Teaching and Learning at KS3 | Keystage history

ks3 classroom Effective teaching and learning at Key Stage 3 should help pupils do more than simply acquire historical knowledge. The best KS3 history teaching encourages pupils to ask questions, investigate evidence, challenge interpretations, make connections across time and construct well-supported historical arguments.

This section provides practical guidance, strategies and classroom ideas to help teachers make KS3 history both intellectually challenging and engaging. Explore advice on teaching historical enquiry, chronology and interpretations, alongside effective teaching strategies, the use of artefacts, ICT and film, and approaches to inclusion. The resources are designed to help pupils become increasingly confident, curious and independent historians as they progress through Years 7, 8 and 9.

The 10 best ways to differentiate for lower-attaining pupils in KS3 history

The theory first Probably the neatest way to encapsulate all these different ideas is in the 3 words COULD SHOULD WOULD In terms of COULD, this means that you start…

8 retrieval tasks that really work in history

This list is by no means exhaustive nor is it linked to just one key stage. You can think of even more, I’m sure. For that reason I have kept…

wiki

Evaluating websites in history at KS3-5: 3 pieces of top advice

Students are too trusting of what they read on the Internet. Most striking, they implicitly trust Google to verify sources for them–whatever Google lists first must be a good source….

puzzle

Using history puzzles to encourage deep cross-curricular thinking.

I would strongly urge you to consider throwing in a few of these from time to time. Here is a puzzle (PowerPoint in resources section) you might want to use…

Personalised learning in history at KS 3

This is certainly one of the key areas to be focusing on. Put simply, personalised learning and teaching means taking a highly structured and responsive approach to each child’s and…

ks4 classroom

Gender issues in history at Key Stage 3

For all the research that has taken place recently to try to close the gender gap it is probably safe to say that gender and achievement is a complex area…

ks3 classroom

Gifted and talented in history at Key Stage 3

Provision for gifted and talented pupils has never been more in the spotlight than now. For all the work that has been going on for years, many schools are still…

Motivating pupils in history at Key Stage 3

Much work has recently been done on engaging pupils in the early years of Key Stage 3, largely because of the so-called ‘performance dip’ in Years 7 and 8. Indeed,…

ks3 classroom

History for pupils with English as an Additional Language at Key Stage 3

Much of this article draws on the KS3 National Strategy document Access and Engagement in history: Teaching pupils for whom English is an additional language (DFES 0656/2002) and more recently…

ks3 classroom

S.E.N. in history at Key Stage 3

We would all agree that history is a subject which is both accessible and has relevance to all pupils, including those with learning difficulties. Not only does it provide interest…

Artefacts

Using artefacts in your history teaching at Key Stage 3

In my experience pupils have less and less contact with historical artefacts as they move through the educational system. Whilst infants clearly need artefacts more because they cannot use many…

ICT

Teaching using ICT and film at Key Stage 3

You won’t be surprised to see ICT and film in the same section, but the breakthroughs in editing digitised film mean that most history teachers can now use film as…

Teaching chronology at Key Stage 3

Much neglected for many years, the teaching of chronology is now back centre-stage. Already, leading thinkers such as Ian Dawson and Chris Culpin have produced lots of really helpful…

french revolution

Teaching interpretations at Key Stage 3. Neglected and misunderstood

It came as no surprise to read in OFSTED’s report ‘History in the Balance’ that the ‘key element’ of interpretations was still relatively badly taught. Having been a central part…

batallion 101

Teaching Enquiry at Key Stage 3

Pupils should learn how to identify and investigate, individually and as part of a team, specific historical questions or issues, making and testing hypotheses and reflecting critically on historical questions…

Fit for purpose teaching strategies in history at KS3

Having bright ideas for what might make a fun and interesting approach is one thing. Knowing when it is most appropriate to use them is quite another. Clearly the key…

ks3 classroom

What to look for in excellent history lessons: Your starter for 12

It has been a while since OFSTED published any revised criteria. With the departure of chief history HMI Mike Maddison in 2014-5, I doubt very much that there will be…

ks3 classroom

The teaching process in history at KS3

With so much emphasis placed on the three-part lesson, due largely to the National Strategy, it is tempting to follow that simplistic model. Many do, and feel triumphant when they…

Thinking skills

‘100’ Great Teaching Ideas for teaching history at Key Stage 3

This is a massive section on the site, and one that you may quarry for years. I have listed here all the best ideas I have seen in action over…

Subscribers only: You need to be logged in to view this content in full or purchase the individual content.

Please login or register. for £5 + VAT