ABOUT THIS COURSE
This course is a complete guide to teaching A level Chemistry. It covers an overview of content, the most challenging areas to teach, and preparing for the assessment. There will advice about how to conduct practicals successfully and how to use these opportunities to prepare students for the practical linked element in paper 3. The course will include a variety of teaching resources and explore how to use retrieval practice, interleaving and dual coding to more effectively teach the subject.
BENEFITS OF ATTENDING
- Explore the key challenges of teaching A level Chemistry for the first time
- Develop mathematical skills in your students through tried and tested methods
- Understand how to approach topics that learners find difficult, from the mole to organic reaction mechanisms
- Consider strategies to boost performance in practical assessment, both in the lab and in written exams
- Take advantage of the opportunities to share teaching approaches with colleagues in similar situations
- Understand how to structure the content and use cutting edge idea from cognitive science to maximise student learning and exam performance
| COURSE DATES | Online | Tuesday 16 March 2021 Online | Wednesday 09 June 2021 |
| WHO SHOULD ATTEND? |
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| COURSE CODE | 8490 |
| IN-SCHOOL | You can also book this as an In-School Course |
| INCLUDED |
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Start 1.30pm
The key strands in A level Chemistry
- A brief overview of the content of the A level, including how topics are linked and possible sequences of teaching
- Link with content from GCSE and highlight traditional areas that students struggle with especially in light of impact of Covid 19
- Using assessment to identify prior learning and consequences to your teaching the course
Developing mathematical fluency
- Structures and lessons from the Maths classroom to improve teaching of mathematical skills in Chemistry. The importance of modelling answers and using questioning effectively
- Developing strategies to boost student confidence
- Emphasising the meaning of the numbers, helping students to answer exam questions better
- Topics where the Maths is vital – calculating the mole etc
- Value of quick low stakes assessment and feedback loops to check understanding
Break
Fundamental concepts
- Key topics – atomic structure to periodic groups
- Energy changes, reaction rates and equilibria
- How to run a successful practical, including looking forward to how practical technqiues will be assessed in paper 3
- Using retrieval practise and interleaving to improve recall and long term learning
Organic chemistry
- Overview of topic and highlighting where student go wrong (misconceptions and common mistakes) and how to fix them
- How to use dual coding to build strong conceptual understanding
- Problem solving approaches to learning key concepts
- Teaching analytical techniques
Break
Preparing students for the exam – a short cut to success
- Making the most of multiple choice
- Preparing for extended questions and looking at ‘Levels of Response’.
- Synoptic thinking how to bring things together at the end by considering how you teach each topic from the beginning – embedding exam skills as you go along
- Lessons from previous exams – how to use exemplar responses and past papers throughout the course
Final questions and summary
Chris Conoley
Chris is an experienced teacher of Chemistry, Head of Science and latterly a College Principal. He is the author of numerous educational textbooks, including the much praised Collins Advanced Science Chemistry, now in its third edition. As a Senior A Level Examiner, he understands how important it is that students acquire and develop the science skills necessary for success. He leads training courses for teachers both in the UK and overseas and is passionate about making science relevant, accessible and fun.
