32 Characteristics Of High-Performing Classrooms 32 Characteristics Of High-Performing Classrooms: Spotting The Holes In Your Teaching by Terry Heick Instructional design is the strategic creation of learning experiences through intentional planning, sequencing, and data-based revision of learning. This process includes both the ways content is accessed, and the learning needs and objectives (and how they are determined) themselves. This puts instructional strategies, literacy strategies, curriculum mapping, standards unpacking, assessment design, digital literacy, and a dozen other facets of education beneath its umbrella. With that in mind, we’ve created the following 32 characteristics of higher-level instructional planning to help you spot the holes in your teaching. Technology Integration Cognitive Demand Lesson Planning Assessments Curriculum Mapping Learner Choice Classroom Management Student Support Image attribution flickr user flickeringbrad; 32 Characteristics Of A High-Performing Classroom
40 Alternative Assessments for Learning When people think of assessment, pencils and bubble sheets may be the first things that come to mind. Assessment does not always have to involve paper and pencil, but can instead be a project, an observation, or a task that shows a student has learned the material. In the end, all we really want to know is that the skill was mastered, right? Why not make it fun and engaging for students as well? Many teachers shy away from alternative assessments because they take extra time and effort to create and to grade. On the other hand, once the assessment guidelines and grading rubric are created, it can be filed away and used year after year. The project card and rubric can be run on card stock (one on each side of the page), laminated, and hole punched with other alternative assessment ideas. Here are 40 alternative assessment ideas to get you started! Alternative Reading Assessments 1. Create a bookmark to match the theme of the last book read. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. Alternative Writing Assessments
Open Education 5 Alternatives To Bloom's Taxonomy For Teachers - This post is updated from an article we published in April. At the end of the day, teaching is about learning, and learning is about understanding. And as technology evolves to empower more diverse and flexible assessments forms, constantly improving our sense of what understanding looks like–during mobile learning, during project-based learning, and in a flipped classroom–can not only improve learning outcomes, but just might be the secret to providing personalized learning for every learner. This content begs the question: why does one need alternatives to the established and entrenched Bloom’s? Because Bloom’s isn’t meant to be the alpha and the omega of framing instruction, learning, and assessment. So with apologies to Bloom (whose work we covered recently), we have gathered five alternatives to his legendary, world-beating taxonomy, from the TeachThought Simple Taxonomy, to work from Marzano to Fink, to the crew at Understanding by Design. Six Facets of Understanding with examples
Task-based Language Teaching What is task-based language teaching (TBLT)? Task-based learning focuses on the use of authentic language through meaningful tasks such as visiting the doctor or a telephone call. This method encourages meaningful communication and is student-centred. Characteristics: Students are encouraged to use language creatively and spontaneously through tasks and problem solving Students focus on a relationship that is comparable to real world activities The conveyance of some sort of meaning is central to this method Assessment is primarily based on task outcome TBLT is student-centered Task-Based Language Teaching (TBLT) is the latest trend in SLL approaches. back to top What are the student and teacher roles in TBLT? What are some examples of tasks that can be used in the classroom? Write the past tense form of these verbs: go, is, are, do, have, work, study, buy, pick, make, put, read. Grammar Activity Now think of four things you did yesterday. Communicative activity
Differentiation - tools, tips and resources Differentiation is an important aspect of education. Students learn differently, have different needs, different backgrounds, different skills, different ability levels, different interests and more. As educators, we try to create engaging lesson activities that provide a variety of learning experiences and allow students to demonstrate their learning in different ways. Differentiation should occur in both how students learn and gain knowledge and skills, and in how they demonstrate and are assessed on what they have learned. “In the practice of education, differentiation is defined as working to address the abilities, interests, and needs (both perceived and real) of individuals. Here are some resources, tips, and tools on differentiation: Digital Differentiation - ideas and tools for differentiating with digital resources Tools for Differentiation - helping teachers meet the needs of all learners Differentiating with Web 2.0 Technologies
Introduction to Cooperative Learning | An Overview Of Cooperative Learning David W Johnson and Roger T Johnson Without the cooperation of its members society cannot survive, and the society of man has survived because the cooperativeness of its members made survival possible…. It was not an advantageous individual here and there who did so, but the group. (Ashley Montagu, 1965) How students interact with each another is a neglected aspect of instruction. In the mid-1960s, cooperative learning was relatively unknown and largely ignored by educators. Definition of Cooperative Learning Students’ learning goals may be structured to promote cooperative, competitive, or individualistic efforts. Cooperation is working together to accomplish shared goals. Theorizing on social interdependence began in the early 1900s, when one of the founders of the Gestalt School of Psychology, Kurt Koffka, proposed that groups were dynamic wholes in which the interdependence among members could vary. Types Of Cooperative Learning 1. 2. 3. 4. 1. 2. a.
Reciprocal Teaching: A Reading Comprehension Package The intervention package teaches students to use reading comprehension strategies independently, including text prediction, summarization,question generation, and clarification of unknown or unclear content. For effective-teaching tips to use when introducing this strategy, consult the guidelines presented introducing Academic Strategies to Students: A Direct-Instruction Approach. Materials: Overhead transparencies of practice reading passages, transparency markers Student copies of Be a Careful Reader! Preparation: Prepare overheads of sample passages. Step 1: Set aside at least four successive instructional days to introduce students to each of the following comprehension strategies: Day 1: Prediction,Day 2: Summarization ("list main ideas"),Day 3: Question Generation,Day 4: Clarifying. Step 2: After students have been introduced to the key strategies, the group is now ready to apply all four strategies from the Reciprocal Teaching package to a sample reading passage. Jim's Hints
Reciprocal Teaching From Emerging Perspectives on Learning, Teaching and Technology Elizabeth Foster and Becky Rotoloni The University of Georgia Review of Reciprocal Teaching Introduction Mrs. Mrs. What is Reciprocal Teaching? Reciprocal teaching is a cooperative learning instructional method in which natural dialogue models and reveals learners' thinking processes about a shared learning experience. Reciprocal teaching is based on Vygotsky's theory of the fundamental role of social interaction (dialogue) in the development of cognition. Effective reciprocal teaching lessons include scaffolding, thinking aloud, using cooperative learning, and facilitating metacognition with each step. Whole class introduction or reinforcement of reciprocal teaching is appropriate, but this should serve as opening and closing activity. Palincsar, Brown, and Campione (1989) define reciprocal teaching as a dialogue between teacher and student. Mrs. Predicting Vignette Mrs. Mrs. Mrs. We think that: Ms. Mrs. The students in Mrs.
Non-Fiction Text Structures! « Reading. Writing. Thinking. Sharing. How are you doing with teaching non-fiction, informational texts? Do you feel you have a good grasp on expository text structures? With the Common Core ELA standards, students are expected to be proficient in reading complex informational texts. State assessments are also becoming more non-fiction focused, to evaluate student abilities in navigating these complex texts. So what can we do to help our students meet these standards? The purpose of this post is to provide a few resources for teaching non-fiction, in preparation for the higher levels of achievement students are expected to reach! The Non-Fiction Text Structures: What are text structures? Non-fiction text structures refer to HOW an author organizes information in an expository text. Why are the text structures important? Understanding non-fiction text structures is critical for “Reading to Learn” (i.e., reading for information). Introducing & Reviewing Non Fiction: Introducing Non-Fiction: Introducing the Text Structures: Mrs.