ABSTRACT
This chapter presents a case study. Many of Lian's pupils were very reliant on adult support, anxious about making mistakes and uncomfortable about attempting challenging work. Carole and Gabriella, the two teaching assistants working with Lian, were struck by the focus and determination with which Lian targeted the outcomes. At the start of the year, Lian shared her aims with pupils and talked about their learning in a whole-class discussion. After that initial conversation, independence became an ongoing theme in Lian's classroom, something that she and her teaching assistants mention on a daily basis. When pupils begin a complex task, Lian writes the steps they need to take on a large laminated yellow staircase. She introduced 'learning partners' so that pupils could become more of a support for one another and practise these skills together. Challenging pupils with academically advanced material is another way to demonstrate high expectations of pupils and can be a boost to children's confidence and self-belief.
