FESE HandBook v03c 15112023 MEV- COMPLETO - Flipbook - Página 47
LOUISE STOLL / LANGUAGE FOR LEARNING LEADERSHIP
vocacy and educating wider stakeholders are a key issue. Widening the
sphere of learning leadership innuence is vital to ensure that everyone
understands the essential competences to nourish (e.g., Seligman, 2011)
or thrive (Hannon and Peterson, 2021) and uses appropriate language.
LEARNING AND TEACHING
A long and well-respected history exists around the word 8instruction9.
Colleagues I admire write about this and instructional leadership6. In
raising this with some colleagues internationally, common responses
are 8well, that9s what we mean9 or 8the terms are interchangeable9. Despite descriptions and good intentions, the orst deonition of instruction in dictionaries relates to something that someone tells you to do.
A synonym check brings up words such as 8demand9, 8dictate9, 8imperative9 and 8order9. The orst known use of the word was in the 15th century
as a direction calling for compliance. While the action, practice or profession of teaching or a teacher are also noted, the word 8instruct9 places learning in a passive position. I 8instruct9, you then 8learn9. Language
conveys messages to children, parents and the outside world. It is critical
to understand as much as you can about learning, what makes it successful, under what conditions, etc., and draw on this to inform teaching. As
the act, practice or profession of a teacher, 8teaching9 – a word orst used
in the 12th century – is open to broader interpretation. Some countries
prefer 8pedagogy9, which indicates a wider reference frame, including
the act of teaching as well as related theories, values, evidence and justiocations (Alexander, 2010). Coming from the Greek 8pais9 or 8paidos9 – a
child – and 8agogos9 – leader, it conveys a different sense than 8instruction9. Elsewhere, 8didactics9 is chosen. Dictionary deonitions of this term
align it more closely to instruction, often with less positive undertones.
I prefer to start with 8learning9 – ie learning and teaching, rather than
teaching and learning. Ordering it this way emphasises learning as an
experiential and ongoing process – not just an outcome of teaching, as
in lifelong learning, learning to learn, etc. – a deep understanding of
learning to inform great teaching.
LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS
Ask someone to picture a child learning and many people will locate
them in a classroom. Does all learning occur in classrooms? Home can
6. I have chosen not to include references here, although I could cite many.
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