Organisation

Pairs and tables

The children work in fixed pairs: child A and child B. Make pairs that are about equally strong. After each run of the four-week plan the pairs change. If a child is absent, their partner works that day as the third child with a pair at their table.

Two pairs sit at one table. Seat one more confident pair and one less confident pair at each table. Then the contest teams are equally strong: the four children at a table form two teams, each with one more confident and one less confident child.

The children at the table compare answers, check the position on the board and settle small questions themselves before they call you. If the number of children is odd, one pair works as three. Seat that group of three at a table with only two pairs. If the number of pairs is odd, three pairs sit at one table; there are three teams there, and they check one another in turn.

Listening list

In a large group you cannot listen carefully to every child in every lesson. That is what the Listening list is for. It is a class list with columns for the date.

1. In each lesson, listen carefully to as many children as the table says. Always take the next ones on the list. This works best while the others are working in pairs, for example in step 2 of the thinking trail. Other good moments: Attacker and defender in steps 3 and 4, The team cup in step 3, The advice relay in every round, The chess treasure hunt while they are advising, The variation tree in step 3. If a child explains their move at the front, you can record them too.
2. Listening carefully means: the child explains their move to you. From Level 3 they also say the opponent’s best reply. Mark ✓ for “explained it securely” and ? for “still unsure”.
3. Children with ? you hear again in the next lesson – in addition to the children from the table, at most three per lesson. The rest come in the lesson after that.

The other children explain to their partner; the table checks. Look through their workbooks from time to time. One sheet is enough for four lessons.

Helpers in the room

Two or three confident children can help in the room. Helpers do not give away solutions. They ask the three questions. The helpers change every week.

Signals

• Quiet: you raise your hand. Everyone raises a hand and becomes quiet.
• Pencils down: everyone puts the pencils down. Their own answer stays.
• Fist and thumb: decide quietly, fist on the table. On “Now!” everyone shows a thumb up or down at the same time.
• Hands flat: if there is a rules question in a game, both children put their hands flat on the table. Nobody touches the board until you or the arbiter are there.

In the room

Place the tables so that everyone can see the front without turning round. During pair work, the children whisper. If a child has forgotten their workbook, they look on with their partner and write their answer on a slip of paper.