Good Learning Behaviours – Pupil Participation

List of Good learning behaviours (GLBs) identified by PEEL project
(Project to Enhance Effective Learning)

Tells teacher when they don’t understand
Asks teacher why they went wrong
Tells teacher what they don’t understand
Checks work against instruction, correcting errors and omissions
When stuck, refers to earlier work before asking teacher
Checks personal comprehension of instruction and material. Requests further information if needed
Seeks reasons for aspects of the work at hand	*
Anticipates and predicts possible outcomes
Plans a general strategy before starting
Explains purposes and results	*
Checks teacher’s work for errors; offers corrections	*
Seeks links between adjacent activities and ideas
Seeks links between non-adjacent activities, ideas and between different topics	*
Independently seeks further information, following up ideas raised in class	*
Seeks links between different subjects	*
Asks inquisitive but general questions
Offers personal examples which are generally relevant	*
Seeks specific links between schoolwork and personal life	*
Searches for weaknesses in their own understanding; checks the consistency of their explanations across different situations
Suggests new activities and alternative procedures	*
Expresses disagreement
Offers ideas, new insights and alternative explanations
Justified opinions
Reacts and refers to comments of other students
Challenges the text or an answer the teacher sanctions as correct	*

*Behaviours that might be dependent on a collaborative culture (G. Rowe)

Adapted from Baird, J.R. & Mitchell, I.J. (Eds) (1986) Improving the Quality of Teaching and Learning: an Australian case study – the PEEL Project. Melbourne: Monash University.