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Instructional Strategies Websites

Lucas Munson

Ivy Tech Community College

InTASC Standard, Brief Description, and Rationale

InTASC Standard #8- Instructional Strategies

The teacher candidate understands and uses a variety of instructional strategies to encourage learners to develop deep understanding of content areas and their connections, and to build skills to apply knowledge in meaningful ways.

Name of Artifact: Instructional Strategies Websites

Date: October 12, 2016

Course: EDUC 250- Educational Psychology

Brief Description: For this assignment, I was required to search the internet to find twenty different instructional strategies that I personally like and that I would be able to use in a classroom. After I found these, I was to record a brief description of the strategy and why I liked it, along with what grades I thought it would work best with.

Rationale: To demonstrate my understanding of Standard # 8, Instructional Strategies, I have included my Instructional Strategies Websites project. This project goes hand-in-hand with Standard #8 because it shows a variety of strategies that I can use in the classroom to help myself as an educator and my students to further understand the information given.



This website describes the Embedded Phonics strategy, where students learn phonics through reading. This is a strategy that could be done individually or as a group, giving an option on how to teach it as well. Each reading could be student-specific so that no one is left behind but no one is bored. This would be a more difficult strategy to plan out, but I believe it would pay off.

I personally like this strategy because it puts more fun in phonics. Reading a story is always much more fun than doing flashcards. Also, the students will find more interest in the story than the phonics, so they can learn in such a way that they won’t even know it! This strategy also gives the option to give different books to different students to help them with their phonics, so no one student is bored, but every student is occupied and learning.

This strategy could be used from first grade and up, but I wouldn’t incorporate different books per student until third or fourth grade.



This website describes the Synthetic Phonics strategy, which demonstrates teaching students to convert letters into sounds and blend the sounds into words. This strategy would be helpful because the students can do it on their own to discover new words that the class is not yet ready to learn.

I like this strategy because it is independent and useful. Students can do this same action at school with the instructor or at home on their own. This will also last the student through their lives because this is something that I am still doing now when I read new books.

This strategy could be useful from kindergarten on.



This website describes the strategy of using Manipulation Tools in the math classroom. Using this strategy, the instructor and students can use blocks, coins, or anything to represent numbers while learning new concepts in math such as adding, subtracting, or place value. Using tools lets the student take longer to come up with a quality answer and limit stress. It is also more fun!

I like this strategy because I found through MATH141 how helpful manipulates can be. I also noticed through my service learning that the students attempt to use manipulates, even if it is just their fingers. On top of this, Elementary students are never above the concrete operational stage, showing that they still need to use manipulates, even in upper elementary.

This strategy would be useful from kindergarten on.



This website describes the strategy of using Pair Work in the math classroom. This strategy says that students should be grouped together to work on the problems so that they can collaborate and discover the concepts together, building academically and socially. The goal for using Pair Work is to teach critical thinking skills that the students will need in future math problems and in life.

I like this strategy because I like anything with group work. I know that students will work really well in groups because it is fun for them and it provides a flow of ideas where there is no fear of speaking out. In small groups, everyone feels accepted and open to share ideas so everyone is putting in their input and growing.

This strategy would be useful for any grade.



This website describes the idea of task cards or stations that can be used for independent work around the classroom. With this strategy, there are different leveled cards around the room with problems on them. The website describes how the instructor can even put two different levels of activity on each card for the average or above average learner. These cards can be for different levels of Bloom’s Taxonomy or for the different Multiple Intelligences.

I really like this strategy because it is something that I have thought of since I first heard of Multiple Intelligences. I think that each concept needs to be taken from multiple perspectives so that the student gets a full understanding of the topic. This would also allow for the instructor to get an understanding of how the students learn best based on the questions or stations that they did better on.

This strategy would be best for second grade and up.



This website describes the use of Technology through teaching. The article describes a website where the instructor can find PowerPoint presentations and videos that add to his/her lessons. In this, the author of the article talked about having the same video set up on multiple computers in the classroom, each with a different activity. The activities could be anything from writing to history to math as long as they go along with the video. Beyond this, the use of technology in the classroom is fairly general and can work out in many ways. There are many, many apps out now that will help any subject or learner.

I like this strategy because I am familiar with it. I used technology through high school and I have seen it in elementary classrooms working successfully. Even though technology can be a distraction in the classroom, it can also be a huge help to the instructor and the student.

This strategy would be great for any grade level.



One strategy described in this titled “Let go and Let students”. This strategy calls for letting the students take over and write their thinking on the board or demonstrate their thinking. This is different from group discussion because it calls for more involvement. The strategy also asks for students to repeat what their classmates have states, have students read the directions out loud, or recite vocabulary words on their own.

I like this strategy because I think it is always good to let students have some responsibility in the classroom. I do not believe that students will learn best sitting in rows on their own, instead they need to be active to reach a full understanding. Being active and getting up from their seat will also help students who do not like to sit down for long periods of time.

This strategy would be good for any grade.



This website describes the idea of using white boards or chalkboard in class. Giving every student a whiteboard and a marker allows for them to write answers to verbal cues or questions from the instructor. This is a quick thing to see what students know the material and what students do not. Based on the class response, the instructor can easily stop the whiteboard participation to explain the concept and reconvene when needed.

This strategy is great because student can work at their own rate and then each answer is genuine to that student. This is also a quick act where the instructor can speed through questions and know what the students know or do not know. I also like how this gives immediate feedback for what the students do or do not know.

This strategy would be good for any grade, but grades two and up would work best.



This website tells of the instructional strategy using visuals and graphics during mathematics. Studies have shown that the visuals in math textbooks help students learn, but adding these visuals to an in-class visual will help the student to fully understand the concept better. This can go along with using technology in the classroom because students can see visuals and graphics through their personalized tablet or e-reader.

I like this strategy because I know that many students learn best visually. If we force students to only learn by reading a textbook, not every student will get the full understanding that is needed. I also think that this strategy is good because it helps to teach students who are younger or can not read yet. Instead of just lecturing to the students, the instructor can visually show them what needs to be done.

This strategy would work well with any grade.



This website details the idea of verbalized thinking. The idea of verbalized thinking is asking students to talk though how they got the answer that they did so that the instructor can find where they went wrong and the classmates can get the basic procedures of the concept. Asking each student to verbalize their thinking also breaks down some barriers and works at each student’s social skills so that they do not fear of talking to the class. This also shows perspective to the class and how different students can see the same problem in different ways.

I like this strategy because it works at both social skills and further understanding of the concept being taught. Asking students “why” is always a good idea to me and having them explain it to the entire class lets everyone benefit from this deeper thinking. This is teaching students to think, not just training them in what to do.

This strategy would be good for students in any grade.



This website describes the idea of reading in the Mathematics classroom. The article focuses on story problems and how to use literacy techniques within the math classroom. This got me thinking about all types of reading in the classroom, from tests to books, to allow a deeper understanding of the material in seeing it though everyday life.

I love this strategy because I like how it integrates the different subjects and shows students how, in life, all of these subjects flow together. I also see a huge benefit in using math picture books to teach concepts while the students are still learning.

This strategy would work well for any grade.



This website explains the strategy that they have titled “Embed in Context, Present as a Problem”. This strategy says that the instructor should be using more word problems in the Mathematics classroom so that the students have real-life examples to help them later in life. Using this strategy also shows students that math can be useful beyond school and that everything does not come out to an even number. When putting dollar amounts instead of just numbers, the students are forced to think about sales tax or income along with completing the problem at hand.

I like this strategy because it shows students exactly how math can be useful in real life and that it is not just something to be tested on. This also allows for further discussion in the class, leaving every student something new to learn.

This strategy would be good for any grade, given that the math concept applies to what they are being taught.



This website has a great strategy that they call “Ongoing Cumulative Review”. This strategy allows for the instructor to review previous material at the beginning of class, either as a “warm up” or problems of the day. Five to eight problems a day over previous material will help the students to continue learning the previous material as they learn new things. This also helps with testing.

I like this strategy because it shows the students how everything flows together and how we do not just learn one thing at a time. It also allows the instructor to keep their students fresh on all the material instead of just what is being tested that day. On top of that, it makes it easier on the entire class to mix concepts because all of the concepts are already fresh in their minds so they do not have to go into long term memory to remember how to solve a multi-step problem.

This strategy could be used in any grade.



This website describes the strategy that they titled “Crunch and Munch Words”. Using this strategy, the students can break down difficult words into syllables or even into blends so that the students are not as overwhelmed with big words. The idea is for students to munch through words instead of taking it all in “one bite”. This strategy is meant for students to fully read and understand a word instead of just glancing at it and assume what the word is.

I like this strategy because it takes something that would be otherwise overwhelming to students and breaks it down. It is also something that will last beyond the year that the students are in the classroom with you because this is something that the students can use anytime they are reading and come across a word that would be overwhelming.

This would work for grades one and up.



This website describes the idea of using Positive Feedback in the classroom. The example that is given in the article is of throwing bean bags behind your back to hit a target. Without feedback, the thrower will never have a better chance of hitting the target. In the classroom, positive feedback can boost self esteem and self efficacy.

I like this strategy because I love the idea of keeping a light and positive mood in the classroom. This becomes a problem when we think about extrinsic rewards and how often we should be giving any personal feedback at all. Either way, I fully believe that the students should have positive feedback, even in the sandwich method.

This strategy is good for any grade.



This website describes the idea of using a KWL chart as a teaching strategy. Simply put, this would be a poster or a chart on a whiteboard that askes what the class knows, wants to know, and what the class has learned. This is a good strategy for the whole class to know where they are as far as understanding the content.

I like this strategy because it lets everyone in the classroom know what the class knows and what they need to learn about. This can be part of the teacher’s planning but it also helps the students to prepare for the upcoming unit.

This strategy would work well for students second grade and up.



This website describes the idea of using Brainstorming in everyday classes. Before writing or doing an activity, asking the students to brainstorm gets their creativity rolling and also prepares the students to do the task that is after. Brainstorming is also a tool that all students can use beyond their one year in class with me. They will be given the chance to use this is most areas of life.

I like this strategy because it is a helpful tool to build in time before a project so that students do not feel so rushed and they can create something with more quality. Students are also allowed to use this during standardized tests, so this would definitely be a good thing to build into everyday class.

This strategy would work well for students second grade and up.



This website explains the strategy of keeping the students moving. Moving around keeps students engaged for a longer period of time, giving the instructor the availability to teach bigger concepts or multi-step processes. This also gets rid of excess energy from the students and keeps them actively engaged and not bored.

I personally like this strategy because I have seen classrooms where students are forced to sit at their desks for hours at a time and they get rather antsy. I know that students, especially at a young age, need to move around and get rid of energy that is otherwise holding them back from paying attention. This strategy also keeps students engaged and they do not have their minds drifting and thinking of what they will be doing next or counting down the hours until recess.

This strategy can be used at any age.



This website describes the idea of always scanning the room. The article describes using this strategy as always keeping a lookout around the room to know what is going on everywhere in the classroom. The article suggests keeping the challenging students up front and using a discrete signal, like a wink or a snap, to stop behavior that would disrupt a lesson. The article also says not to disrupt the lesson or correct the student publicly because the other students do not need to see their classmate in that light.

I like this strategy because I know that teachers always need to be on the lookout for what is going on in the classroom. I like how the author of the article talks about specific ways that they have fixed these behaviors in their classroom and how I would be able to implement them in my classroom. In contrast, I do think that the behavior should be corrected on the spot and that the student should get more than a wink or a snap on the first time acting up so that the student knows that the teacher is serious about not disrupting class and that the teacher is serious about why the student should not interrupt.

This strategy could be used at any age.



This website describes the idea of setting objectives and providing feedback. In this strategy, students would set goals individually or as a class and the instructor would provide feedback as to how the students are doing and what they can do to progress more in the direction of their goal.

I personally love this strategy because I love the idea of goal setting, even at a young age. Setting goals and achieving goals is something that can feel very rewarding and also help to greatly progress in the direction of your dreams. I think that any classroom should be using this strategy in their lessons so that the students can get that extra boost of self efficacy through achieving their goals.

This strategy would be good for any grade if setting a group goal, but first and up if setting individual goals.

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