Cambourne’s Seven Conditions of Learning

1. Cambourne’s Seven Conditions of Learning Dr. Brian Cambourne Head of the Center for Studies in Literacy Wollongong University in Australia

2. 1. IMMERSION • Immerse students in the content and context • Use multi-sensory approach ( sights, sounds, tastes, feelings) • Saturate the classroom with meaningful and relevant content

3. 2. DEMONSTRATION • Give practical and concrete models • Demonstrate using explicit action, giving a visual or auditory representation of the new learning • Use multi-sensory approaches • Use frameworks to aid memory

4. 3. EXPECTATIONS • Be clear about what you expect your students to know, be able to do, or value • Start and end every lesson with a focus on the expected learning • Encourage students to reach for the highest level of performance • Provide rubrics when large tasks are assigned • Use anchor charts to define high quality work

5. 4. RESPONSIBILITY • Teach problem solving • Give choices of ways students can demonstrate their learning • Provide leadership opportunities • Speak about students being accountable for their own learning

6. 5.APPROXIMATIONS • Celebrate close approximations • Identify the classes’ “zone of proximal development” in relation to what you are asking them to learn • Modify expectations as needed for Special Needs students

7. 6. PRACTICE • Keep contexts authentic • Many practice opportunities are needed • Start with near transfer practice and move to far transfer practice as students gain confidence with the new skill or knowledge • Give practice opportunities that involve whole group, small group, and individual practice

8. 7. FEEDBACK/SUPPORT/ CELEBRATIONS • Give feedback continuously • Be realistic • Be specific about strengths and weaknesses/ next steps for learning • Celebrate!