Instructional Strategies: Theories & Practices

1. Instructional Strategies: Theories & Practices Quality Teachers use a variety of instructional strategies such as? & Why?

2. Instructional Practices • Today • Teacher-centered instructional strategies • Philosophy of teaching & learning • Practicum experiences start on Wednesday • Next week planning (chap. 2, 3*, & 4..)

3. Instructional Practices Learner= Active participant through hands-on or constructivism Learner= Passive Recipient

4. Instructional Strategies Differentiated Instruction=The use of a variety of instructional strategies … (see ch.13, p. 463) Because: “One size does not fit all” … Study individual differences in chap. 2 As you study write a reflection on one type of diversity as follows: Why the topic? What did you learn? What are you going to do with the knowledge gained (Action?)…One page write up due on Thursday 9/19

5. Teacher-centered Instructional Models • Direct Instruction/Mastery Learning • Lectures/presentations • Demonstrations • Concept teaching/Advanced organizers • Approach: • What is? Educators/theorists? • What’s the focus? • What’s the teacher’s role? • What’s the learner's role? • What are the benefits? • How is it structured? • Management issues • How might it impact your philosophy/values?

6. Team Work (one member will present) • 1…. What is DI?, Characteristics? Theory & research Educators? • When to use it/purpose (Text p. 295…) • 2&3 • Teacher & learner's role, Who benefits and caution on p. 295 • Prepare a hypothetical DI lesson plan (p. 301…) • 4 &5 • What is lecture/presentation/Demonstrations? • Theory & research (educators), when to use (p. 263) • 6&7 • Lesson planning model for lecture/presentation/demonstrations (p. 275) • Every one study chap. 9 (p. 326..) on concept mapping • Chapters: 8 (DI), 7 (Lecture), 9 (Concept teaching, 2 (Diversity), 3 (Planning), & 4 (Learning communities)

7. Direct instruction (p. 295) Commonly used in our classrooms to teach basic & foundational skills Has several labels (p.296) Active learning Mastery teaching Explicit instruction Effective teaching Research: DI increased: Time on-task and academic achievement due to time management, structure, and organization

8. Direct Instruction • Pre-determined and systematic • Teacher-centered • Teaching is precise • Focus on specific objectives • Teacher teaches to objectives

9. Ideal Classroom • Like a business environment • Thus: • Boys and Girls Town… Father Flanagan • Assertive Discipline ….. Lee Canter • Other? • William Glasser…. Choices • Jim Fay & Jim Finch…. Love and Logic

10. Theories • Behavioral (p. 297) • Ivan Pavlov; John Watson; Edward Thorndike; B.F. Skinner • Observable behavior • Behavior is caused by positive or negative consequences/reinforcement • Pavlov--- Classical conditioning--- “The Dog” • Skinner---- Operant conditioning– A link between behavior & reinforcement… “The Skinner pigeon” • Humans are conditioned beings • Humans are domesticated beings (Ruiz, 1997)

11. Social Learning (p. 298) • Albert Bendura • Focuses on thinking and cognition because learning is not always observable • Acquisition of knowledge and performance (behavior) not are not necessary linked • Learning occurs mainly through selective observation • Learning occurs through conscious observation, hence commitment to memory--- action is not necessary • Steps: • Attention, Retention and production (hence, p. 294).

12. Teacher’s Role • Set the stage for learning • Teaches to objectives

13. Teacher’s Roles • Plan and teach the lesson • Sequence the lesson • Motivate students • Give immediate feedback • Time manager

14. Teacher’s Role • Ensures lesson economy (Bruner, 1962) • Limits verbal clutter because it limits learning (p.108) • Provides manageable amount of information & number of concepts in a lesson • Simplifies difficult concepts • Ensures concepts are easy… • Presents few concepts that are examined in details– limits unrelated facts

15. Teacher’s Role • Ensures Lesson Power (Bruner, 1962) • Lesson is carefully planned…although presentation style is essential, careful & detailed planning increases learning • Concepts/content is presented in a straightforward, organized and logical manner • Shows relationships between new content and existing knowledge • Use concept maps- road maps and pictures that show relationships ..p.277, for example. • Use learner’s prior knowledge- new concepts are meaningful when there is a link with what is already known.

16. Teacher’s Role • Teacher breaks curriculum into smaller pieces • Maximizes the efficiency of teaching & learning • Time efficiency is critical • Success is determined by rate & accuracy of learner responses • Lesson closure • Educators • Madeline Hunter, Robert Slavin, Benjamin Bloom, Rosenshine & Steven.

17. Mastery Learning • Resembles DI • Every child can learn but at different time • Proficiency before moving on • Mastery is acquired through: • Drill & practice, quizzes, etc. • Students learn at their rate • Meets individual needs • Time is always an issue • Educators: • Benjamin Bloom, Robert Slavin, John Carroll

18. Student’s Roles • Be engaged • Have a positive attitude • Practice what was taught

19. Student’s Roles • Absorb knowledge • Stay on-task • Demonstrate knowledge • Solve problems

20. Who Benefits? • All student • Teachers and administrators • Community

21. Teacher benefits • Lesson and time control • Mastery of objectives • Minimal management issues

22. When to Use? • Introducing basic & foundational skills (p. 296) • Other skills: • Reading, writing, grammar, facts, concepts • Teaching challenging concepts

23. Lecture/Presentation • Mostly used in secondary & higher ed. • Teacher-centered, one-way presentation of info. • Useful in: • Introducing an area of study • Providing directions to a task • Disseminating info. • Materials not available elsewhere • To arouse interest in subject matter • Material need to be remembered for a short time (Gage & Berliner, 1992; Toole, 2000)

24. Types of Lecture • Formal • Common in high school and colleges • Guest speakers with particular expertise • NB: Concentration only for 20 minutes • Interactive • Designed to address short students’ attention span • Use of questions, comments, etc. • Demonstrations • Involves showing procedures • Used for modeling skills etc. • Common in middle, junior and high schools.

25. Lesson Planning • Step 1 (Entry) • Ice breaker (anticipatory set) • State objectives • Provide a context for material to be presented • Focus on key concept, generalizations (use advance organizers- (p. 262) • Step 2 (Presentation) • Sequence content form simple to complex • Use visual aids • Use verbal and nonverbal behavior to enhance attention • Step 3 (Closure) • Review for learning • Transition to next lesson or activity

26. Concept Teaching (p. 323) • Two-dimensional presentation of concepts etc.- shows relationships • Allows learners to see structure of key concepts • Helps learner interface new knowledge with prior knowledge • Useful in any subject (Ausubel. 1968)

27. Instructional Strategies: Theories & Practices Quality Teachers are cautious: They teach to individual differences

28. Caution on T-C Instruction • Time (10-20 minutes)…age less 3 • Content • Individual differences (Chap. 2) • Diverse classrooms (p. 41); Teacher expectations (p. 47); Preferences (p. 50); Intelligence, p.51; Exceptionalities (p. 54); Disabilities, p. 57; Culture (p. 63); Religion (p. 73); Language (p. 73); gender (p.76); SES (p. 82). • Do you believe in them?

29. Planning DI Lesson (Chap. 3)