Enhancing Learning Through Comprehensive Medium-Term Planning

Critical Commentary

Writing

For my medium-term plan, I have written this part aligning with the process approach. The approach provides a time to give feedback, whether it is a positive or negative as a constructive approach. As a teacher you can plan a strategy to improve your creative approach and apply these innovative frameworks (Berliner, 1987; leinhardt & Greeno, 1986). Therefore, the process of giving learners a wide range of creative writing resource material will provide the teachers with an opportunity to involve in more in-depth. For instance, the learners are going to learn the skills to structure and write stories based on their imagination, while they are using as a reference to Pirates storybook. In order to ensure learners, there is a broad approach of studying, and the plan also outlines the students to use group activity, where the teacher listens to the students' understanding, e.g. writing as a team exciting and adventurous stories. According to Clark (2017), the teachers require to experience the learners' position in order to understand their field deeply. This entails, who is the audience? What does the writer's intention and objectives? Moreover, the learners will have the option to research the background of any prominent children books author; compiling different types of information. The goal is adjusting the learners with an inspiration element which will improve their interest in writing and at the same time increase awareness of grammar skills (Pritchard, 2014).

Reading

For this medium-term plan, I have incorporated diverse activities such as learners read and listen a wide range of texts of Pirate theme books and highlighted new vocabulary, in which it enables the teacher to utilise a holistic approach. The approach also teaches the children to manage autonomy and enjoy using dictionaries and school learning resources. As Holden (cited in Clark and Rumbold, 2006) states, reading involves a "creative activity." It stimulates readers' imagination which further facilitates the mind to construct magnificent abstract that might become a creative writer.

The medium-term plan also designates a group reading session, where the class divide into small groups in conjunction with an image and audio, and it will be a means of supporting their memorisation of new vocabularies. As opined by cutting and Kelly (2014), whole – reading approach benefits everyone in the class, even learners with learning difficulties and low confidence increase teaching inn inclusive environment.

Besides, the practice and preparation of children's confidence, where they can present their creative ability as an individual and as a group that will allow gaining self-trust and self-esteem. For instance, planning learners to choose read poetry, and play as a group will develop teamwork and learners; and as a result, it helps to meet a higher academic expectation and increase self-belief in learning (Fisher and Williams, 2004).

Mathematics

The section of mathematics in my medium-term plan was based on the topic way, which the curriculum guides learners in a sequence model, e.g. learners start with learning counting numbers from 0 to 10 then from there to 100. The plan entails ensuring the learners to finish each unit and before beginning the next unit, where the learners are expected to exert higher-level thinking – bloom's taxonomy 'knowledge' "from concrete knowledge to the abstract metacognitive knowledge" (Anderson et al., 2001).

Furthermore, Cutting and Kelly (2014), pointed out that, the early phase of studying mathematics' core knowledge and skills depends on the more diverse and depth of the contents. Therefore, the medium-term plan's content has various units such as addition, subtraction and multiplication, to widen their depth in maths. According to Horner and Ryf (2007), the group work and discussion allow the learners to create a logical connection between various mathematical components, e.g. learners work as a group to learn to add and subtract numbers mentally and improve their technical proficiency.

Also, another creative feature I add in a small group session which students work together, applying maths anything that the learner interesting and clarify the rationale behind it. The purpose is with the intention of students having personal experience in which they can transform the theory of the class into activity and at the same time the reasons behind their practical reasons as a "student motivation" (Brophy, 2004).

Geography

For teaching this element in a primary school setting, I would give a clarified teaching term plan, where the learners have a clear understanding the units they are going to learn and the type of activities that they will participate (Saracho, 2013). I would also use world map, compass directions and aerial photographs. According to National Curriculum UK geography, the aim and objective of teaching geography is to encourage children's' understanding of the earth' natural resources and the surround the human activities (The official site, 2013).

Besides, the learners will have the prospect to initiate group research which enriches their understanding of the subject in terms of solving problems and leadership skills (J Catling and Willy, 2009). I also utilise student centre approach, where the learners use online sources such as Google map and expand their perception of the similarities and differences countries and big cities which also improves learners' communication skills (Pritchard, 2014).

Art and Design

Art and Design's subject involves being creative and utilising children's' potential imagination. According to Bloomfield (2008, pg1), "Children's natural enthusiasm for the arts, as major and valid sources of knowledge is nurtured from the first day at school, and their motivation and commitment is maintained through their primary years". Therefore, I incorporated different units in the medium-term plan, e.g. Use and explore your imaginative ideas around your favourite fictional books character, where children are incited to use their artistry which is essential children to expand their interpersonal skills (Meltzer, 2018).

Similarly, I added a unit, which allows the learners to explore the prominent artist and fictional characters, which will make an essential influence in terms of the knowledge and history of the art and it will deeper their understanding being creative further. The objectives behind creating and designing from their imagination involve helping children to gain innovative ideas through their different learning needs, whether it is visual, audio or kinaesthetic - then as a learner how to apply in their new context (Fisher and Williams, 2004).

There is also a question and discussion sessions among the students, where they can analyse through various ways, craft an image that conveys different meaning (Horner and Ryf, 2007). The intention of having group discourse through art and Design allows children to discover social, cultural and historical phase of the art and design objects. Consequently, the progression of having factual context will help their physical and emotional development in terms of practical engagement of anything that cannot be seen or touch (Georgeson et al., 2011)

Religious Education

In relation to this subject, I intend to exert fundamental keys of prominent religions such as Christian, Islam Judaism and all other religions. The main objective of the plan entails having student approach were to allow children establish "classroom-based enquires and pupil to pupil dialogue" about reasons people have religious holidays and other religious rituals (Ipgrave 2005; Mckenna, Ipgrave, and Jackson 2008). Likewise, the learners must have a creative approach to what extent they can agree with the norms and tradition of a religion. The freedom of having the ability to scrutinise everything in life will induce the children to initiate researching resources and facilitate into learning techniques (Claxton et al., 2006).

Science

For the purpose of the medium-term plan, I combine different pedagogy with supporting learners' perspective of science. As Bruner (1978) considered scaffolding theory as essential part of teaching and learning approach. The theory described that, when children start to learn new concept at the initial stage they are provided with the adequate support and guidance. There is questioning, reasoning and evidence in science which will encourage children to become problem solvers through critical analysing and dealing with any great "misconception" (Russell and Watt, 1990). Hence, at the science subject, learners are going to learn the different part of plants, their function and plant's nutrition. I also plan to demonstrate learners how light reflects mirror or other reflective surfaces through various task based on theoretical and in more practical experiences. According to learning theory developed by Jean Piaget which advocates that children understand and physical by cognitive pathways (Carey, et al., 2015). Furthermore, the medium-term plan outlines the learners to support their understanding with evidence, where teacher's support gradually lessened (Long et al., 2011).

Computing

In this part of the medium-term plan, I compiled different category of pedagogy to widen students' knowledge of using ICT as Crawford (2013) illustrated that, ICT is the prevailing instrument, which strengthens persons' ability to learn various sources of knowledge. Hence, I have the intention of making successful cross- circular links, where learners study and research different subjects such as English, maths, geography and science. Access to laptops and internet resources will allow learners to develop their comprehension and build new techniques of learning (Moyles, 1994). I also put the medium-term plan, e.g. Make a quiz-style topic while using 2Quiz program and have the freedom to use creating, saving and retrieving documents, where the learners can utilise technology teaching and learning each other in more playful and creative (Beauchamp,2016). Also, questioning and group discussion about online safety procedures will allow learners to research web pages following the online safety and teachers demonstrating what kind of danger a child can encounter in the online world.

Music

In this part of the medium-term plan, I have arranged in a category, which allows the learners to interact the rhythm of music and experience the levels that music can create images to build a story while listening to the music. The auditory learners will engage their studies more in-depth as they will have a choice the type of music that strengthen their language and literacy skills (Barnes, 2015). The teacher will explore instrumental sounds embedding learners' favourite fictional characters. The approach provides learner centre, where learners decide what type of music would play in the class and the teacher will explain their favourite music and the main themes of the sound.

On the other hand, it would have more effective if music is incorporated every subject such mathematics, and science (Cutting and Kelly, 2014). For instance, learning counting numbers with sound of the music would incite children to learn more productively. I have also added session where learners group discussion of how music effect their feeling, and motion, when they reading a book or doing homework. As stated in (Johnson, Johnson & Holubec, 1986), "cooperative learning" improves learners' enthusiasm to carry on their learning journey. They will organise and design the type of music that the class explore different classes and motivates learners' interest in music in general.

Field Trip

In relation to field trip subject, I arrange a strategic session in the medium-term plan, where the learners gain through the field trip as an educational experience. The objective of this section is that, the learners are going to visit the Heritage Museum and gain knowledge of the history and tradition of the society. According to Bellamy and Oppenheim (2019), such expedition or field trips facilitate to develop understanding and self-confidence, which allow to deeply comprehending their learning techniques. Also, I intend this subject as an intertwined of well being whether it is physical or mental boost, where learners discover different types of activities within the Museum (Clark, 2017)

In addition, Meynard (2010) described that, shifting from a class –centre approach to outside – class approach faces challenging both the teacher and the pupils where the learner is leading the class in learning and playing framework, which is based on Reggio Emilia pedagogy. The approach is vital as everyone is participating and collaborating.

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