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Improving Instruction. Vicki L. Gibson, Ph.D. Longmire Learning Center College Station, Texas. Research – What works?. Neurological development Vocabulary development Student engagement & repeated practice Graphic organizers Whole and small group instruction Differentiating instruction.
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Improving Instruction Vicki L. Gibson, Ph.D. Longmire Learning Center College Station, Texas
Research – What works? • Neurological development • Vocabulary development • Student engagement & repeated practice • Graphic organizers • Whole and small group instruction • Differentiating instruction
Processing… how we learn • Attention • Primary and secondary • Limited focus time • STM and LTM • Repeated practice • Cognitive loading • Content overload, 7-10 words • Old with new and new with old • Automaticity reduces “paying attention”
Instructional pacing is important for understanding/comprehension • As the level of difficulty increases, the level of instructional pacing decreases, then escalates as learner gains skill Level of difficulty or new instruction Instructional pacing
Learner-friendly instruction • Lessons begin with what students know • Pacing: Too much, too fast, won’t last • Collaborative: partnering • Repeated practice: Hear, see, say…..do • Explicit vocabulary instruction
Maximize use of teaching time • Allocate more time to read & discuss text • Choose practice activities that are academically profitable • Increase engagement in reading in all subject areas
The shocking reality check… • More students • Read earlier • Read faster • Know more phonics • No change • Vocabulary • Comprehension Leadership is key for improving how we teach and what we teach
How do we change? • Close the research-to-practice gap • Improve teacher preparation and professional development • Spend more time thinking about effective instruction (error analysis and reading instruction) • Change HOW we teach
Comprehension begins with listening, thinking, then doing. Avoid selective deafness… Be willing to listen, change your thinking… and your practice.
Think about changes in practice… What is the difference? • Teaching • Facilitated practice • Testing
Use instructional time efficiently. • Create B-E-T chart • Observe teaching • Monitor for 20 minutes Spend more time teaching. B E T
Change how students practice. Do you allow them to work together? • in small groups • with a peer tutor • with a partner to buddy read First…Teach students HOW to read.
Teach students HOW to read • Vocabulary (word sorts, morphology, ASL) • Phonology (clap & count sound parts) • Phonics (beg/end sound, count phonemes) • Spelling (ASL fingerspell words) • Pre-read (set context & review vocabulary) • Chunk information with graphic organizer • Retell and reread (partners, independently)
Teach vocabulary and chunk information with graphic organizer vocabulary word Monday Tuesday concept skill assignment Wednesday Rough draft due Thursday Friday
Sequence instruction (Hear, see, say, do) Then…read, spell, write • Strategy for reading the word • Teach how to copy forms, then print letters • Print letters to spell words • Write words---lists---sentences • Develop Word Banks to support spelling & word knowledge
Use a rotation system for whole and small group instruction • Organize instructional delivery (daily schedule) • Use whole class instruction • Use small group teacher-directed instruction • Clearly identify expectations, routines, procedures (job chart, rotation chart)
Change daily delivery • Create a perky pace – 20 minute sessions • Introduce, model, practice in whole group • Teach explicit skills in small group with immediate positive constructive feedback • Collaborate during practice activities • Monitor progress & analyze pattern of error • Evaluate in small group to closely observe skills
Provide differentiated instruction • Teacher-directed small groups • Student-directed practices - workstations • Leveled curriculum materials • Deliver instruction in small & whole groups Create teaching tools to manage instruction: Daily Schedule, Job Chart, Rotation Chart
Change Daily Schedules • Overview, 10 minutes, end with graphic organizer to chunk information, draw for PreK • Small group, 10-20 minutes, depending on student needs • Small group • Whole group, 10 minutes • Small group • Transitions: partners read, jobs • 10 + 20 + 20 + 20+ 20 for transitions = 90 min.
Use a Job Chart Week 1 Week 2 Teach important life skills • If you live in a community, you share responsibilities/work. • If you work in the community, you will be held accountable for your work. Job Title Workers Counselor Carlos Angela Chart Caller Mary Ann Cecelia Voice Level Monitor Michelle Jose Trash Monitor Randall Marcus
Rotation Chart: 3 groups 90-120 minute blockStudents work in 3 small groups. Teaching Table Teaching Table Jose Melanie Kensey Laurice Gabrielle Ming Bianca Jackson Work Stations Worktable or Ind. Practice Workstations Worktable List of student names List of student names Use flexible grouping by changing lists
Pace instruction for success • Delay written assignments 3-5 days after introduction – allow more teaching time • Teach more than test by allowing student collaboration to provide feedback • Ensure 70% mastery in small group BEFORE assigning activities for independent practice • Too much, too fast, won’t last
How do we improve instruction? • Change what we think (research to practice gap) • Change HOW we teach (instructional delivery) • Data-informed, error analysis • Pacing, cognitive loading, repeated practice • Graphic organizers, Hear, see, say…..do • Change WHAT we teach (vocabulary) • Teach differently using whole & small group differentiated instruction
Teach differently & coach to create instructional effectiveness
Help for creating, coaching and sustaining positive change • Differentiated Instruction: Grouping for Success, Gibson & Hasbrouck, read Chapter 6 and use the forms in Appendix, www.amazon.com • The Reading Coach: A How-to Manual for Success, Hasbrouck & Denton, www.sopriswest.com
Suggested Resources • Differentiated Instruction: Grouping for Success, Gibson & Hasbrouck (2007), Amazon.com • Research-Based Methods of Reading Instruction, Vaughn & Linan-Thompson, (2004), www.ASCD.org. • The Reading Coach, Hasbrouck, J. & Denton, C., www.sopriswest.com • Words Their Way for ELs, Donald Bear, (2006), Pearson
Additional Resources • www.FCRR.org, Florida Center for Reading Research • Teaching with the Brain in Mind, 2nd Ed., Eric Jenson,www.ascd.org • Garlic Press, www.garlicpress.com, American Sign Language
Vicki L. Gibson,Ph.D. Longmire Learning Center, Inc. Email: vickigibson@earthlink.net