Using Resources in the Classroom to Support Children’s Learning

This month we’ve been looking at classroom resources specifically designed to support children’s learning. So who better to write this post than a teacher! Here’s what Anna, a primary school teacher from Surrey, had to say….

As an experienced teacher, I have used many resources over the years to engage and support children with learning a new concept or revising something they find tricky. Resources help children, but also myself, as I can see quickly if a child needs extra support and put in the intervention for them.

I have been lucky to be sent some excellent resources from Show-Me, which have been a fantastic tool to have in the classroom. In this blog, I will talk about some of the various ways that simple tools like a whiteboard and pen can boost a child’s learning and support your everyday teaching.

1. Whiteboard and Markers

I have been using Show-Me’s whiteboard markers for years, including at most of the schools I have worked at. They are reliable and have a fine tip, meaning it is easy to read children’s answers during a lesson. I have mainly worked in the primary sector and have found that children love to use a whiteboard and pen! It helps to give them ownership of what they are learning, as well as being able to write with a special pen.

Assessment for Learning (or AfL for short) is a key concept within schools, focusing on checking in on students whilst the lesson is ongoing to see if they understand what they are being taught. I often have children on the carpet in front of me, meaning a whiteboard and pen is the easiest way to see if they understand what I am teaching.

I might start with a quickfire question to see who is ready for the lesson, for example, ‘If the answer is 20, what is the question?’ Children then use their whiteboard to write down as many examples as they can think of, in a given time. I usually wander around each child, checking what they have written, to assess their knowledge and if I need to spend more time on this part of the lesson.

2. Rapid Recall Whiteboard

This term, I have been using the Rapid Recall Whiteboard from the Propeller range to support children with their maths. This is a fantastic tool to help students who may need extra practice with speed and recall of number facts. Each child picks a number (in this example it was 50), then completes a variety of exercises focusing on using the specific number for addition, subtraction, and multiplication questions. I worked on a 1:1 basis with a child, so I could assess their knowledge and see what areas would need further support. Using the whiteboard saved a lot of printing, as I could just rub off the answers and start again with a different child. The whole activity took 10 minutes, meaning it could take place during registration and not take any time away from lessons.

3. Whiteboard Cleaner

I often teach in different classrooms, meaning there can be a variety of work left over on a whiteboard for me to rub off before my students come in. The longer something has been on a whiteboard, the harder it is to rub off! That is why I always make sure I have a whiteboard cleaner available, as it gets the job done in seconds, especially when you have a quick turn-around between classes. Using a large whiteboard in a classroom allows you to model written examples to your students, particularly if you are teaching English. I often do a ‘shared write’ with my class, where we share ideas and I write them up on the board. I then have to rub it off and start a new paragraph, so it is very useful to have a whiteboard cleaner on hand to speed up the process.

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