An investigation into the impact of aspects of a Learning Intervention Programme, and the use of perceived preferred learning styles, on the effectiveness of learning in a secondary school in Merseyside : a case study

• Main Author: Storrar, John William
• Published: University of Liverpool 2008
• Subjects: 370.1523
• Online Access: http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.494097

This study investigates, through a systematic and critical analysis, how one school in Merseyside (the Case Study School,'CSS) has attempted to introduce, and use, a Learning Intervention Programme (LIP) as part of its overall strategy to raise pupil achievement by aiming to create a climate in its classrooms, which leads to more effective learning. The study suggests that the introduction and use of a six-part lesson-planning cycle at CSS, based on experiential learning cycles, has had an overall positive effect on the climate of learning within the school, particularly when pupils are more actively engaged in their lessons. Pupils were found to appear to respond more favourably to short, engaging activities and were less motivated by long periods of teacher exposition. Positive aspects of the introduction of LIP were often linked to lesson structure and planning: all teachers interviewed agreed, most of them strongly, that LIP has made them think about new teaching strategies and most thought that it had helped them to plan lessons better. There are also some indications that pupils see its importance and there is evidence that pupils value the contribution of 'starters', lesson objectives', 'lesson outcomes' 'recap' and the review of prior learning. The study notes that there is considerable overlap, both with work on Assessment for Learning (AfL) and with the major national projects 'Learning to Learn' (L2L) and 'Learning How to Learn' (LHTL).