Design Question 2: What Will I Do to Help Students Effectively Interact w/New Knowledge
Module 5: Using Cooperative Learning, Curriculum, Chunking, and Descriptions, Discussions, and Predictions (pgs. 55-66)
*It is important to activate students' processing by using a variety of tasks during critical-input experiences.
*How do you use cooperative grouping in your instruction? What are some ideas you have for ways you can use cooperative groups in the future?
*Describe how you have used chunking of information in your teaching or how you could use it in the future.
*Discuss at least one of the formal techniques for critical-input experiences listed on pages 62-64.
I completely agree with the idea that when presenting new information to students, we need to present it in small chunks. And as students know more about a subject, the larger the chunks can be. As a learner myself, if I'm given too much at once, I remember very little. But if I can be given a little at a time and have time to digest or talk about the information, I'll be ready for more learning. I also agree that it is important to allow students to talk about what they've learned and allow time for the teacher to clear up any confusion.
ReplyDeleteI have had my cooperative groups set up with heterogeneous levels and homogeneous levels, depending on what we were working on. That helps me to differentiate some of the material sometimes. I think the groups need to be planned out as much as possilbe, not randomly put together.
ReplyDeleteI've mostly used chunking when working with informational text, one section or heading at a time. Identifying the topic, main idea and details. I think it would be possible to do the same thing with fiction, using the beginning, middle and end of the story, focusing on different story elements, that were crucial to comprehension.
I like the reciprocal teaching technique. I like that it gives the students another opportunity to discuss and be involved with the material, by asking questions and again defending and justying their thinking, but at the same time being able to clarify any questions that they have.
With the district's push to incorporate Kagan Structures in the past, I feel that I am pretty good about using cooperative learning activities with my students. However, upon reflecting on this module, I have mainly used these activities to review and reinforce concepts or to review for assessments. I can see some validity to having students participate in cooperative activities while learning new topics. I do feel that concept attainment would be difficult for young learners who may still be struggling to read and comprehend a second language.
ReplyDeleteI've used the jigsaw technique in class this past year. As a learner, I'm not a fan of this strategy, but I use a tweaked version in my class. We don't jigsaw until we've read the text as a class or in small groups with teacher direction. I agree with Kim about some of these strategies being difficult for our ELLs and students who struggle with reading at our textbook levels. Reading the text together a few times, makes it more familiar by the time I have them break into groups. I'm also careful as to who is in each group. We have a note taking sheet prepared or an example of what we expect as the outcome.They work together as a group to become an expert on a section and then share out with their base groups.Lastly we always in some format bring it back to the entire class.
ReplyDeleteSomething we learned at our AVID training is having Socratic Seminars where you pose a question and students lead and discuss the material. We practiced one at the training and I plan to do more of these this year with our kids. I think it'll teach them a numerous range of techniques and will enhance our class discussions. I think this fits the reciprocal teaching technique really well.
I often look for new ways of teaching or learning so, "variety" is right up my alley! I'm also a big proponent of cooperative learning, though I'm not so sure about using it as an input strategy with so many low students. For reading and review, yes. I do use partnering and triads a ton, especially to process new information.
ReplyDeleteChunking- first thought, writing. Chunking also makes me think of scaffolding. I would like to the chunk the math lessons but then I'd probably never get to certain units! In reading I suppose I chunk by focusing on one skill at a time.
It would be fun to try out having the students come up with the examples and no examples during concept attainment. Or maybe having groups do one or the other and then putting them together for discussion.
Chunking is huge to our ELL kids and our low students. They can't handle having it all given to them at once and it frustrates them. Okay, I speak from my own experience. If I am giving too much I can't keep it all straight. I have to have chunks of learning and time to process the chunks. Otherwise I get overwhelmed with the information and I start tuning out. I connect with the students who deal with the same issue. I was a teacher that taught information in chunks and I always tried to make a connection to literature or their prior learning.
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