Read-Think-Apply
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Understanding is not using
A learner can read a case study, understand every word and still have nothing to say about it. In the assessment, and at work, the case is only the start. What matters is what they would do, and why. Read-Think-Apply is a task that makes them say it.
For example“They should just be more careful.” True of every case study ever written.
Your jobChoose what you say to each learner. Every option is something tutors really say.
Identify · turn 1 of 4
The handout
Case study: Mrs Patel
Mrs Patel is 78 years old and lives alone. Over the last six months, Mrs Patel has experienced several falls at home. Following a recent hospital visit, staff identified that Mrs Patel has mild arthritis in her knees, making it difficult for her to move around safely.
Mrs Patel's daughter visits once a week, but Mrs Patel often feels isolated and struggles with daily tasks such as shopping and housework. She would like to remain independent and continue living in her own home.
- 1 Identify: What are the main issues affecting Mrs Patel?
- 2 Apply: Recommend three support measures that could improve Mrs Patel's life.
- 3 Justify: Justify why you have chosen those support measures.
Lesson WeaverMake this in Go Read
The learner has written“She is old.”
What do you say?
Pick one.
About 25 minutes (a suggestion): three measures, a reason each. A stem for each stage moves them on.
Why this works in your room
Reading a case study becomes deciding what to do about it.
For your learners: Their answers go past naming the problem to what they would do, and why.
For you: You have a question ready for the answer that looks finished and is not.
The case
100 to 150 words
Short, with a decision in it and a detail that rules out the obvious answer.
The task
25 minutes
Read alone. Identify the issues. Three measures, a reason for each.
Identify
Stem
“The main risk is… because…”
Apply
Stem
“One thing that would help is…”
Justify
Stem
“This would reduce the risk of… because…”
Elsewhere in Bradford ThreadWorks
Big 4Copilot: writing a simple prompt and asking for a draft, such as a summary, a starter or a quiz.Open Big 4 (opens in a new tab)- Lesson WeaverGo Read writes a case study on your topic with identify, apply and explain questions, and what a strong answer gives.Open Lesson Weaver (opens in a new tab)
WalkThrusScaffolding: stems that come away.Open WalkThrus (opens in a new tab)
Prompts to paste into Copilot
Two prompts to paste into Copilot. They are our own wording, not Big 4 training. Change what is in brackets, and leave out learners' names.
A case study with a decision in it
I teach [subject] to [level] learners. Write a 150 word case study about [topic] with two clear issues, and one detail that rules out the most obvious solution. Then give the four Read-Think-Apply questions for it: identify, apply, justify, and which would you do first.
Stems for my case study
Here is a case study for [level] [subject] learners. [paste it]. Write one sentence stem for each stage, identify, apply and justify, that fits this case. Then write one answer a learner might give at each stage that looks finished but is not, and the question I could ask to move them on.
Reading for a purpose
The Education Endowment Foundation's literacy guidance links reading to writing and talk in each subject: learners use what they read to explain, argue and decide, as the subject does.
EEF, Improving Literacy in Secondary Schools (opens in a new tab)Scaffolds that come away
Sentence stems are a scaffold. Sherrington and Caviglioli's WalkThrus treat scaffolds as temporary: they help most when they are taken away as learners stop needing them, so the reasoning becomes theirs.
Sherrington and Caviglioli, Teaching WalkThrus (scaffolding) (opens in a new tab)How sure is this?
Moderately. Applying and explaining what was read is well supported as part of literacy in a subject. Read-Think-Apply is from the college's CPD deck, Reading Across the Curriculum, and has not been tested as a named activity. The finished answer on the card is ours.
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