GCSE history resources - Teaching problems and how to overcome them

By flipping the classroom, teachers can assign pre-lesson videos for students to watch, which ensures they come to class with a solid understanding of the subject matter. This approach allows teachers to focus on key topics and themes during class time, providing greater opportunities for student engagement and learning.

In addition, GCSEPod's Check and Challenge tool has won awards for its ability to provide teachers with better insights into where students may be struggling. This feature helps teachers fill gaps in knowledge and consolidate their students' understanding of the subject.

This article examines some of the problems history teachers face and how to overcome them.

Lack of Engagement with Students - How to overcome

There are a number of reasons why students lack engagement with their GCSE history course.

1. Student perception of history can be that it is a dull or boring subject. This means they can lack motivation and it can be harder to engage the student with the subject material.
2. History involves complex concepts which can be challenging for some students to grasp. If a student doesn’t understand it, it can be a struggle to get them to engage with it.
3. Students can find history topics hard to relate to which can make it difficult for them to understand.
4. There can be a lack of diversity in the historical narrative, some students may struggle to connect with the material or may feel marginalised.
5. Some students may have had negative experiences with history classes in the past, which can make them less likely to engage with the subject in the future.

It is important for history teachers to be aware of these potential barriers to student engagement. Using a variety of teaching methods and approaches will help students connect better with the material and improve engagement with GCSE history.

Use Interactive Resources to Increase Engagement

One of the hardest things to teach is historical narratives, students need to be able to understand how a web of events and developments interlink and this is challenging. 

Using interactive resources helps GCSE history students gain a better understanding of the events that took place and how they are linked. By giving the opportunity for active participation, immediate feedback and a personalised learning experience students feel more connected to the history content and therefore will be more engaged.

GCSEPod presents history content in a fun and interactive way that brings key dates, events, and topics to life, this makes the subject much more engaging and easier to understand.

Personalise Learning by Offering Choices

Personalised learning tailors the learning experience to the individual needs and interests of each student. We all must recognise that students have different strengths, weaknesses, learning styles and interests and by tailoring the content and learning experience to their needs we can maximise their potential.

In the classroom setting, offering students choices means they have more control and ownership of their learning. Giving students different ways to access the learning content, depending on their own learning style helps them to be more engaged and set their own goals.

GCSEPod presents the history topics and content by the exam board, easy to navigate it shows everything the student needs in order to succeed at their exam. This makes it easier to follow and digest in 3-5 minute bursts of learning, backed up with formative assessment to identify and fill knowledge gaps and ensure the knowledge sticks.

Benefits of this approach include increased student engagement, higher achievement levels, and improved student attitudes towards learning GCSE history.

Connect History to Current Events and Students' Lives

Misconceptions are most common when students struggle to comprehend the mindset of a society in a different period or culture. For example, to use an example based in gender, students are usually quick to understand that the Nazi policies for women were restrictive, or that many women were pushed out of employment in Britain following the First World War, and this is correct. However, students often struggle to grasp that there were women, not just men, in these periods who were relieved to see this happen, despite our modern perspective that this was an unfair and unequal treatment of women by society.

The misconception caused by the difficulty in comprehending a different mindset can be a stumbling block in writing balanced essay answers. In a similar vein, when studying long, thematic topics like medicine or crime over an extended period of time that includes medieval societies, students can struggle to understand that less intelligent and less educated are not the same thing. Therefore, students can interpret, for example, the fact that Medieval people tried to treat plague with prayers and charms as a result of simple stupidity, rather than a consequence of the limitations of the understanding available to people in the Medieval world. 

Connecting history to current events and students' lives can be an effective way to increase student engagement and improve learning outcomes. When students can see the relevance of historical events and concepts to their own lives and the world around them, they are more likely to be motivated to learn and to retain the information.

Connecting history to current events can help students understand how past events have shaped the present, and can also help them see the ongoing impact of historical events on their own lives and communities. Likewise, connecting history to students' own lives can help them see themselves as active participants in history and can help them feel more invested in the material.

By connecting history to current events and students' lives, teachers can help students see the relevance and importance of historical events and concepts, which can ultimately lead to deeper understanding and greater engagement with the material.

Difficulty Finding Appropriate Resources - How to overcome

As a history teacher with the increased pressure of a lot of content to cover in a very short time, how can you find and use appropriate GCSE history resources to make history more relatable to your students and in return your lessons more engaging. Here are some top tops.

Use Online Databases for Primary Sources

There are a lot of resources out there, ideally, you want to pay for a GCSE history content solution that does all the hard work for you. But if not try TES and other online databases that have a variety of free resources you can download and use. The paid-for content providers also offer free resources for students, like GCSEPod who have top tips for passing your history exam as well as a free revision pack for students. Follow them on social media where they post all their free resources.

All the exam boards also offer different types of free support. Sometimes teachers overlook these resources, but it is written by subject specialists who want to help teachers to be successful. Don’t miss out on the resources that are there to help.

Collaborate with Other Teachers for Resource-Sharing

Why invent the wheel when someone else has already done it for you? We all learn as we go along, what worked, what students loved and what we won’t do again. Sharing this best practice is vital in teaching. Why not join history groups on social media for best practice ideas and advice, speak to colleagues or indeed look to platforms such as GCSEPod which have top tips, webinars and advice specifically designed for history teachers. GCSEPod comprises a vast community of teachers, all driven by a common objective of assisting their students in attaining greater success, so are all keen to share their advice when things go well.

GCSE history resources: GCSEPod solution

GCSEPod is designed to bring GCSE history to life, making complex issues easier to grasp, and helping students understand how things fit together. Providing the highest quality of learning and assessment it promotes independent learning and helps a student take ownership of their learning journey.

GCSEPod is proven to help students achieve on average 1 grade higher than non-users.

For GCSE history teachers it has everything you need. Simple lesson planning, ready-made assignments, automated homework marking. You can use it to teach in class, set videos to watch before lessons so students come prepared or use assignments to check knowledge with boost playlists designed to automatically identify and fill gaps.

Trusted by over 1,700 schools GCSEPod is the number-one choice for GCSE history resources.

Time Constraints for Teaching Content

Prioritise Essential Content and Skills - How to overcome

Firstly, count the number of weeks ahead, work out from the school calendar which ones will be lost due to PSHE days, awards assemblies, bank holidays and the myriad of other events that can interrupt teaching. Then work out how the time will be used to cover each topic, and plan on that basis.

Many teachers simply work on a half-term scheme of work, which is okay for the big picture, but all it takes is a couple of interruptions before the half-term of work drags into the next half-term and then, once again, the old mantra of ‘I can’t believe we only have X weeks left and I haven’t covered Y’ is heard.

Planning for the actual number of weeks, rather than on the grounds of half-term blocks reduces this pressure.

GCSEPod will show you the exact content your students need to learn in order to pass their exams, use this to plan out your year and prioritise essential content first to ensure the foundation knowledge is there.

Use Technology to Save Time

The UK Department of Education identified the 3 biggest areas that can lead to unnecessary workload are: marking, planning and data management.

Technology will save you so much time, developing your schemes of work, working out lesson plans, and setting homework. With the content and assessment all in one place, in an interactive and personalized format, you can free up your time and concentrate on what you do best – teach.

Assignments

Pre-created assessments link in GCSEPod check knowledge and understanding. Created by subject specialists, they build confidence and identify gaps in knowledge. These assignments encourage students to ‘watch, quiz, practise and apply’ their learning. These assignments are pre-built and ready for you to assign in seconds, saving teacher time to focus on interventions that matter.

With GCSEPod you can also share assignments across your school and they can be used year after year so you don’t have to remake homework again and again. Instead, use the bank of assignments to test knowledge on the content students are following in the best format to test their knowledge.

Marking

Also, with a GCSE content platform, like GCSEPod, all the marking is done for you which will free up so much time and provide students with instant feedback.

Automated Intervention

You won't need to use data to find out where intervention is needed. GCSEPod’s Boost Playlists identify knowledge gaps, providing students with a detailed report on their strengths and weaknesses and an automatically generated playlist of content closely matched to their weakest areas. Boost Playlists give students control of their own learning, and give you the clarity to develop precisely focused intervention.

Teach outside specialism or let others pick up where you left

GCSEPod content is set out clearly, making it easier for you to teach outside of your specialism. Choose the exam boards you teach for each subject and only the relevant content will be visible. Plan your lessons in seconds, with the confidence that all the content you need is available at your fingertips.

Chunk Content into Manageable Units

Delivering learning content in manageable chunks, is good for several reasons:

Enhanced retention: Chunking information into smaller, more digestible pieces makes it easier for learners to absorb and retain information. Research has shown that breaking down information into smaller segments leads to better knowledge retention.

Improved focus: By presenting information in small, manageable chunks, learners can better focus on the content at hand without feeling overwhelmed or distracted. This can help to improve their ability to learn and process the material.

Flexibility: It makes it easy to fit learning into a busy timetable. Since the content is delivered in small, bite-sized pieces, learners can consume the material in short bursts, whenever and wherever they have time.

Overall, delivering learning content in manageable chunks is an effective way to help learners retain information, focus on the material, fit learning into a busy schedule, and keep the content up-to-date over time.

Struggling with Inclusion of All Students - How to overcome

It is important that all students can access the learning content in the same way and have the same experience. To do this you need to invest in a platform that put students in control of their own learning and provides adequate accessibility tools.

Use Differentiation Strategies to Address Diverse Learning Needs

At GCSEPod our commitment to accessibility goes beyond our content. We believe technologies should enhance learning for everyone and have incorporated accessibility into our site to ensure that it is user-friendly for all learners.

Our accessibility toolbar allows students to personalise their learning experience with dyslexia friendly fonts, reading guides and colour control.

Our "translate" tool translates all the navigation and assessment on the site into one of 100 languages to support students for whom English isn’t a first language.

Features include:

• Reading guide / Reading mask.
• Colour controls, contrast, saturation and monochrome.
• Adjustable font style and size, including dyslexia-friendly fonts.
• Highlight all clickable buttons and links.
• Big black and big white cursors.
• Translate page text, choose from almost 100 languages.
• Subtitles available and customisable.
• Adjustable playback speed, questions can be read out loud. Full screen option.

Lack of Student Progress - How to overcome

Student progress should be at the heart of all learning content. But remember that student progress is influenced by a variety of factors, including motivation, background knowledge, and learning style. By addressing these factors and taking a proactive approach, you can help your students overcome any challenges they may be facing and make progress in their learning.

Set Clear and Measurable Learning Goals

Work with your students to set achievable goals and encourage them to track their progress. This can help motivate them to continue learning and give them a sense of accomplishment when they reach their goals.

Use Formative Assessments to Monitor Student Progress

At GCSEPod we provide Check and Challenge, a unique assessment system that not only evaluates students’ knowledge and understanding, but also provides scaffolded support via hints, multiple choice options and feedback statements, to aid actual learning and retention. With a range of question difficulties, including questions designed to challenge even the most able students. It provides teachers with valuable insights into student strengths and weaknesses.

Offer Timely and Specific Feedback to Students

Communication with your students is so important. Talk to your students and find out what they are struggling with. Make sure you provide feedback regularly and ask for their input on how to improve the learning experience.

Top Tips for Overcoming Teaching Problems with GCSE History Resources

Incorporate Technology to Enhance GCSE History Resource Delivery

Introducing technology gives you the ability to flip the classroom. For subjects like GCSE history this is so important as it makes the most use of the time spent in class addressing the key areas students struggle with most. This allows for more individualized instruction and can free up class time for more hands-on activities and group work.

Aside from this, teachers need to remember that knowledge is only part of the assessment in GCSE History. The AO2, AO3 and AO4 skills are about how they use their knowledge to write analytically or to analyse sources and interpretations. Therefore, in the rush to cover content this year, it is important not to lose sight of the goal, which is to help students to be able to use the knowledge, rather than just to know it. Incorporating technology into the classroom free’s up time for you to address this properly with your students.

Create a Positive Learning Environment for GCSE History Resources

Ensure that your classroom is a positive and supportive environment that encourages students to learn. Praise their efforts and celebrate their successes, and make sure to address any negative behavior or attitudes that may be hindering their progress.

Use Differentiated Instruction to Meet Diverse Learning Needs

Differentiated instruction is an effective way to meet the diverse learning needs of students. By using this approach, teachers can create a learning environment that supports all students, regardless of their strengths, weaknesses, or learning styles.

To do this we would recommend; assess students' learning styles, offer different learning options, adjust the pace of instruction, provide flexible grouping, and offer multiple assessments.

Promote Critical Thinking and Analysis in GCSE History Resources

Critical thinking is an essential skill for students to develop, as it enables them to analyse information, solve problems, and make informed decisions. Here are some ways to incorporate critical thinking in class:

• Ask open-ended questions: Instead of asking simple yes or no questions, ask open-ended questions that require students to think deeply and express their own ideas. Encourage students to support their answers with evidence and reasoning.
• Use case studies or real-world examples: Use case studies or real-world examples to help students apply critical thinking skills to real-world situations. Encourage students to analyse the situation, identify potential solutions, and evaluate the pros and cons of each solution.
• Provide opportunities for group discussion: Ask students to discuss and debate different ideas and perspectives. Encourage them to listen to each other's ideas and ask questions that challenge assumptions and promote critical thinking.

By incorporating critical thinking into class activities and assignments, you can help students develop their analytical and problem-solving skills, which can benefit them in all areas of their lives.

Maximise Learning Opportunities with Effective Feedback and Reflection

Providing effective feedback is an essential part of teaching, as it helps students to understand what they are doing well and where they need to improve.

When providing feedback be specific about how they can improve, where they went wrong, what they can do better next time. Ensure they understand what you are trying to convey and encourage them to reflect on what you have said.

How our GCSE History Resources can help  - GCSEPod

GCSEPod is an educational platform offering subscribers unique, audio-visual teaching and learning resources. Bringing together the key elements of content, assessment, and data, combining them with tracking and monitoring all on one platform, GCSEPod is proven to engage students, consolidate subject knowledge, and accelerate progress while – crucially – reducing teacher workload. As a company we boast a wealth of expertise and share a commitment to developing quality teaching and learning content in a rapidly changing environment.

Teach

GCSEPod utilises scientifically proven techniques to engage students and build their confidence and self-belief, ultimately encouraging them to work smarter instead of harder. We collaborate with subject experts and digital designers to create high-quality content covering over 30 GCSE and IGCSE subjects, relevant to various international exam boards.

Our learning is delivered in the form of micro-bytes called 'Pods', each lasting 3-5 minutes and utilising both audio and visual elements through dual coding to help learners absorb, retain, and recall subject knowledge efficiently. Our extensive library currently contains over 6,000 Pods, and schools can easily pre-select their choice of subject and exam specifications, allowing students to access relevant pre-created playlists with ease.

We also offer a range of 'Study Smart' Pods that cover techniques such as interleaving, retrieval practice, and spaced learning, to support students' revision and knowledge acquisition. Students have the option to work through the content independently and at their own pace or follow a guided learning journey set by their teacher, who can assign work, recommend content, and mark summative assessments online.

Assess

Check & Challenge is the shining star of our assessment area, standing out from other systems that simply provide students with answers. Instead, Check & Challenge acts as a personal coach for each student, offering scaffolded support to help them navigate their way to the answers. The data gained from this system provides meaningful and actionable feedback for teachers, resulting in accelerated progress and no wasted time.

Our Exam-Style Assignments offer an efficient and effective way for students to practice essential skills and test their subject knowledge. Experts have written original, exam board-specific questions, making it easy for teachers to set assignments using our Ready-Made Assignments function. Additionally, our partially-automated marking system and clear marking support for every question, makes it quick and easy for teachers to grade these assignments, saving them valuable time.

Monitor

With GCSEPod's Monitor feature, usage can be reviewed by user (teacher or student), group, individual, and category (e.g. EAL).

This allows for a wide range of bespoke reports to be automatically generated, ready to be shared with colleagues or exported into school management systems.

GCSE History Content

Our GCSE history content is a particular source of great pride and joy among the team. Written by hand-selected authors, our high-quality videos and intuitive assessment tools are tailored to exam preparation as well as offering additional insight into the subject and its relevance in the outside world. From Henry VIII to Hoover, from the Treaty of Versailles to Vietnam, we’ve got you covered and then some.

GCSEPod is proven to help students achieve on average 1 grade higher than non-users, whilst reducing teacher workloads.