Specialism involves learners developing an understanding of what specialist
expertise means in different subjects: how a geographer thinks and works
differently from a scientist; how subject disciplines are applied in the
real world. As they develop this understanding, learners may realise that
they are better suited to specialism in particular subjects and opt to use
their learning time accordingly.
Choice involves a thought-through decision, based on an understanding of
the options available and an awareness of the possible benefits, disadvantages
and risks. All young people need to learn how to make effective choices
in their learning.
Planning for specialism
Schools should ensure that learners have an opportunity to develop their
understanding of specialism in each subject through an extended piece of
work that demonstrates the particular qualities, attributes and approaches
of the subject discipline. This might be a series of specialist studies
that allow learners to build up their subject experience as they develop
the depth of their knowledge, understanding and skills.
When planning for specialism, schools should consider:
- devising activities that are more than individual lessons
- offering an initial day of specialist study with a defined outcome,
leading to a week of study by the end of the key stage
- asking learners to study different aspects of the specialist focus,
so that findings can be shared rather than compared
- setting an extended study opportunity that brings together complementary
dimensions of different subject disciplines (eg statistics, ICT data handling,
mapping)
- ensuring that at least one specialist study each year is a collaborative
small-group activity that involves learners evaluating each other's efforts
- providing models of specialism in action beyond the year group, for
example:
- asking higher education dissertation students to explain their ongoing
study
- using key stage 4 and 5 learners to 'tutor' specialist studies
- asking specialists from the local community to demonstrate activities
such as woodturning, gardening, cooking, bird-watching
- demonstrating specialism in the world of work, such as accountancy,
air-traffic control and archaeology, as well as examples of multi-disciplined
expertise such as science journalism, transport logistics, stage management,
natural history filming
- beginning with specialist study of a hobby or area of interest beyond
the school
- using real audiences and purposes for some studies, to increase learners'
engagement
- actively planning to teach specifics of reference and research, including
the internet, as aspects of specialist study
- planning an ongoing 'learning to learn' programme to enable learners
to understand the excitements, frustrations and challenges of specialist
study.
Planning for choice
Learners should have opportunities to make choices of content, product,
approach or emphasis in each subject.
When planning for choice, schools should consider:
- building structured choice into lessons from the outset in all subjects,
for example offering:
- a range of media for recording (eg chart, table, diagram, drawing,
photograph)
- a range of appropriate equipment (eg musical instruments, reference
books, maps, tools) and encouraging the selection of the right tool
for the right job
- a choice of learner groupings for carrying out tasks, linked to
analysis of skills, aptitudes and developing specialism (see 'learning
to learn', above)
- a choice of role for learners (eg player, referee or official in
PE)
- offering an element of choice in the lessons that learners can attend,
including 'repeat' lessons, 'blockbuster' lessons and 'old favourites',
without questioning the choices learners make
- introducing learners to models of choice strategies to encourage positive
selection techniques and frameworks and teaching on how choice is made
(eg flow charts, benefit and risk analysis)
- giving examples of adults who can reflect upon choices they made with
short- and long-term consequences
- giving examples in planned teaching of notable choices that have influenced
the world (eg environmental sustainability in citizenship, battles and
wars, artistic movements)
- giving examples in planned teaching of choices denied (eg the Holocaust).
