Think Learn Challenge (TLC) passionately believes that all learners have the right to success. We strive to deliver the highest quality advice, consultancy, training, research and classroom materials. All our key messages and methodologies are based solely on sound educational research with proven success. Over the past ten years, TLC have worked with governments to develop policy, authored high-quality classroom and curricular materials and delivered training to thousands of teachers both in the UK and internationally.
All our bespoke courses are interactive and designed as a series of hands-on workshops sharing best practice, covering a wide range of skills, competencies and subjects. They are planned with school managers prior to delivery to give practical and valuable support throughout your school. They can be offered online or face-to-face. Our training ranges in length from twilights to three days and are delivered across Wales in the most relevant language for that location. All materials are available bilingually and are freely available to participants electronically for use in school.
Here are some examples of the type of bespoke packages we can offer:
All of our inset courses are centred around Curriculum for Wales. We offer a free Making Sense of Curriculum for Wales online course for those who are new to its development and require an overview of the changes. Beyond this there are several supporting online CPD opportunities. These include: How can we design your Curriculum for Wales?, What is the best pedagogical approach to improve teaching and learning? and a suite of Problem Solving courses based around a delivery framework for Curriculum for Wales.
Our consultants have many years’ experience in the development and implementation of formative and summative assessment, this includes a wide range of strategies used within assessment for learning and standardisation of assessment to national and qualification level. Assessment for learning is an essential part of classroom practice, as embedded in Curriculum for Wales and is proven to improve learner outcomes. Examples of previous Assessment based courses include:
Assessment for Learning – practical strategies for use in the classroom – a one-day course to help improve learners’ outcomes through motivational and engaging assessment for learning strategies.
Effective marking – saving time improving outcomes – a one-day course to help to improve learners’ performance through effective marking strategies.
Next steps to improve learner performance through formative assessment - a two-day course for all classroom practitioners, to help to improve learners’ literacy and numeracy skills through formative assessment and assessment for learning strategies.
Digital literacy is a high priority in Wales, through Curriculum for Wales and its Digital Competence Framework (DCF). Many teachers still lack the confidence to deal with this challenge. Our consultants have a thorough understanding of the issues and challenges that schools face with implementing the DCF and incorporating Digital literacy into their classrooms. After successfully delivery a three-year training programme on behalf of the British Council on Digital literacy, our consultants will use their expertise to deliver practical school-based advice and training on how to use digital media effectively and safely to improve lesson quality.
Curriculum for Wales is centred around the four purposes of learning, utilising the 12 pedological principles. Over the years we have delivered many courses focusing on these purposes and principles including a 3-year training programme on behalf of the British Council specifically on Critical Thinking and Problem Solving. Examples of other courses we have delivered include:
Resilient, independent and reflective learners - a one-day course for all classroom practitioners to help turn around the ‘spoon-feeding’ tidal wave and turn your class into engaged and motivated lifelong learners.
Curiosity for Inquiry – how to approach learning from an inquirer’s point of view – a one-day course to help you to approach your curriculum content with a focus on nurturing the sense of wonder all children possess and developing deeper engagement with learning.
Preparing for Curriculum for Wales, schools are keen to develop more cross-curricular approaches to learning. TLC has a huge range of experience in developing cross-curricular learning plans and classroom activities. Some examples of previous training focusing on cross-curricular themes include:
Connecting Learning – how to help learners make connections across the Curriculum – a one-day course focusing on how to break down the barriers between subject areas by developing meaningful and engaging cross-curricular learning experiences.
A perfect fit – Science and Technology – available as a one or a two-day course, for all classroom practitioners of science and/or technology in primary and secondary schools, to help teachers to deliver science and technology in a holistic and rounded way.
Planning cross-curricular themes in KS2 - a one day course for practitioners in primary schools, to help develop cross-curricular plans and interesting opportunities to teach literacy and numeracy skills.
TLC, in partnership with Tinopolis, was privileged to be involved with supporting the introduction of the Literacy and Numeracy Framework (LNF) and produced the initial mainstream Guidance under contract to the Welsh Government. We pride ourselves in our understanding of best practice in planning for and delivering the LNF, aspect of the Cross-curricular skills, progression through it, and formative and summative assessment of, learners’ literacy and numeracy skills. Examples of previous bespoke training sessions include:
Next steps to improve learner performance through formative assessment - a two-day course for all classroom practitioners, to help you to improve learners’ literacy and numeracy skills through formative assessment and assessment for learning strategies.
Enhancing learning in science - for teachers of science to review the best ways to implement the LNF through curriculum planning, lesson planning, formative assessment, next steps and cross-curricular working.
We have a wide range of highly knowledgeable and experienced subject specialist facilitators. All have had whole school responsibility and have successfully taught their subject for many years. Many work within Awarding Organisations (AOs) for GCSE and/or A level or are Regulators of AOs for Ofqual and/or Qualifications Wales. Therefore, they are ideally placed to understand current issues within their field. All of our specialists are strong and engaging facilitators who believe passionately that all children deserve success. Currently, we offer subject-specific inset in science and technology, STEM, humanities, modern foreign languages, music, English and Welsh second language from Foundation Phase, KS2, KS3 and post-16. All our subject-specific courses also focus on best practice in implementing the subject within its AoLE and linking across to other AoLEs. Examples of our previous subject specific courses include:
A perfect fit – Science and Technology – available as a one or a two-day course, for all classroom practitioners of science and/or technology in primary and secondary schools, to help you to deliver science and technology in a holistic and rounded way.
Music and the LNF – a one day course for teachers of music (Key Stages 2 and 3). The course will clarify and review which parts of the LNF are relevant to music; how to use the LNF to improve learner outcomes in music; how to design rich tasks to help learners make progress through the LNF and cross-curricular assessment of literacy and numeracy.
Developing skills for the new GCSE in Modern Foreign Languages – a one-day course for secondary MFL teachers to consider the new GCSE in MFL including the key changes and the skills learners need to develop in order to maximise their achievement and engage them in their learning.
All bespoke support is available as online or face-to-face twilight or full day sessions, and will be tailored to your individual requirements from our expert consultants:
Planned with managers prior to delivery - to give practical and valuable support throughout your school
Prices from £350 + VAT per twilight session and £900 + VAT per full day session, with reductions for multiple sessions.
For further information or to book, please contact us.