Diary of an Edu-Snake Oil Salesman
Chris Williams
Inclusive teaching, removing barriers, closing gaps. All subjects. All ages.
I have always taken a great interest in Cognitive Science. The studies, research and evidence which tells us how people learn. As a teacher I would always try to apply research informed methods and approaches and anything that 'worked' I would, of course, continue to do.
Over time, I developed a consistent approach which combined the aspects of teaching and learning which made the biggest difference to students and always saw changes and impact I'd never seen before, and often never imagined. The biggest differences were always with children who had been struggling, those with additional support needs, language difficulties, working memory, sequencing and processing challenges. When I applied proven methods and ideas in my everyday teaching it was the difference for these students which was most obvious and often remarkable. When pupils who previously struggled were suddenly achieving, understanding, explaining, writing etc everything changed in my classes. Pupils didn't need any extra help. Content didn't need to be adapted. Pupil confidence, self-esteem, being and sense of well-being changed, they were arriving at lessons knowing they would learn, achieve and succeed. Everything changed. Expectations and outcomes for all pupils changed and the ambition, pace and challenge increased hugely and immediately.
I have been lucky enough to raise investment funding to build software which makes it easy for anyone to use the approach and now train teachers how to teach with it. The approach is called Chatta because it is centred around talking and interaction. The main aspects of cognitive science Chatta includes are The Cognitive Theory of Multimedia Learning, Cognitive Load Theory, Schema Theory, Retrieval Practice and Vygtotksy's Sociocutural Theory. (there are more but these are central and most powerful)
The approach is effective in all aspects of learning, for students of all ages from the very youngest to adults. It quickly allows students to understand any content at any level, to explain it to others, to write about it, to remember it, to build on it etc. Chatta can impact anything which involves learning and I have used the approach with thousands of pupils at schools all over the world, in various languages, for a range of purposes and it has never failed to be effective and make a difference. The reaction from teachers is always the same. Surprise, shock, almost disbelief. 'Miraculous', 'Amazing', 'Magical.' Often teachers react quite emotionally.
Anyone can do it! The methods is extremely simple, versatile and transferable. It doesn't take extra time and fits in with any regular teaching activity and planning and preparation takes seconds.
As the approach is built around learning itself, how people think, remember, understand and explain, it is used by teachers to address numerous challenges. Chatta is used to help pupils develop language, vocabulary and explanation skills. Its used by teachers to ensure children with additional needs can be taught and achieve in regular classes without interventions and extra support. Its used to help students learning languages including English as an additional language. Its used to help students develop writing skills, reading skills and to strengthen long term understanding. Its used to support students with autism and dyslexia. To help adults with memory difficulties, and to help people with public speaking. Its used by schools looking to strengthen oracy and vocabulary skills, by parents of young children to help with play and storytelling. It can make a difference for anything at all and the more I see it and use it the more I realise that the cognitive science underpinning it means the approach has become a powerful connection to the way in which people learn.
This can often be a challenge for me. I can often make the approach sound too good to be true, until people see it, but even then some people can't conceive the new possibilities. I once showed Chatta in the classroom to a headteacher who told me before the lesson that the class were difficult and attainment was low. During the lesson all children engaged, all spoke and explained and all were writing- in detail and at length. The headteacher couldn't speak, she didn't believe what she was seeing and afterwards wrote to me. 'For whatever reason, every child in that class was responding in a way I've never seen before or ever imagined possible.' I did reply to explain why and never heard from her again. She left the school soon after. Often people cry tears when they see the change Chatta brings. Sometimes teachers tell me in advance that certain children won't engage, won't learn, won't achieve. They have even tried to stop children coming to the front of the class to speak, 'Don't ask him, he can't talk, he won't understand, he won't know what to do,' yet they do. They always do.
At times I feel like an educational snake oil salesman. Offering fantastic cures for all ailments ready to ride out of town before people find out the truth. Some people seem unprepared to realise there are solutions to problems and challenges which have become accepted as normal. The self-fulfilling prophecy that 'blue group' , 'the giraffes' (any generic classroom group name!) will always need support, they will always need to go out for extra help, they will always need an adult on their table helping, always need easier work. Sometimes the shock to the system of firmly held beliefs and accepted norms can be hard to break. What if the snake oil does do what it says? What would that mean? What would that change? What new possibilities could there be?
I do know that it is the cognitive science applied in Chatta which leads to the impact, and also because so many powerful theories are applied at once that the change in learning and understanding is transformational, but it can often be hard to explain, unless people have seen the difference for themselves.
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I am always happy to explain the approach, the design, the research and impact to anyone who is interested in the application of cognitive science, and who wants to find stronger ways to make a difference in education. There are numerous schools across the UK which will gladly welcome visitors to see the impact first hand. There are regular online information sessions which are free to attend, and all have opportunities for questions. Any school, Multi-Academy Trust or education authority can book workshops and information sessions for staff and colleagues from other schools (free) and I am very happy to demonstrate Chatta in any class (nursery/primary/secondary/special) for any purpose, any subject/level etc (again- free, just ask: chris.williams@chatta.co.uk)
If you work in education and have a challenge related to teaching and learning, a key development priority or pupils you know can achieve more but don't know how, there will be answers in cognitive science, and likewise there will be changes which the Chatta Approach can make simple and which lead to sustained and transformative impact.
It is impossible to not read back through this post without it sounding like a snake oil salesman peddling miracle cures, ready to leave town at dawn. I realise that, and in some ways that is the only way some will read it. People don't know what they don't know, why would they? There is no risk in finding out more, having a look, seeing for yourself! Many of the schools I work with have been with us for over 5 years now and have never looked back. We are beginning to collect strong impact data and are always looking for more. There are schools which you could visit so you can see the approach for yourself or you can simply ask for a demonstration with your class. That's where you will see the most obvious difference, with pupils you know well, you will see what they are capable of with a few small and simple changes to teaching methods.
Please get in touch to learn more!
contact: chris.williams@chatta.co.uk
website: www.chattalearning.com
[the title of this article came to me as I was writing it! It does describe how things can feel. I am not a real snake oil salesman, as you will see if you choose to learn more, although if you don't want to learn more, then as the real snake oil pedlar would say, 'You'll never know!']