‘Harder than other lessons but good’: the effect of colleague collaboration on secondary English pupil engagement

ABSTRACT

Research examining collaborative planning in British secondary schools relates primarily to the effect it has on a teacher’s professional development. Researchers seldom focus on the impact on pupils. This study was designed to understand the effect collaboratively planned lessons had on pupil engagement in a British secondary school. Transcripts from lessons observations, reflective diaries and field notes were analysed using thematic analysis. One theme was identified: ‘Pupils’ Engagement with Differentiated Instruction’. This research concludes that collaboratively planned lessons allowed some pupils to engage in learning better than individually planned lessons. The professional learning occurring from the planning process allowed teachers to collaboratively plan a lesson that was stronger than an individually planned lesson. This is significant as the UK’s Independent Teacher Workload Review Group promotes collaborative planning as a method of reducing workload. However, collaborative planning is only worth doing if evidence implies that it improves pupil outcomes.

KEYWORDS:

• GCSE
• collaborative planning
• English
• secondary school
• writing

Acknowledgments

The authors wish to thank Nicole Oldfield, Sarah Ackland, Cath Connolly, Mark Guest, Holly Harris, Jenny Mullowney and Marie Weston.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Edward Collyer

Edward Collyer is a secondary school English teacher based in Lincolnshire. He completed his PGCE at Bishop Grosseteste University.

Clare Lawrence

Clare Lawrence is a Senior Lecturer and English subject lead on the secondary PGCE course at Bishop Grosseteste University.

Lisa Jacobs

Lisa Jacobs is a PhD researcher at the University of Lincoln with expertise in qualitative research methods. Her PhD focus is on inclusive education and assistive technology.

Rosa Mitchell

Rosa Mitchell is a secondary school English teacher based in Lincolnshire. She completed her PGCE at Bishop Grosseteste University.

Paul Fox Goddard

Paul Fox Goddard is a secondary school Head of English based in Lincolnshire.