Six Research Based Instructional Strategies

Cooperative Learning Groups Cooperative grouping incorporates small groups of diverse students with different learning abilities in order to work collaboratively and succeed as a group. Use of cooperative groups should be systemic and consistent but not overused. Groups can be formal, informal, or long-term although organizing groups by ability should be done sparingly. In addition to facilitating learning of the overall objective, cooperative learning groups promote social interaction between peers, individual and group accountability, and improve group skills such as leadership, trust, decision making, etc The groups need established roles and responsibilities. Identifying Similarities and Differences Identifying similarities and differences means learning to classify and discern differences and similarities. This strategy prepares students for employing metaphor, analogy, and higherorder thinking skills. Nonlinguistic Representation/Graphic Organizers We store knowledge in two forms: linguistic and nonlinguistic. The more students use both systems, the better they are able to think about and recall knowledge. Examples of graphic organizers that can promote nonlinguistic learning include, descriptive pattern organizers and time sequence pattern organizers, Homework and Practice Homework can increase student understanding when assignments provide the opportunities needed to practice and apply new learning. The two purposes for assigning homework are practice (to gain mastery of a skill) and preparation (gathering information for the next class period). Teachers should provide timely feedback within hours or a day of completion. The class homework policy should be a clear statement of the length of time required for homework, resources required, expectations for timeliness of submission, accountability and consequences, homework make-up policy, and grading policy. This policy needs to be communicated to all students and parents/guardians. Advance Organizers Advance organizers link old information with something new being taught which helps students recognize that the topic they are beginning to learn is not totally new, but rather can be related to a previously learned concept or process. This link is accomplished by using concepts and terms that are familiar to the students to explain new ideas. By cognitively linking the new information to old information, the new information can be stored more easily in long-term memory. The distinction and relevancy this gives to the new concepts can help to motivate students and remind them of other relevant information they already have. Examples of advance organizers include the use of K-W-L worksheets, use of skimming (when the teacher provides the learners

with the opportunity to skim over the information that is about to be introduced, focusing on highlighted information), expository (presenting new or detailed information as opposed to making connections with previously introduced information) or narrative (providing the main and important concepts of the lesson by telling a story that includes these concepts). Cues and Questions - Cues (hints) and questions increase students' readiness for learning with cues and questions that connect new ideas to existing knowledge. Teachers should strive to ask students higher-level questions that require analysis, application, evaluation and synthesis (in accordance with Blooms taxonomy) instead of simply asking students to recall information.