Instructional Strategy for Diverse Populations

1. Instructional Strategy for Diverse Populations By Linda Lewis Azusa Pacific University

2. “Create a Circuit” cartoon strip for a high school P.E. classroom • Using a combination of symbolic representational strategy (Piaget) to make sure students understand the concepts, and the strategy of creating humor and wordplay (Douglass), to reinforce comprehension. • Students will be creating their own fitness circuit based on work they have done in class during their fitness unit. • The act of illustrating the exercises further reinforces the proper exercise form. • The element of humor and creativity enhances learning not only for ELL’s, but for all students.

3. How do I start? • The teacher creates a cartoon “blank” with one square for each exercise, adding a one-square reference example at the bottom . • Teacher lists instructions in bullet form at top of page, with the 4 or 5 exercises listed at the top. • Students decide on an order, illustrate an “A” or start, and “B” or finish position using stick figures, name their character, give their strip a title using the character’s name, list the author, and finally add speech and thought bubbles using humor and creativity….have fun! • Teacher demonstrates a one-square example at white board. • Students share their cartoons. The teacher asks for input…how they assembled their circuits, what they found most interesting, what they liked best about the activity.

4. Are there other ways I can adapt this strategy in physical education? • The use of visual representation with humor and creativity, like cartoon stripping, would be easily adaptable for many P.E. activities. • Try adapting this activity for demonstrating basketball skills, soccer skills, golf skills, and other fitness activities. • Allowing students to access their creativity makes the activity more fun, and stimulates different parts of their brain. • This type of stimulation will commit the different parts of the skills to memory more effectively than by just having the teacher demonstrate by direct instruction.

5. Demonstrate a one-square, one exercise example of your cartoon at the white board so students can see an example in action.

6. Asking students for input when choosing a character name and a name for your cartoon strip will get them more invested in the process.

7. Reading the directions to the class out loud as you illustrate your example will increase comprehension for English Language Learners.

8. This strategy was tried out on graduate students, who had a very good time adding their own elements of creativity and humor!

9. Students get to exercise their imaginations and sense of humor as they learn effective exercise strategies.

10. Encourage students to add as many speech and thought bubbles as they can…this is the place for your class clowns to really shine!