Pedagogy

A focus on Learning

This year we aim to increase CLARITY in our lessons by displaying and discussing Learning Intentions and Success Criteria in our classrooms. Throughout the year our teachers will have the opportunity to engage in a range of Professional Development activities to increase their understanding of why Learning Intentions and Success Criteria are important, and also to build teacher confidence in writing them.

Research shows that students who regularly receive this information in the classroom are:

• more focused for longer periods of time
• more motivated and active in their learning
• better able to take responsibility for their own learning

So what are they?

Learning intentions describe what students should know, understand and be able to demonstrate by the end of a lesson, a series of lessons or a unit of work. They focus on the learning, rather than the task or activity and assist teachers to give meaningful feedback. They answer the question “Where am I going in my learning?”. They give us the learning destination.

Success criteria states what students have to do to show they have achieved the learning intention. 

They can be used for students to self assess their learning in order to improve achievement and are most impactful when students are engaged in their co-construction during the lesson. They provide the map which shows learners HOW to get to the learning destination.