TeachBot Case StudyYear 8 English

St Bernadette’s Catholic SchoolBristol

July 2010

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The Context

A top set Y8 class of 30 students (mixed boys and girls) were asked to write a speech based on the book Refugee Boy.

The Task: Write an effective, persuasive speech, which argues either for or against the following statement:

Alem Kelo’s situation is very sad but he (like many other child asylum seekers in Britain) should be sent back home unless he can prove that his life would be endangered if he returned.

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The Context

This is the first formal persuasive essay the students have written, and the first speech.

In Lesson 1 students were given a guidance sheet by their teacher to help structure their initial enquiries. They were given a laptop to work on in class.

In Lesson 2 Students were asked to make notes on paper of any useful pieces of information or tips they found from their TeachBot answers. They wrote an opening paragraph.

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Making Notes from Teachbot

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Because you got the

notes from your

questions and not

from something the

machine wants you to

say you’re more

inclined to actually

use them in your

writing.

Making Notes from Teachbot

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In Lesson 3 they completed the first draft of their essay under controlled conditions, using their notes from Teachbot but without the use of the Bot. All of the students who had been present for the previous lessons completed at least a side of writing (300 words). Most wrote over a side and a half (600-800 words).

The following slides show some examples of their writing with discussion from them about the work that they produced using TeachBot.

A 4th lesson would have used Teachbot to peer-assess, redraft and improve their writing.

The Context

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Writing – example of one student’s writing

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Clarity of opening

Maturity of expression – appropriate for a reasoned (legal) argument.

Effective pausing and build-ups

Writing – how TeachBot has been used to improve writing

How personal it was, every time

you went on Teachbot it was different, the advice it gave you,

depending what you typed in. So

I made a false anecdote – I pretended I’d met a young refugee. That was Teachbot advice. I think it makes the speech more personal. It grabs the audience’s attention.

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Anecdote appeals to emotion

Range of rhetorical devices

Contrasting length of sentences

Addressing of audience

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Writing – how TeachBot has been used to improve writing

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It teaches you how to speak to your audience more directly, not just speak it as if it’s going to

be to your teacher. Imagine you’re writing it

for someone who’s new to

the situation and you have

to really explain and get

your point across at the

same time. It was really

good at helping with that.

This paragraph starts to build the narrative of the speech

Student usually disappointing in formal written assessments – fails to write enough and becomes unfocussed

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Interactivity

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With Teachbot you’re not just sitting there and reading it, if you’re just reading it you might not be able to take it all in. With Teachbot it structures it so that it’s not all at once, it’s like baby steps and then it’s more like doing than just sitting there – it’s more active.

Interactivity

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How does it help you?

‘It was good at reminding you of stuff you already knew’.

‘It helps you to learn and work independently – at your own pace’.

‘It’s up to you to use the advice in whatever way suits you’.

‘It helps you to get a better understanding by being able to ask more questions’.

‘I think you could use it to help you with writing in other subjects too’. next

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• Personalisation• Interactivity• Student related content• Examples• Difference from textbooks and other websites

because of the above

What students like about Teachbot

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For Further Information:

Contact

Lloyda During - lloyda.during@elzware.com

Penny Russell – penny.russell@bristol.gov.uk

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