Sequencing and Scaffolding Instruction

A Gradual Release of Responsibility Model

Sarah King Veigel, Ninth Grade English, North Junior High Debbie Moore Foster, Curriculum Director, Compass Charter School

Boise State Writing Project Teacher Consultants

How Do We Learn?

1. Think about something you learned to do?

2. Why did you want to learn it?3. How did you learn it?4. How did you know you learned it?

Essential Questions to Guide Our Work… When and how is teaching most powerfully enacted? Under what

conditions does learning most powerfully occur?

How can the Gradual Release of Responsibility Model build capacity in my students as learners?

How do I sequence instruction to effectively transfer the load of cognitive complexity over to my students?

What are effective scaffolding techniques to use with my students as I transfer responsibility for learning and knowledge over to them?

Gradual Release of Responsibility: an

Effective Delivery Model

“The gradual release of responsibility model of instruction stipulates that the teacher moves from assuming “all the responsibility for performing a task…to a situation in which the students assume all of the responsibility.”

Duke and Pearson, 2002, p. 211

TEACHER RESPONSIBILITY

STUDENT RESPONSIBILITY

Focus Lesson

Guided Instruction

“I do it”

“We do it”

“You do it together”

Collaborative

Independent “You do it alone”

A Model for Success for All Students Fisher, D., & Frey, N. (2008). Better learning through structured teaching: A framework for the gradual release of responsibility. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.

But…

In some classrooms …

TEACHER RESPONSIBILITY

STUDENT RESPONSIBILITY

Focus Lesson “I do it”

Independent

“You do it alone”

Fisher, D., & Frey, N. (2008). Better learning through structured teaching: A framework for the gradual release of responsibility. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.

And…In the worst classrooms …

TEACHER RESPONSIBILITY(none)

STUDENT RESPONSIBILITY

Independent

“You do it alone”

Fisher, D., & Frey, N. (2008). Better learning through structured teaching: A framework for the gradual release of responsibility. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.

And Still…In the “Good Enough” Classroom

TEACHER RESPONSIBILITY

STUDENT RESPONSIBILITY

Focus Lesson

Guided Instruction

“I do it”

“We do it”

Independent“You do it alone”

Fisher, D., & Frey, N. (2008). Better learning through structured teaching: A framework for the gradual release of responsibility. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.

Just “Getting the Job Done” is not enough.

Clarifying Some Terms… What is sequencing?

What is scaffolding?

What’s the difference between the two?

Principles of Sequencing

From… To…Easy Hard

Immediate Imagined

Close to Home Far From Home

Familiar Unfamiliar

Oral Written

Concrete Abstract

Visually, visually supported Textual

Short Long

Stated Implied and Inferred

Collaborative and Socially Supported

Individual and Independently Maintained

Scaffolded and Assisted Activity Independent Activity

Framework for Implementing the Gradual Release of Responsibility Model:

Focus Lesson

Guided instruction

Collaborative Learning

Independent Experiences

Lesson Delivery Sequence

Focus Lesson How will I focus my students on what they need

to learn? How will I show my students what they are expected to do?

Guided Practice How will I help my students practice? How will I

differentiate instruction?

Collaborative learning How will I incorporate collaborative structures?

Independent Practice How will my students become independent

learners? How will they demonstrate independence?

“I DO”Focus Lessons:

“I DO” Focus LessonsTypes of Focus Lessons:

Explicit/Direct InstructionModelingThink AloudsMetacognitive Processing

“I DO” … Explicit Instruction What: Tell students specifically what

strategies, concepts, or essential learning they are going to learn.

Why: Tell them why it is important for them to learn the strategies, concepts, or essential learning.

How: Tell students how to use the strategies, concepts, or essential learning.

When: Tell students when they will use the strategy, concept, or essential learning.

Explicit Instruction is… Introducing the

WhatWhyHow When

Making connections to previous learning

Setting a purpose for learning Introducing key vocabulary

Explicit Instruction is not…

Giving directions

Lecturing

Assigning Worksheets

Assigning reading

Asking questions

“I DO”…Modeled Instruction

Modeled Instruction Select examples aligned with guided practice,

independent practice, and assessment. Demonstrate how to complete examples step

by step. Verbalize thinking

teacher think-a-loud forming mental pictures, connecting information to prior knowledge, creating analogies, clarifying confusing points, and/or making/revising predictions.

Modeled Instruction is… Demonstrating the strategy or skill

Thinking aloud (how and why)

Thinking through the process

Students observing and listening

Modeled Instruction is not…

Extending direct instruction

Lecturing

Asking questions and students answering (I.R.E. Model—Initiate, Respond, Evaluate.)

Students working or using the strategy

Showing an end product without demonstrating the process

Is This Modeling?Teacher: Why did Lewis and Clark want to

explore the West? (Initiate)

Student 1: To discover California (Respond)

Teacher: Well, not really. (Evaluate) What do others think? (Initiate)

Student 2: To get some gold? (Respond)

Teacher: No, not yet. (Evaluate) Before the Gold Rush, why did Lewis and Clark want to explore? (Initiate)

Fisher & Frey, 2008

The Object of your mission is to explore the Missouri river & such principal stream of it as by it’s course and communication with the waters of the Pacific ocean, whether the Columbia, Oregon, Colorado or any other river may offer the most direct & practicable water communication across this continent for the purpose of commerce.

Let’s think about this text

Fisher & Frey, 2008

Modeling might sound like:

The Object of your mission is to explore the Missouri river

“This is a letter that President Thomas Jefferson wrote on June 20, 1803, to Meriwether Lewis. I notice that he capitalizes the word “object”. I wonder if he wants to stress the importance of what he is asking them to do.

& such principal stream of it as by it’s course and communication with the waters of the Pacific ocean, whether the Columbia, Oregon, Colorado or any other river may offer the most direct & practicable water communication across this continent for the purpose of commerce.

When he says, “and such principal stream of it”, I think he means the tributaries, or other rivers that run into the Missouri River. It sounds like he is interested in a water route across the United States when he says “may offer the most direct and practicable water communication across this continent.”

His last phrase, “for the purpose of commerce” tells me that he wants them to explore the rivers to find a direct way to conduct commerce, or business, between different parts of the country.” I also noticed some other strange things about the capitalization and the spelling of the word “principal”. If I did not know that this was a letter written by President Jefferson, I would still suspect that it was written a long time ago because of these differences.

Explicit & Modeled Instruction (I Do)

Teacher Behavior: Initiates Models Explains Thinks aloud Shows how to do it

Learner Behavior: Listens Observes Creates an example

based on teacher model

“WE DO”Guided Instruction:

“WE DO”… Practice with feedback

Provide guided practice with feedback so students have opportunity to practice desired learning.

An opportunity for each student to demonstrate grasp of new learning by working through an activity or exercise under the teacher’s direct supervision.

Guided Practice Formats

Collaborative Structures

Cooperative Learning Groups

Cooperative Pairs

Working Individually with a student

Guided Practice Select examples aligned with independent

practice and assessment.

Start guided practice with teacher-led question and answer practice.

Ask higher order questions requiring explanation with “Student Accountable Talk” or “Student Think-a-Loud” to justify thinking and explain logic.

Incorporate Collaborative Structures for additional practice with peer support.

Conduct Checks for Understanding throughout the lesson.

Guided Practice is… Doing it together

Bridging instruction to independence

Working together in whole or small groups

Differentiating instruction

Checking for understanding

Facilitating the skill development

Responding to student needs

Student Accountable Talk Ask higher order questions requiring

explanation with “Student Accountable Talk” or “Student Think-a-Loud” to justify thinking and explain logic. Ask “Why” and “Why Not” questions Use Higher Order Thinking question stems Scaffold questions to reach higher order thinking Allow students’ extended time to prepare

responses Require use of content specific vocabulary Reference vocabulary acquisition tools (interactive

word wall, lesson vocabulary on whiteboard, foldables, skill process posters, etc.)

Checks for Understanding Conduct Checks for Understanding

throughout the lesson. Thumbs Up/Down/Middle White Board Responses Response Cards Student Accountable Talk Journal Responses Cornell Notes Summaries Board Races Exit Tickets

Guided Practice is not…

Working independently without teacher support

Working in pairs or groups without teacher support

Supporting every student the same

Guided Practice

Teacher Behaviors Demonstrates Leads Suggests Explains Responds Acknowledges Answers Questions

Student Behaviors Listens Interacts Questions Collaborates Responds Tries out Participates

“YOU DO IT TOGETHER”

Collaborative Learning

Collaborative Learning IS: Engagement in meaningful tasks to

support ongoing learning Positive interdependence An opportunity for face to face Interactions A time for individual and group

accountability Meaningful group processing on progress

Collaborative Structures Pair and Square Quads

Reciprocal Teaching

Literature Circles/Book Clubs

Labs and Simulations

Jigsaw

Rally Table

Pairs Check

Numbered Heads Together

Talking Chips

Team-Pair-Solo

Collaborative Learning is NOT A time to introduce new information “Group Work” in which a single product is

produced by the group Ability Grouping Independent seatwork

“YOU DO IT ALONE”

Independent Learning Tasks

“YOU DO”… Independent Practice

Through Independent Practice, students have a chance to reinforce skills and synthesize their new knowledge by completing a task on their own away from the teacher’s guidance.

About.com: Elementary Education. 2010. Independent Practice. The New York Times Company.

Available on-line: http://K6educators.about.com/od/lessonplanheadquarters/g/independent_pra.htm

“You Do” (student)

A transition from guided practice and collaborative learning

Students working on their own, in pairs, or small groups to accomplish task

Teacher monitoring for understanding

Teacher providing specific feedback about progress

Independent Learning is

Independent Learning is not…

Right after explicit instruction

Students working on assignment without prior instruction

Working in a small group with a teacher

Summative assessment

Work unrelated to the learning objective

What does it look like? Writing Activity

Journal

Learning Logs

Short Response

Essay

Raft

Venn-Diagram

Summarize

Compare/Contrast

Cornell Notes

Gist

Concept Maps

QAR

The Most Important Thing

Independent LearningStudent Behavior

Applies learning Takes charge Practices Problem solves Approximates Self-corrects

Teacher Behavior Scaffolds Validates Teaches as needed Evaluates Observes Encourages Clarifies Confirms Coaches

Explicit Instruction

Modeled Instruction

Guided PracticeCollaboration

Independent Practice

Gradual Release of

Responsibility

ResourcesFisher, D. (2007) Improving adolescent literacy: Content area

strategies at work. Digital writing, digital teaching: Integrating new literacies into the teaching of writing. Available online: http://hickstro.org/2007/03/10/doug-fishers-improving-adolescent-literacy-strategies-at-work/

Fisher, D. & Frey, N. (2008). Better learning through structured teaching. Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development (ASCD).

Fisher & Frey (2008). Fisher&Frey resources. Retrieved February 10, 2010, from www.fisherandfrey.com

Wilhelm, J., Baker, T., & Hackett, J. (2001). Strategic reading: Guiding students to lifelong literacy 6-12. Boynton/Cook Publishers Inc.