Instructional Strategies That Facilitate Understanding

Instructional Strategies Chart

Strategy - Overview Description/Examples/Variations Concept Attainment Concept attainment is a strategy that allows students to explore critical concepts actively and deeply. By examining examples and non-examples, students construct their understanding from the ground up, testing and refining that understanding of the concept and its critical attributes until it is well established. Concept attainment draws on the process of concept formation by asking students to analyze both examples and non-examples of a concept, group the items, and generate a set of critical attributes that define the concept they are learning. Students should then be able to use that set of attributes to decide whether additional items are examples of the concept or non-examples. (adapted from The Strategic Teacher)

Present students with multiple yes and no examples. Have students develop a set of essential characteristics or attributes that seem to define the yes examples and distinguish them from the non-examples. Teacher may identify the targeted concept for students, or teacher may ask students to try to identify the concept. Once a list of essential attributes has been identified, teacher presents other examples to see if students have developed an understanding of the concept and can apply it. Concept attainment strategy was used to introduce Enduring Understandings and Essential Questions during initial staff development sessions. Other Variations

Concept/Definition Maps

Frayer Model

Have students examine and analyze strong and weak models

Look For and Identify Patterns (Inductive Learning) This strategy helps students explore topics, concepts and ideas by grouping specific terms, examples or visual data and then classifying them according to common attributes. The strategy does not stop at categorization however; it also asks students to devise clear labels for their categories or draw conclusions based on the assembled evidence/examples. The strategy works because the human brain is designed to search for patterns and assemble multiple pieces of information to form general meanings. The strategy also encourages students to assume more responsibility for their learning while deepening their insights into the relationship between the big ideas and key details of any topic, unit or subject. (adapted from The Strategic Teacher) Like the concept attainment strategy above, this strategy is part of a larger family of strategies identifying similarities and differences. This broad strategy has been identified by Robert Marzano and his colleagues as one of the single most effective ways to raise student achievement.

Variations Adding Up the Facts Depending on the age of students and the specific material, the teacher may want to group the information and facilitate a discussion with students designed to help them identify the categories or develop a conclusion. Extending a Jigsaw activity Jigsaw is a strategy in which a body of information is divided up, students/ groups of students are responsible for reading each part and presenting their findings. Students often construct a chart or organizer with the accumulated information. Strategy often ends with this information sharing. Jigsaws can be set up so that students are asked to look for and identify patterns in the assembled information Sorts Having students physically sort cards with information, examples, words, pictures allows for greater flexibility and adds a visual component. Categories can be formed and reformed easily and students can see the category take shape.

Instructional Strategies That Facilitate Understanding

Instructional Strategies Chart

Strategy - Overview Description/Examples/Variations Simulations and Experiential Exercises Students may have difficulty grasping an idea or concept in part because they lack prior experience. To develop understanding, students need a mix of knowledge/information, well-designed experiences and reflections on those experiences. Simulations and experiential exercises are designed to provide that necessary experience in a classroom setting. The act of simulating something generally involves representing certain key characteristics or behaviors of a selected system, concept, or time period. While simulations might help students with any of the 6 facets of understanding, they can be especially important to help students develop perspective and empathy. While some students may grasp the big ideas or concepts during the simulation or experiential exercise, many students will need help processing the simulation or experience to fully gain the intended insights. Debriefing discussions are an important part of the learning and conceptual understanding that comes from simulations and experiential exercises. (adapted in part from Understanding by Design)

Simulations and experiential exercises may be brief (a class period or less) or extended (multiple class periods). Common examples include:

Oregon Trail

Stock Market simulation

Classroom economies

Classroom constitutions

Mock trial, elections

Metaphors and Analogies Metaphors and analogies help students make meaning through comparison by linking new information to familiar concepts. Research shows that asking students to make connections and comparisons between items that are not truly similar is one of the most effective ways to improve understanding and foster gains in achievements. What makes analogies and metaphors so productive in the classroom is the way that so much meaning can be packed into so few words (or an image in the case of visual metaphors). Analogies and metaphors can be used as an instructional strategy, for formative assessment or as a culminating, summative assessment. (adapted from The Strategic Teacher)

Verbal Metaphors Cells are like _________ because ______________. The Cold War was like __________ because ___. Students would be expected to identify a comparison and then explain why/how that comparison is accurate. With younger students, you may want to provide the actual comparison and then work with students to develop the because. Example: Visual Metaphors Pictures or images can be used. Like the plant analogy above, students extend the comparison by explaining how specific parts of the picture compare with or might represent aspects of the topic or concept they are studying. See Cold War metaphor sample in K drive. Variation

Analogy Graphic Organizer

Instructional Strategies That Facilitate Understanding

Instructional Strategies Chart

Strategy - Overview Description/Examples/Variations Non-linguistic Representations All the senses come into play in learning. In most classrooms, however, reading and conversation dominate instruction, engaging students through the linguistic mode. Learners also acquire and retain knowledge non-linguistically, through visual imagery, kinesthetic or whole-body modes, auditory experiences, and so forth. When students make concept maps, idea webs, dramatizations, and other types of nonlinguistic representation, they are actively creating a model of their thinking. Computer simulations also encourage exploration and experimentation by allowing learners to manipulate their learning experience and visualize results. When students then explain their models, they are putting their thinking into words. This may lead to new questions and discussions, which will in turn promote deeper thinking and better understanding. (adapted from Focus on Effectiveness website)

Non-linguistic representations include graphic organizers, pictures and pictographs, kinesthetic activity, concrete representations or physical models, dramatizations, visual metaphors and computer models.

Pictograph

Kinesthetic Activity

Concrete Representation/Physical Model

Reflection Revisit, Rethink, Revise When Essential Questions, big ideas, and concepts frame our units, it stands to reason that a linear march through the content will not likely promote understanding. Students will need opportunities to revisit, rethink and possibly revise their own thinking about these big ideas and Essential Questions. A central premise of teaching for understanding is that understanding develops as new information and experiences are integrated into our existing mental frameworks and models. While some students may be naturally reflective, many students will need structured and prompted opportunities for this type of reflection. (adapted from Understanding by Design)

K-W-L is a familiar strategy to teachers and students. A modified version of the K-W-L strategy can be developed utilizing the units Essential Questions (or selected EQs). Have students indicate their initial thinking around each Essential Question at the beginning the unit. Have them return to the K-W-L chart and the Essential Questions midway through unit and at the end of the unit. Learning Logs are informal writing that students do periodically as they reflect on their learning and evolving thinking. Reflection strategies can be both an instructional strategy as well as a formative assessment.

Students Explore Concepts in Multiple Contexts Transfer is one of the primary goals of teaching for understanding. If students truly understand a concept or big idea they should be able to apply it in multiple contexts. Many of the concepts and big ideas that we want students to learn are evident across units and even subject areas. Students may be better able to grasp an abstract concept or big idea and see its potential usefulness if they have opportunities to examine and explore that concept in more than one context.

Exploring a concept in multiple contexts can be done by

Examining examples of the concept from previous units of study

Examining examples from other subject areas e.g., a social studies class focusing on concept of system might make use of examples from science solar system, human body systems

Using examples from students everyday lives and experiences

Instructional Strategies That Facilitate Understanding

Instructional Strategies Chart

Strategy - Overview Description/Examples/Variations Classroom Discussion with High Quality Questions Classroom discussion and questioning is one of the most utilized instructional strategies. In many cases, this questioning is designed to review previously studied information with questions that require primarily factual recall on the part of students. Using classroom discussion and questioning to promote understanding requires the use of more open-ended questions that stimulate higher order thinking among students requiring them to explain and justify their thinking. The goal of classroom discussion that promotes understanding is to get students talking to each other, exchanging and clarifying their ideas. Studies have shown that the time between teachers asking a question and either taking a student answer or providing the answer themselves is very short (0.9 seconds in one study). Thoughtful answers from students to higher order questions requires allowing more time for student thinking. (adapted from Assessment for Learning) The 6 Facets of Understanding can be used to frame open-ended questions that promote thinking related to the units key concepts.

Tips for more effective discussion and questioning:

Frame questions that are worth asking; that is questions which explore issues which are critical to the development of students understanding.

Planning - write down a skeleton script of questions you want to ask during a class discussion, being open, of course, to follow a productive thread should it move away from your plan.

Wait time has to be increased to several seconds to allow students time to think.

Everyone should be expected to have an answer and contribute to the discussion. Develop a system for calling on students other than taking volunteers. Than all answers, right or wrong, can be used to develop understanding. The aim is thoughtful improvement rather than getting it right the first time.

Provide a supportive climate for students.

Develop and use follow-up activities that provide opportunities for students to extend their thinking and understanding.

Online discussions (blogs, wikis, discussion boards) can also be used. Virtual discussions provide extended wait time for students.

Sources Noted Above The Strategic Teacher: Selecting the Right Research-Based Strategy for Every Lesson. Harvey F. Silver,

Richard W. Strong, Matthew J. Perini. 2007 ASCD

Understanding by Design: Expanded 2nd Edition. Grant Wiggins and Jay McTighe. 2005 ASCD

Assessment for Learning: Putting it into Practice. Paul Black, Christine Harrison, Clare Lee, Bethan Marshall, Dylan Wiliam. 2003 Open University Press

Focus on Effectiveness website (http://www.netc.org/focus/) Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory.