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Teaching Portfolio · Chapter 2

Planning and Teaching

This chapter shows how I design Computer Science lessons with structure, purpose and responsiveness, so that students can move from prior knowledge towards independent application.

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Chapter purpose

Designing learning with structure, purpose and responsiveness

In this chapter, I focus on how I plan and teach Computer Science lessons. I selected evidence from two IGCSE lessons because they show different planning challenges: one lesson introduces an abstract concept, while the other develops precise syntax through practical database work.

The evidence shows that I plan from students’ prior knowledge, anticipate likely misconceptions, decide how understanding will be checked, and include support and challenge so that students can move towards independent application.

Planning focus

Two lessons, two planning challenges

The Boolean Logic lesson shows how I planned for an abstract concept. Students needed to connect binary values, TRUE/FALSE conditions, logic gates, truth tables and logic expressions. The lesson was therefore planned around progression, visual modelling, scaffolding, hinge questioning and independent application.

The SQL lesson shows a different type of planning challenge: helping students learn precise syntax and apply it in a practical database environment. Students needed to connect prior knowledge of tables, fields, records and primary keys to SELECT and FROM queries.

Evidence in this chapter

Lesson plans and observation evidence

These evidence items show how planning decisions were designed to support learning before, during and after the lesson. The lesson plans show the intended structure, while the observation feedback helps connect planning to classroom practice.

Evidence 2.1

Boolean Logic Lesson Plan Extract

Planning an abstract concept through modelling, scaffolding, hinge questioning and independent application.

 Evidence 2.2

SQL Lesson Plan Extract

Planning syntax development through step-by-step modelling, guided practice and live database application.

 Evidence 2.3

Boolean Logic Observation Feedback

External feedback showing how modelling, scaffolding and differentiation were visible during the lesson.

Evidence 2.1

Boolean Logic Lesson Plan Extract

An annotated IGCSE Computer Science lesson plan showing how I planned the introduction of Boolean Logic.

Evidence extract

This lesson begins from students’ prior knowledge of binary values and TRUE/FALSE conditions, then moves towards NOT, AND and OR gates, truth tables and logic expressions. I planned the lesson as a structured learning journey rather than a set of separate activities.

The lesson plan anticipates misconceptions, including confusion about truth-table order, the number of inputs for a NOT gate, and the difference between AND and OR logic. It also includes scaffolds such as partially completed truth tables, labelled diagrams, sentence stems, icons, bilingual keywords and extension tasks.

This evidence is important because it shows how I planned for progression: prior knowledge, modelling, guided practice, hinge questioning, independent application and responsive next-step planning.

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Boolean Logic lesson plan

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Planning Abstract concepts Visual modelling Scaffolding Hinge questioning Adaptive teaching Subject knowledge

Evidence 2.2

SQL Lesson Plan Extract

An annotated IGCSE Computer Science lesson plan focused on syntax, modelling and practical application.

Evidence extract

This lesson builds on students’ prior knowledge of database structure, including tables, fields, records and primary keys. It introduces SQL as a query language and supports students to construct simple SELECT and FROM queries accurately.

The planning shows the importance of modelling new syntax in small visible steps. Students connect SELECT to fields, FROM to the table, and the query output to the data retrieved. Guided practice and peer discussion were planned before independent work so that misconceptions about field names, table names and punctuation could be addressed early.

This evidence complements the Boolean Logic lesson because it shows another kind of planning: practical syntax development, bilingual vocabulary support, live database practice and responsive support during independent work.

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SQL lesson plan

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Syntax modelling Guided practice Peer explanation Bilingual vocabulary Live application Formative assessment Responsive support

Evidence 2.3

Boolean Logic Observation Feedback Extract

External observation feedback connecting the Boolean Logic planning to classroom practice.

Evidence extract

This observation feedback provides external confirmation that the planning in the Boolean Logic lesson was effective in practice. The feedback noted student participation in formative assessment, attention during explanation, completion of worksheet tasks, investigation through scaffolding and differentiated problems.

This evidence is useful because it connects the written lesson plan to what was visible in the classroom. It suggests that modelling, scaffolding and differentiation were not only planned, but also supported student engagement and participation during the lesson.

For this chapter, the observation strengthens the lesson plan evidence because it shows that the planned teaching sequence was structured, accessible and appropriately challenging.

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Boolean Logic observation feedback

The original observation feedback is shown below in a compact preview. The reader can scroll inside the PDF or open it in a new tab.

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Observation feedback Lesson planning Clear objectives Modelling Scaffolding Differentiation Student engagement

Chapter reflection

What this evidence shows about my planning and teaching

Looking across these evidence items, I can see that my planning has become more intentional. I do not only plan what content to cover; I plan how students will enter the topic, where misconceptions may appear, how I will model the thinking process, and how students will move towards independent application.

The Boolean Logic lesson shows the importance of making abstract concepts visible through diagrams, analogies, truth tables and structured questioning. The SQL lesson shows the importance of modelling syntax carefully and giving students opportunities to test their understanding in a practical environment.

My next step is to continue strengthening the link between planning and evidence of learning. Even when lesson plans are strong, I want to keep collecting more student work, exit tickets and examples of responses so that I can show more clearly how planning decisions affect student understanding.