One area I would like to address and enhance is Strategy Instruction.
I am intrigued by the concept of strategy instruction.
What is it?
Strategy instruction refers to the “tools and techniques we use to help ourselves understand and learn new material or skills, integrate this new information with what we already know in a way that makes sense, and recall the information or skill later, even in a different situation or place .” (National Dissemination Center for Students with Disabilities.”)
Effective strategy instruction is an integral part of classroom instruction, regardless of the content being taught. Strategies instruction takes place all year long with the teacher giving explanations and modeling. Teachers continually praise students for using strategies and use teachable moments to discuss them. Students are encouraged to help their peers become more strategic.
According to the National Center for Learning Disabilities (NCLD), the most effective instructional strategies for students with learning disabilities are those that combined direct instruction with strategy instruction. This helps enable students with disabilities not only transfer content knowledge but equip them with the necessary skills to be successful in all academic settings.
The saying "Give a man a fish, and he is fed for a day. Teach a man how to fish, and he is fed for a lifetime," is at the heart of the thinking about strategic teaching and learning. As a teacher, I need to first learn "how to fish," and only then I will be able to teach my students to do the same.
The basic steps in teaching strategy use:
The following order of steps should be followed:
- Describe the strategy. Students obtain an understanding of the strategy and its purpose; why is it important, when it can be used, and how to use it.
- Model its use. The teacher models the strategy, explaining to the students how to perform it.
- Provide ample assisted practice time. The teacher monitors, provides cues and gives feedback. Practice results in automaticity so the student doesn't have to "think" about using the strategy.
- Promote student self-monitoring and evaluation of personal strategy use. Students will likely use the strategy if they see how it works for them; it will become part of their learning schema.
- Encourage continued use and generalization of the strategy. Students are encouraged to try the strategy in other learning situations.
According to Swanson’s research, the main successful strategies for this combined approach to instruction include:
- Sequencing (e.g., breaking down the task, providing step-by-step prompts)
- Drill-repetition-practice (e.g., daily testing, repeated practice)
- Segmentation (e.g., breaking down skills into parts and then synthesizing the parts into a whole)
- Directed questioning and responses* (e.g., teacher asks process or content questions of students)
- Control of task difficulty*(e.g., teacher provides steps to competing work)
- Use of technology (e.g., computers, presentation media)
- Teacher-modeled problem-solving
- Small-group instruction*
- Strategy cues (e.g., reminders to use strategies, think-aloud models)
Why is it important to address this need?
Due to the content explosion--the significant amount of information being added to world knowledge on a daily basis. It is hard for us to continue to teach all of the content related to the subject areas. I find strategy instruction is the only viable solution. It teaches students how to access, think critically about, and manipulate information on their own so that they can become lifelong learners.
Strategy instruction is the only instructional method that has been shown through research to enable students with disabilities and other at-risk students to meet the complex learning demands of secondary and post-secondary schools.
Strategy Instruction is a powerful student-centered approach to teaching that is backed by years of quality research. In fact, strategic approaches to learning new concepts and skills are often what separate good learners from poor ones.
Part of strategy instruction includes strategies for creating a positive learning environment. Each special child is unique in her strengths and weaknesses and has individual learning needs and challenges. The teacher’s role is the most important one, in accommodating these unique learning needs in the regular classroom and to make it inclusive and welcoming for each and every student. Although each kind of exceptional student needs some different type of accommodations or strategies, but I find the following strategies helpful while working with most of the special need students.
- Get to know the students. The more I will know my students, the better I can adapt my teaching to meet their needs.
- Create a safe and welcoming environment. Make sure the classroom reflects diversity and inclusion.
- An inclusive classroom emphasizes the inclusion of children both with and without special needs. During the whole school year, I will continue to cultivate an environment that praises diversity and the differences we all have.
- This is my favorite one: Establish a routine. Consistency in routine and schedule always has a positive effect not only on any special need children but it also helps to keep the overall environment of the classroom calm and creates a conducive for learning. The Same rule applies to discipline and consequences. I always explain rules and consequences clearly. Then carry out discipline calmly and consistently. This way the students know what to expect of their actions. Always stand firm but in a calm way and avoid the power struggle.
- Set up a calming area for children to calm down. It’s helpful to have a designated area for children to calm down after being upset or overstimulated. Depending on what disability a child may have, being overstimulated can affect their ability to focus and learn.
- Provide a work area that is quiet and free from distractions. Distractions can interfere with student’s ability to focus.
- Break tasks into small steps. Once the student accomplishes that, tell him the next. Just focus on the short term plans. Use simple commands with as few words as possible. Too much explanation is often overwhelming for a child especially with learning disabilities. He is likely to remember only the first few words spoken when given a lengthy explanation preceding an assignment.
- Demonstrate chores or tasks rather than relying on verbal explanations alone.
- Use concrete materials, manipulatives, experiments, and charts to aid instruction
- Communicate regularly with parents or families. Stay in touch with parents through email or by phone. Communication is a key to building relationships, prevents a lot of problems/ misunderstanding and keep both parties updated and on the same page.
References:
http://www.ericdigests.org/2003-5/strategy.htm
Swanson, H. Lee. “Intervention Research for Students with Learning Disabilities: A Meta-Analysis of Treatment Outcomes.” University of California, Riverside. http://www.ncld.org/index.php?option=content&task=view&id=517
http://www.mikemcmahon.info/simtraining.htm
http://www.parentcenterhub.org/wp-content/uploads/repo_items/eestrategy.pdf