Empowering Students and Empowering Students and TeachersTeachers

for Optimal Learningfor Optimal Learning

What is the secret?What is the secret?

Simple: Student Simple: Student EngagementEngagement

Question: Question: How do we accomplish How do we accomplish

this?this?

Answer:Answer:With well-planned lessonsWith well-planned lessons

Student EngagementStudent Engagement• Set or identify purpose• Activate background

knowledge

Instructing as ExplanationInstructing as Explanation

Interpretive: Intended to clarify the meaning of term or information (What?)

Descriptive: Shows how a series comes together to achieve a goal or an end.

Causative: Shows a type of relationship (Why?)

Student EngagementStudent Engagement

Focus and refocus attentionMonitor comprehension by checking for understanding

Continue to make connections to prior knowledge

Student EngagementStudent EngagementKnow what you want students to understand

Use advance organizers to show how material fits together

Separate units so they are learning one idea at a time

Identify points that require special attention

Take time to review key prior concepts or definitions

Student EngagementStudent EngagementMake explanations as graphic as possible

Suggestions:◦Visuals◦Anecdotes ◦Demos (science, math)

Verbal Highlighting CuesVerbal Highlighting Cues

“This is important.”“This is a key point.”“I’d like you to think for a moment what this means.”

“Three important points are. . “

and, of course, “This will be on the test.”

ThinkThink

What type of visual would make your lesson more meaningful for your students?

What key points need a graphic illustration for clarity?

How do I scaffold my lessons?

ScaffoldingScaffoldingProviding a framework that helps

students build on their knowledge.

Once learning is complete, the scaffolding can remove and the knowledge that you have helped the student construct will stand on its own.

Focus (setting purpose)Focus (setting purpose)

Establish a clearly defined purpose for learning:◦Today we will . . . . .and before you leave class you will be able to . . . . .

Vygotsky Rules!!!Vygotsky Rules!!!Ways to activate prior

knowledge:◦K-W-L chart◦Journal (as review of previous

material and focus on new knowledge to be gained)

◦Others??

Direct InstructionDirect InstructionThink about how you will organize

materials.Consider explicit signals to indicate

sequencing of ideas: 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th. . . .Key words to emphasize important

concepts: important, key ideasExplicit signals to indicate comparisons:

“Nevertheless, “ “Similarly,”” On the other hand,”

Signal illustrations: “For example, “Such as”

Explicit signals for conclusion: “Therefore,” “As a result”

Also considerAlso considerVocabularyNote takingGraphic organizersFilm clips (12 minutes)Think-Pair-ShareThink Alouds for text rendering

Guided PracticeGuided PracticeWhat tasks will students perform to practice material just taught?◦Labs◦Solve math problems◦Reading/writing assignment◦Language practice◦Role playing, jigsaw, cooperative learning

Check for comprehensionCheck for comprehension

How will you know students have learning the material?◦Formal and informal assessments

ClosureClosureAsk students to tell what they have

learned about today’s objective, concept◦Direct questioning◦“What do you know now that you did

not know when you walked into class?”Ask a student to restate homework

assignment.Tell students what they can expect

to learn next class.