INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGIES

Gallery Walk

Identifying Similarities and Differences Research and Theory:

In order to enhance a student’s understanding and ability to use knowledge in regards to similarities and differences:

1. Present students with explicit guidance in identifying similarities and differences.

2. Ask students to independently identify similarities and differences.

3. Represent similarities and differences in graphic or symbolic form.

4. Identification of similarities and differences can be accomplished in a variety of ways which are highly effective.

Similarities and Differences in the Classroom • Comparing

• Classifying

• Metaphors

• Analogies

Summarizing

Research and Theory:

1. To effectively summarize, students must delete some information, substitute some information, and keep some information.

2. To effectively delete, substitute, and keep information, students must analyze the information at a fairly deep level.

3. Being aware of the explicit structure of information is an aid to summarizing information

Summarizing the in Classroom

• The “Rule-Based” Strategy

• Summary Frames

• Reciprocal Teaching

Note Taking

Research and Theory:

1. Verbatim note taking is, perhaps, the least effective way to take notes.

2. Notes should be considered a work in progress.

3. Notes should be used as study for guides for tests.

4. The more notes that are taken, the better.

Note Taking in the Classroom

• Teacher-Prepared Notes

• Formats for Notes

• Combination Notes

Reinforcing Effort

Research and Theory:

1. Not all students realize the importance of believing in effort.

2. Students can learn to change their beliefs to an emphasis on effort.

Reinforcing Effort in the Classroom • Teach About Effort

• Keeping Track of Effort and Achievement

• Effort and Achievement Rubrics

• Effort and Achievement Charts

Providing Recognition

Research and Theory:

1. Rewards do not necessarily have a negative effect on intrinsic motivation.

2. Reward is most effective when it is contingent on the attainment of some standard performance.

3. Abstract symbolic recognition is more effective than tangible rewards.

Homework

Research and Theory:

1. The amount of homework assigned to students should be different from elementary to middle to high school.

2. Parent involvement in homework should be kept to a minimum.

3. The purpose of homework should be identified and articulated.

4. If homework is assigned, it should be commented on.

Practice in Assigning Homework Research and Theory:

1. Establish and communicate a homework policy.

2. Design homework assignments that clearly articulate the purpose and outcome.

3. Vary the approaches to providing feedback.

Practice

Research and Theory:

1. Mastering a skill requires a fair amount of focused practice.

2. While practicing, students should adapt and shape what they have learned.

Nonlinguistic Representations

Research and Theory:

1. A variety of activities produce nonlinguistic representations.

2. Nonlinguistic representations should elaborate on knowledge.

Classroom Practice in Nonlinguistic Representations • Graphic Organizers

• Making Physical Models

• Generating Mental Pictures

• Drawing Pictures and Pictographs

• Kinesthetic Activities

Cooperative Learning

Research and Theory:

1. Organizing groups based on ability levels should be done sparingly.

2. Cooperative groups should be kept rather small.

3. Cooperative learning should be applied consistently and systemically, but not overused.

Cooperative Learning in the Classroom • Use a variety of criteria for grouping students

• Informal Groups

• Formal Groups

• Base Groups

Goal Setting

Research and Theory:

1. Instructional goals narrow what students focus on.

2. Instructional goals should not be too specific.

3. Students should be encouraged to personalize the teacher’s goals.

Goal Setting in the Classroom

• Set Specific but Flexible Goals

• Use of Contracts

Feedback

Research and Theory:

1. Feedback should be “corrective” in nature.

2. Feedback should be timely.

3. Feedback should be specific to a criterion.

4. Students can effectively provide some of their own feedback.

Feedback in the Classroom

• Criterion-Referenced Feedback

• Feedback for Specific Types of Knowledge and Skills

• Student-Led Feedback

Generating and Testing Hypotheses Research and Theory:

1. Hypothesis generation and testing can be approach in a more inductive or deductive manner.

2. Teachers should ask students to clearly explain their hypotheses and their conclusions.

Generating and Testing Hypotheses in the Classroom • Systems Analysis

• Problem Solving

• Historical Investigation

• Invention

• Experimental Inquiry

• Decision Making

Cues and Questions

Research and Theory:

1. Cues and questions should focus on what is important as opposed to what is unusual.

2. “Higher level” questions produce deeper learning than “lower level” questions.

3. “Waiting” briefly before accepting responses from students has the effect of increasing the depth of students’ answers.

4. Questions are effective learning tools when asked before a learning experience.

Cues and Questions in the Classroom • Explicit Cues

• Questions that Elicit Inferences

• Analytic Questions

Advance Organizers

Research and Theory:

1. Advance organizers should focus on what is important as opposed to what is unusual.

2. “Higher level” advance organizers produce deeper learning than the “lower level” advance organizers.

3. Advance organizers are most useful with information that is not well organized.

4. Different types of advance organizers produce different results.

Advance Organizers in the Classroom • Expository Advance Organizers

• Narrative Advance Organizers

• Skimming

• Graphic Advance Organizers