ABSTRACT
For some time, Mr Jones has become increasingly worried about his teaching abilities. In the past he has considered himself to be a successful teacher, with his pupils achieving well in formal assessments. In his lessons he has usually adopted a brisk pace and aimed to cover the curriculum in some depth. Recently, however, the standard of the school’s intake has dropped, owing to local changes in housing policy. Although he has slowed down the rate of teaching, his pupils just don’t seem to grasp key concepts and he is wondering if there are more effective ways to develop their knowledge. How would you describe the possible changes in the underlying abilities of Mr Jones’s pupils? Why are such changes likely to affect their learning? Can you think of any other ways in which Mr Jones could change the way he teaches to become more effective with these pupils?
