Teach17

Independent practice is the point in a lesson where pupils have to show that they can actually do something for themselves. Done well, it builds confidence, fluency and independence. These are 17 simple approaches that can make it work much better.

1. Make sure pupils have seen a clear worked example before asking them to work independently. They should know what a successful answer looks like before they begin.
2. Start with questions that are very similar to the ones you have just modelled. This gives pupils an early success and helps them settle into the task.
3. Give all the instructions before pupils start writing. Once they begin, their attention should be on the work rather than listening for extra directions.
4. Keep instructions short and specific. Tell pupils exactly what to do, how many questions to complete and what they should do if they get stuck.
5. Pay close attention to the first minute of independent work. A quick, purposeful start usually leads to better concentration for the rest of the task.
6. Avoid making the first independent question much harder than the examples pupils have just seen. Difficulty should increase gradually rather than suddenly.
7. Move around the classroom with a purpose. Look at actual pupil work and search for common mistakes, misconceptions and pupils who have stopped progressing.
8. Check less confident pupils early. A quick check can prevent them from spending ten minutes practising the wrong method.
9. Do not immediately rescue a pupil who is struggling. Give them a little time to think, reread the question or look back at an example before stepping in.
10. Increase the difficulty gradually. Small changes between questions allow pupils to develop confidence while still having to think about what is different.
11. Give pupils enough practice to become fluent. One or two questions are rarely enough for a new method or idea to become secure.
12. Keep independent practice calm and focused. Unnecessary talking and interruptions can make it much harder for pupils to concentrate on demanding tasks.
13. Expect every pupil to attempt every question they reasonably can. Independent practice should not become a situation where some pupils work while others wait for answers.
14. When checking answers, involve the whole class. Cold calling, mini whiteboards or short written responses can give a much better picture than relying on volunteers.
15. Use what you see while circulating to shape the rest of the lesson. If the same error appears several times, stop and address it before pupils practise it further.
16. Do not feel you have to go through every single answer at the end. Spend more time on the questions that caused difficulty or revealed useful misconceptions.
17. Judge independent practice by the quality of pupils’ thinking, not simply by how quiet the classroom is or how many questions they have completed. Good practice should lead to pupils becoming more confident and less dependent on the teacher.