Technology & Learning Connections

Instruction

 

Instruction is how the curriculum is taught and can vary in many ways including: level of Instruction, rate of Instruction, and presentation of Instruction.

 

Ideas for Universal Design

 

Increase academic vocabulary through a variety of content texts, illustrations, charts, and diagrams. Provide learning goals in varying levels of difficulty. Provide response guides as scaffolds during instructional conversations, teacher to student discussions, and student to student discussions. Use project based learning with options for activities, team membership, and team roles. Use manipulatives and simulations to demonstrate concepts. Provide options for representation through leveled texts in a variety of formats and media. Provide options for expression and demonstration of knowledge (verbal, graphics, presentations, audio, products), provide question and answer guides for peer support learning.

 

Use of academic language and vocabulary

Language and vocabulary that includes the 50,000 words students are expected to know by the end of high school; including things like illustration and chart literacy, general speaking skills, and curriculum specific grammar and genres.

 

• 8 Strategies for Teaching Academic Language - https://www.edutopia.org/blog/8-strategies-teaching-academic-language-todd-finley

 

Options for Flexibility – Provide a variety of content texts, allow students to share what they know using a variety of media (illustrations, charts, diagrams, slides, speaking).

 

Clear learning goals and intentions

Instruction should include clear learning goals and learning intentions to guide teachers and students. When the class includes students with a diverse range of skills and abilities the goals should be written in varying levels of difficulty.

 

• Clear Learning Goals - http://www.marzanocenter.com/blog/article/clear-learning-goals-set-students-up-for-success-part-1/
• Learning Intentions - http://www.assessmentforlearning.edu.au/professional_learning/learning_intentions/learning_intentions_landing_page.html
• Writing Learning Objectives - http://www.bu.edu/cme/forms/RSS_forms/tips_for_writing_objectives.pdf

 

Options for Flexibility – Provide goals in varying levels of difficulty and in different media.

 

Use of instructional questions and instructional conversations to gain meaning

Questions can be used as an instructional tool to help students process information at various levels of understanding. When used student to student, instructional questions can build peer support learning.

 

• Asking Questions to Improve Learning - https://teachingcenter.wustl.edu/resources/teaching-methods/participation/asking-questions-to-improve-learning/

 

Options for Flexibility – Provide students time to process answers, provide options for answering (verbal, diagrams), provide question and answer guides for peer support learning.

 

Instructional relevance – project based learning

Solving problems can quickly increase the relevance of an instructional activity. Solving problems with other students through project based learning increases relevance and incorporates 21st century skills (teamwork, research gathering, information synthesis).

 

• Why is Project-Based Learning Important? - https://www.edutopia.org/project-based-learning-guide-importance

 

Options for Flexibility – Provide options for projects that address the grade level standards, provide options on information research, provide learning scaffolding through peer interactions, provide options for roles in teamwork.

 

Differentiating instructional techniques

Instruction includes the content, process, products, and learning environment. Differentiation can be provided in these areas to meet the needs of a diverse classroom.

 

• What is Differentiated Instruction? - http://www.readingrockets.org/article/what-differentiated-instruction

 

Options for Flexibility – Provide leveled texts, present information in a variety of formats, use manipulatives and simulations to demonstrate concepts, provide options for demonstrating knowledge, provide a variety of work and study environments in the classroom.

 

Universal design for learning & lesson plans

Create instructional activities and lesson plans based on universal design for learning principles.

 

• What is UDL? - http://www.udlcenter.org/aboutudl/whatisudl
• Learn about the UDL principles - http://www.udlcenter.org/aboutudl/whatisudl/3principles

 

Options for Flexibility – Provide curriculum content in different media and leveled text, provide choices on how students demonstrate what they have learned (e.g. reports, presentations, graphics, products), allow student work to reflect personal relevance, culture, subjectivity, and background knowledge.

 

Small group instruction

The use of small group instruction can help students build task persistence, instructional stamina, and independent learning skills. It also provides the teacher with opportunities to focus on struggling students.

 

• Small Group Instruction as a Differentiating Instruction Strategy: 4 Tips to Remember - http://www.dreambox.com/blog/small-group-instruction-as-a-differentiating-instruction-strategy-4-tips-to-remember
• Grouping Students Who Struggle with Reading - http://www.readingrockets.org/article/grouping-students-who-struggle-reading

 

Options for Flexibility – Provide opportunities to work in different groups, provide guidelines for group activities in a variety of formats, provide options in formative assessments

 

Cooperative/peer based learning

Cooperative learning and peer tutoring provide a variety of options for students to work together, build learning relationships, practice 21st century skills, and develop appropriate academic behaviors.

 

• The Why and How of Collaborative Learning - http://www.peertutoringresource.org/2016/03/the-why-and-how-of-collaborative-learning/
• Using Peer Tutoring to Facilitate Access - http://www.readingrockets.org/article/using-peer-tutoring-facilitate-access

 

Options for Flexibility – Provide options for collaborative discussion, provide guidelines in a variety of formats.

 

Provide a variety of practice and application activities

Students need opportunities to practice new skills, increasing their understanding of the skill as well as increasing the fluency or automation. High fluency in any skill lends itself to higher order thinking and creativity in skill application.

 

• The Science Behind How We Learn New Skills - https://lifehacker.com/the-science-behind-how-we-learn-new-skills-908488422
• Top 10 Strategies for Learning New Skills - https://zapier.com/blog/learning-new-skills/

 

Options for Flexibility – Provide options for relevance, provide options for practice, provide options for time-on-task.

 

Allowable repetition for mastery and understanding

Repeated practice of new skills is essential for mastery and understanding. With repetition, students have opportunities to move through the four phases of the learning cycle: anxiety, learning, comfort, and teaching.

 

• Differentiation is out. Mastery is the new classroom buzzword. - https://www.theguardian.com/teacher-network/2015/oct/01/mastery-differentiation-new-classroom-buzzword
• Learning Repetition Leads to Mastery - https://gamificationnation.com/learning-repetition-leads-mastery/

 

Options for Flexibility – Adjust responses to students based on the student’s skill levels and emotional skills.

 

Guided practice

Guided practice helps students to practice skills correctly with modeling and provides feedback to help with mistakes. The four stages of guided practice are: I do (modeling), we do together (guided practice), you do together (peer practice), and you do independently (independent practice.

 

• The importance of guided practice in the classroom. - http://exclusive.multibriefs.com/content/the-importance-of-guided-practice-in-the-classroom/education

 

Options for Flexibility – Provide scaffolds for task explanations, provide options for choral responses, use accommodations as needed for student demonstrations.

 

Direct instruction with explanations and instructional cues

Direct instruction provides opportunities for establishing goals and objectives, organizing instructional activities, providing explanations and instructional cues, and sharing core concepts and information.

 

• Direct Instruction - http://edglossary.org/direct-instruction/
• 4 Teaching Tips for More Effective Direct Instruction - http://www.teachthought.com/learning/4-teaching-tips-for-more-effective-direct-instruction/

 

Options for Flexibility – Provide goals and objectives in a variety of formats, use information and activity organizers to guide students during instructional activities.

 

Explicit instruction

Explicit instruction is effective, direction teaching where students are active participants in the learning process.

 

• What is Explicit Instruction? - http://www.shastacoe.org/uploaded/dept/is/district_support/explicit_instruction_may_2009.doc
• Explicit Instruction & Gradual Release - http://www.acpsk12.org/pl/acps-classrooms-in-focus/explicit-instruction/
• Exploring the Foundations of Explicit Instruction - https://explicitinstruction.org/download/sample-chapter.pdf

 

Options for Flexibility – Provide options in how instructional content is chunked into smaller learning units, provide options in assessment, provide options for engagement.

 

Options for assessments

Assessments are a part of the learning process and provide feedback to teachers on the effectiveness of the instruction and feedback to the students on their skill development. This feedback leads to problem solving by teachers and students.

 

• 6 Types of Assessment of Learning - http://www.teachthought.com/pedagogy/6-types-assessment-learning/
• What are Formative Assessments? - a book excerpt - http://bit.ly/2xsdqvv
• Formative Assessment Examples - https://globaldigitalcitizen.org/10-innovative-formative-assessment-examples

 

Options for Flexibility – Provide assessments in a variety of formats, support accommodations in assessment, provide a variety of formative assessments.