Instructional Strategies



Instructional Strategies

By

Terri Wright

EDU 6526

August 5, 2010

A teacher has to think about so many things each and every day. It is a great idea to have strategies or approaches that will help the teacher improve learning. Planning which strategies are most effective can be challenging. There are some approaches that work better in a particular content area or even a certain grade level. The teacher has to discern which strategies work best and this requires a bit of trial and error sometimes. During our class this summer, I have found a few strategies that I believe will help me to create a differentiated learning environment where everyone can learn. The approaches that I found that might best influence my teaching are student centers, cooperative learning, questioning, and graphic organizers.

The first approach that I would like to explore is student centers. I have used centers in my classroom. For this school year I want to spend more time looking at how well my centers are meeting the current needs of my students. Student centers that are set up well can assist me in providing my students with the extra attention they may require.

A classroom organized to facilitate differentiated instruction will provide a variety of learning opportunities that engage students at their optimal learning levels. For example, after a whole-group reading lesson, a classroom teacher may work with individual students or a small group of students with similar needs while other students work independently, in pairs, or in small groups at student centers. (Kosanovich & Weinstein)

Learning centers can also help build on students interests. We read in the Tomlinson text that it is important to link interests with the curriculum and this is done more effectively using centers. Another benefit of centers is that we can target more learning styles and therefore engage more students in the learning. “Student Center Activities can be an efficient and effective way to organize the classroom and plan instruction that meets the needs of all students. This is best achieved in small groups within which teachers can target specific skills and scaffold instruction.” (Kosanovich & Weinstein) When creating the small groups for centers we can use the Fontas and Pinnell levels to assign students to the groups. Students would then be able to choose activities in the center that are at their zone of proximal development. This would ensure that the activities are appropriate for all learners. I believe that students need the opportunity to practice concepts learned in class and centers best supports this. Students would then improve their academic achievement by reinforcing lessons taught in class. I used the shared reading 4 day model in my class this past year. I was amazed to watch my students during centers go through the entire reading of a story as if they were me teaching. The practice definitely made a difference in their ability to transfer these skills to other books.

Another approach that I find important in the classroom is cooperative learning. Students are able to interact with one another and compare answers or solutions. Cooperative learning helps to build a safe learning environment. As students become accustomed to working in small groups they are able to expand their own learning and help facilitate others in their learning. Students can become experts on a topic and then engage others by sharing what they know. Students may also use this opportunity to check their understanding of a topic as well. “After individual students have worked through a practice activity, they meet in small groups to check their work for accuracy and describe their personal approaches to the exercises.” (Marzano, p.82) Another point Marzano makes is that the group interactions help facilitate learning that may not happen in any other way. Our classrooms are filled with students who are not willing to raise their hand to share their thoughts, so we need to create a way for them to express their ideas. Cooperative learning is established early in the school year and students are shown the expectations. We model how students can openly share their ideas and then we model how to respond to others ideas. By creating this safe environment, we will make it possible for all students to learn. Cooperative learning is engaging for the students when we set up routines and manage the group sizes. With cooperative learning, I want to work at making sure that I pay attention to how the group works together and make the necessary adjustments. “Sometimes student group assignments are purposeful and sometimes random” (Tomlinson, p. 102) I believe that cooperative learning is an appropriate way of reaching all students.

An approach that is fairly new to me is questioning. I am still working to make sure that I ask transferable and engaging questions. “Varying questions appropriately helps nurture motivation through success.” (Tomlinson, p. 104) I found the “wait time” information in Marzano to be very helpful. I am going to work on making sure that I am giving students ample time to respond to the questions that I pose. Students need to think about what they want to say and then organize their thoughts before they speak. I am sure this is why many second language learners do not respond very quickly in class. I use the turn and talk method in my classroom. While students are talking I quickly listen in and make decisions about who is going to share out. I want to be more purposeful in what questions I chose and who I chose to share. I believe this strategy will engage more students and increase their understanding of the topic we are discussing. I also use the white boards to help assess understanding. Students love to use the white boards, so the engagement piece is easy. I ask students questions or present problems and have them write their response and quickly show them to me. I can at a glance verify who is actively participating and I can see who is struggling. Marzano states that, “students feel less threatened because their answers are not public.” (p.109) I believe using this method can reach all students and can increase their academic success. Students can also come up with their own questions to help increase understanding. When we were working on our non-fiction units this past year, I would have students write down their questions about the topic. I could quickly see how students were thinking and all students were actively engaged in the work. As we studied the topic we looked for the answers to our questions. Students then chose their own topic and began by writing their questions. I did not tell them to look for the answers to these questions right away, but many started their research by looking for the answers to their own questions. I found this to enhance their learning and their experience with non-fiction. Bransford used an example of having students create questions to help deepen their understanding of the content area. I believe using the questioning strategy will engage students and build on their schema.

The final strategy that I believe will help students achieve academically is the use of graphic organizers. The first graphic organizer that I began using successfully in class was the KWL. I could quickly see what a student knew and then we could make a plan to discover what they wanted to know as well as what I wanted them to know by the end of the unit. This past year I began using the RAN chart and I found it to be a great tool even for my lowest readers. Each student could work through the steps and I could walk by and quickly assess their understanding of the topic. The RAN was appropriate for all children and everyone was actively engaged in learning. The Venn diagram is another great organizer because it is designed to help students decipher information and decide where it goes on the chart. Marzano gives several examples of graphic organizers that are used for “comparing, classifying, creating metaphors, and creating analogies.” (p.71) I would like to work on using more organizers in my class to help students gain better understanding. Students work through the thinking by jotting down information. As students gain better understanding, they are able to make connections and write even more. I believe that graphic organizers push students to new learning in a fun and engaging way.

Being a teacher in today’s classroom is challenging. We have to spend a great deal of time getting to know our learners and then we have to figure out the best ways to help each student reach success. It is helpful to know that others are doing the hard work of figuring out what strategies are most effective in the classroom, but much is left to each of us as individual teachers. We must make decisions daily that affect the student on many levels. I want to have all of my students engaged in learning and working at a level that is challenging for them. I believe using many strategies and approaches is the best way to assure that my students reach their full potential and have academic success.

References

Bransford, J.D., Brown, A.L., & Cocking, R.R., editors. (2001). How People Learn: Brain, mind, experience, and school. Wahsington, D.C.: National Academy Press.

Kosanovich, M. L., Weinstein, C., & Goldman, E. (2009). Using Student Center Activities to differentiate instruction. A guide for teachers. Portsmouth, NH: RMC Research Corporation, Center on Instruction.

Marzano, R. (2007). The Art and Scinece of Teaching: A Comprehensive Framework for Effective Instruction. Alexandria, VA: ASCD.

Tomlisnson, C.A. (2001). How to Differentiate Instruction in Mixed-Ability Classrooms. Columbus, OH: Pearson.

................
................

In order to avoid copyright disputes, this page is only a partial summary.

Google Online Preview   Download