = close to “expected progress”, no grade is below this).

Pace for Practice can be adjusted so that all learners take about the same time to complete their timely practice assignments within the lesson. Most learners will complete their assignments within a minute or two of each other, their pace can be left at the default 100%, adjust the pace for learners who finish their assignments significantly quicker or significantly slower than their peers. The Pace from Practice can be adjusted as frequently as desired.

Scheme of Learning Tab

The Scheme of Learning for the class.

The SOL for the class will show which topics to add to SOL (within the app) for the first spiral through the curriculum, and when to add more topics during subsequent spirals.

For subsequent spirals the teacher may want to add more topics to a topic theme. e.g. Once some learners have mastered equivalent fraction skills within fractionINTRO and sufficient skills within givenDIVsign skills and/or prime skills then the teacher may want to begin to teach simplestForm to some learners.

For efficient teaching (teaching which results in a high proportion of embedded learning), learners should only learn new skills for which they have mastered the pre requisite skills. i.e. the teacher and SOL have gentle but relentlessly rising expectations.

Planning and Preparation Sessions Tab

The Planning and Preparation tab does the most work. It helps the teacher ensure they are teaching in a manner which most efficiently embeds learning in low attaining or underachieving learners (those who aren’t expected to gain a grade 5 or above at GCSE).

The staircase symbol of the tab represents each learner making a little progress every lesson.

The 3 parts moving forwards symbol, used to create a new planning and preparation session, represents how the teacher is assisted to raise attainment with these 3 activities

  • assess prior learning

  • plan and resource teaching

  • schedule retrieval practice

assess prior learning: assess last lesson’s teaching within 2. Edit Taught and assess existing learning within 3. Assess t.p. (timely practice)

plan and resource teaching: found in 4. Plan Teaching. FYI the teach-learn and practise-learn activities are found in Learning Resources within this, the CKB (customer knowledge base)

schedule retrieval practice: within 5. Create t.p and within 6. Download t.p. (timely practice).

The sub heading, in each learners PDF assignment Already Learned and Remembered? is what the teacher will think of as pre assess. Over time the app finds out what learners can already independently and accurately recall in all the topics within the apps SOL.

The sub heading, in each learners PDF assignment Retrieval Practice and contains questions to ensure prior learning and new learning becomes ever more deeply embedded in the learner’s long term memory. The app prioritises fragile learning over more deeply embedded learning. The app ensures that the wait between one practice and the next of a layer of similar questions is long enough to promote a stretching of duration the learner can readily recall the learning of the layer for. This timely practice, well timed deliberate practice, means that learning will be rarely be forgotten and (almost) all retrieval practice questions are worthy of feedback. (FYI Occasionally, a recently taught layer may judged as “requiring too much feedback”, and the assessment option best learned later (bell) will ensure the app removes the layer from all of the learner’s future retrieval practice assignments).

 

mp4 for (3) Get started: create class, add learners, add SOL, create and download the first pre assess assignment

FYI only one (unimaginatively named) learner is added to the example class, usually there will be more learners.

FYI the teacher is following the first spiral of the course.

(4) Get started assess an assignment containing only pre assess questions

mp4 for (4) assess a pre assess only assignment + what the app does with the assessment for learning data it collects

FYI topic themes e.g. algebra are broken down into topics e.g. sequenceArithmetic, which are broken down into layers, e.g. sequenceArithmetic (1). Each layer is made up of a number of questions.

The 3 pre assess assessment options

tick

bell

reset

tick

bell

reset

  • tick is for a fully independent and accurate answer

  • bell, stands for best learned later. It is used for an almost (but not fully correct answer) or for a one part correct answer or for a question not answered (but the teacher assumes that the learner has had a chance to read and try to answer the question).

  • reset is for when the teacher assumes the learner hasn’t had a chance to answer the question e.g. the last few questions of the assignment are all left blank (the learner seems to have run out of time) or e.g. a blank answer line, when a short question is sandwiched between longer questions (the teacher thinks that the learner may not have seen the question). This assessment option can also be used if the teacher can’t quite read the learners answer e.g. a 3 has been changed to a 5 (the pre assess process is not a test, the purpose is to find out what the learner already knows, later the teacher can train the learner in good exam skills).

(5) Get started: when can the teacher use Plan Teaching within the app?

Key to colour coding used in Plan Teaching

unknown

in pre assess

in pre assess

doesn’t know

fragile

improving

mastered

covered

unknown

in pre assess

in pre assess

doesn’t know

fragile

improving

mastered

covered

 

 

 

Of course teacher’s don’t need to use timely practice to plan teaching, but if the teacher wants to use the power of the timely practice app to

  • ensure they only ever teach on firm learning foundations and

  • automatically schedule personalised retrieval practice on the learning of the lesson and

  • have the app adjust the schedule of retrieval practice when a learner has made an error and had feedback;

then the teacher must wait until the app has finished pre assessing the topic. (There is nothing stopping a teacher teaching a layer to a learner whose pre assess on the topic is incomplete, but the app won’t schedule retrieval practice and the teacher may not be teaching on firm learning foundations.)

first mp4 for (5) Get started: how pre assess works and deciding when a topic fully pre assessed

A learner’s column in the Plan Teaching topic dashboard

  • which has some mid grey and darker blue-grey squares - indicates that pre assess is not complete;

  • which only shows light grey squares - indicates that the app does not intend to pre assess the topic (judging all the layers either too easy or too hard);

  • which shows a mix of white and light grey squares - indicates the app thinks the learner could learn layers from the topic, but has not learned any yet;

  • the (often fuzzy) line between the shades of blue (perhaps mixed with light grey) in the lower part of the column and the white (usually mixed in with light grey) in the upper part of the column is the (often fuzzy) “goldilocks” point where teaching should begin.

second mp4 for (5) Get started: Plan Teaching + find the teach-learn and practise-learn resources

Here is the Learning Resources link.

Key to colour coding used in Plan Teaching

unknown

in pre assess

in pre assess

doesn’t know

teach next

fragile

improving

mastered

covered

unknown

in pre assess

in pre assess

doesn’t know

teach next

fragile

improving

mastered

covered

 

 

 

(6) Moving on: planning and preparation for subsequent lessons

MP4 needs to be added her

 

Planning the order and manner of teaching the layers of a topic is more of an art than a science. As the teacher gets to know how the learners within the class learn, the teacher will become more skilled at this.

The preparation and planning time required is from 3-5 minutes (for 1 topic in a lesson) and 7-10 minutes (for 2 topics per lesson) plus 1 minute per learner.

The 3 pre assess and 5 retrieval practice assessment options

 

tick

feedback on attempt

feedback on blank

bell

reset

 

tick

feedback on attempt

feedback on blank

bell

reset

 

pre assess

 

independent and accurate answer

N/A

N/A

not fully accurate

the learner ran out of time or seems to have not seen the question.

retrieval practice

question attempted, and feedback might work

question not answered, but feedback might work

feedback isn’t working

 

Frequently asked Questions

Measuring learning progress within a trial

Extension for the teacher/manager who will supervise a comparative trial

Whether the school/department/teacher is using timely practice to find out

  • how effective their current SOL with one class and how effective a timely practice SOL is with another class

  • or to compare a year where some teaching is done using the current SOL and some using a timely practice SOL

they will need to decide what the lead time needs to be - when sufficient pre assess is likely to have been done - so they can measure embedded learning at the start of a trial. We are happy to give advice about this.