Transcript Slide 1
Effective Pedagogical Practices
for Fragile Learners
California Educational Research Association
December 2011
Alicia Henderson, Ph.D.
Franklin-McKinley School District
Effective Pedagogical Practices for
Fragile Learners
Robust “First Time Instruction”
1. Basic Skills Instruction
2. Subject-Area Considerations
3. Clarity in Communication
Differentiation / Adaptations
Fragile Learners
“Fragile Learners” include all students with
challenges that impact the learning of new
content and skills, including
English learners
Students with disabilities
Students living in poverty
At-risk students who remain in school but
have become disengaged for any number of
reasons
Fragile Learners
Many fragile learners can be successful with
robust “first time instruction”
Most Fragile learners can be successful with
robust “first time instruction” coupled with
appropriate differentiation and adaptations
Some fragile learners have special needs that
require the support of experts
Robust “First Time Instruction” relies upon
Quality Core Instruction
Rigor: alignment of curriculum, instruction &
assessment
Frequent formative assessment: instructional decisions
are based on data about student learning
Robust: employing UDL principles
Relevance: consideration for prior knowledge
Relationships: respectful & joyful
Shared responsibility for learning: teacher & student
Robust “First Time Instruction”
Includes essential UDL components:
1. Basic Skills Instruction
2. Subject-Area Considerations
3. Clarity of Communication
Robust “First Time Instruction”
1. Basic Skills Instruction
Teach preskills
Select & sequence examples
Decide rate of introduction of new skills
Provide direct instruction
Offer practice & review opportunities
Teach Preskills
(not always possible by core instruction teacher at secondary level)
Preskills: basic skills necessary for
performing more complex tasks
Assess students on relevant preskills
Teach preskills to entire class or to
individual students
Select and Sequence Examples
Focus on and prepare selection of examples
(aka: exemplars)
Range of example selections should match
range of problems types to be used in
assessments
Be aware that sequencing of examples has an
impact on learning
Rate of Skill Introduction
Introduce new skills in small steps
Teach skills at a rate slow enough to
ensure mastery
Due to pacing guides and high-stakes testing,
it may be difficult to slow down
Slowing down the rate may require
identification of essential skills to be
mastered
Direct Instruction, Practice,
and Review
Fragile learners typically require more direct
instruction
Indirect instruction is rarely sufficient
Practice should follow direct instruction,
not act as a substitute for direct instruction
Problems with retention is common,
spiral review assists to cement new learnings
Robust “First Time Instruction”
2. Subject-Area Considerations
Set up the lesson
Activate background knowledge
Include conceptual supports for
learning
Frontload key vocabulary
Set Up the Lesson
Determine depth of prior knowledge on topic
May include a pre-test
Bridge prior knowledge with new information
Present 1-3 Big Ideas in lesson
Explicitly state learning objectives
Catch interest and give reason for engagement
Prompt students to predict
Activate Background
(Prior) Knowledge
New learnings are more likely when
facilitated with explicit connections to
background knowledge
Plan lesson to relate new material to
information they already know
Consider background knowledge of your
students (it may be different from your own)
Include Conceptual Supports
for Learning New Content
Advance organizers
Concept maps
Study guides
Graphic organizers
PowerPoints w/ handouts
Cornell notes
Frontload Key Vocabulary
Identify key vocabulary / terms in lesson
Introduce (1-5 per lesson) prior to teaching
new material
Consider multiple representations of key
vocabulary: definition, part of speech,
visual image, synonyms, antonyms
Robust “First Time Instruction”
3. Clarity in Communication
Use Language Intentionally
Avoid “bird walks” that distract from
delivery of new content
Use precise language to deliver content,
monitor use of pronouns and other
nonspecific terms
Clarity in Written Communication
Clarity in Oral Communication
Clarity: Written Communication
Ensure all written material on whiteboards,
overheads, PowerPoints etc. is large enough &
legible enough for all students to read
Utilize considerate text versions of adopted
curriculum when available
Ensure written tests do not introduce
confounds to assessing learning of new content
(either by test format or language used)
Clarity: Oral Communication
Project voice so all students can hear
Enunciate clearly
Support delivery of “signal” and monitor
“noise”
Utilize specific strategies
Giving directions
Asking questions
Presenting subject matter
Giving Directions
State command specifically
Use concrete terms
Give “bite size” directions
Avoid long series of directions
Demonstrate what you want them to do
Use cue words for routine directions
Asking Questions
Phrase questions clearly
Ensure students know how to respond
Balance high-level and low-level
questions (ala Bloom’s levels)
Adapt questions to language and skill
level of class, and individual students
Vary wait time based on the question
Call on volunteers and nonvolunteers
Presenting Subject Matter
Use clear and relevant language
Explain how points relate to main topic
Avoid vague or abstract terms that do not
directly relate to new content
Use multiple modes (oral & written) to deliver
new content
Include multiple representations of new
content (e.g., graphs, diagrams, pictures)
Example of
multiple
representations
for a math
concept
Differentiation & Adaptations
Differentiated Instruction
Flexible grouping
Process, content, product
Adaptations - Grid of 9
Accommodations
Modifications
Grid of 9
Support from Experts
Reading specialist
Speech pathologist
Occupational therapist
Psychologist
Behavioral therapist
Special education teacher