LESSON 3.

1 OVERVIEW: BEING FLEXIBLE AND SHIFTING EXPECTATIONS

Background

Executive Function: Executive function (EF) is a broad term used to describe the complex cognitive
processes that are the foundation for flexible, goal-directed behaviors. Key EF processes include
shifting flexibly (cognitive flexibility), goal setting, organizing and prioritizing, accessing working
memory, as well as self-monitoring and self-checking.

Cognitive Flexibility: Cognitive flexibility is the ability to think flexibly and to shift perspectives and
approaches. This process helps students to shift flexibly between major themes and details as well
as to differentiate relevant from irrelevant information. Cognitive flexibility is crucial for learning new
concepts.

HOW TO TEACH COGNITIVE FLEXIBILITY

As children advance through the grades, cognitive flexibility plays an important role in their ability to
learn new concepts. Learning new concepts is linked to students’ willingness to abandon previously
successful methods in favor of alternative methods that will lead to future success. Teachers can
promote flexible thinking in students by:

• Encouraging the use of metacognitive strategies—Ask students to evaluate the approaches

they use to solve problems and to present alternate solutions.

• Presenting multiple solutions to a problem—Present students will multiple approaches for

completing various tasks, including problem solving, reading, writing, and note-taking. Ask
students to select the approach that works for them and to write down or describe orally why
that approach worked.

• Using strategy reflection sheets—Require students to identify the strategy they have used for
completing a specific assignment. Have them explain why the strategy was helpful and what
they might do differently next time.

EXAMPLES OF HOW TO TEACH STRATEGIES FOR SHIFTING FLEXIBLY

• In Math—Teach students to shift from the language embedded in word problems to the
computational details and back again.

• In Reading—Teach students how to differentiate between the main ideas and supporting
details.

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 • In Writing—Teach students how to write for multiple audiences, purposes, and from different
perspectives.

• In Studying/Test taking—Teach students how to use a question and answer or three column
note-taking format (see Triple-Note-Tote Lesson 4b.4) when studying for tests.

It is critical to build time into your lessons for students to practice using strategies for separating the
main idea from the details. The lessons in this unit will address how to teach strategies for each of
these content areas in more depth.

The following lesson promotes flexible thinking by asking students to look at sentences and para-
graphs from multiple perspectives.

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Lesson 3.1: Being Flexible and Shifting Expectations

TIME: 1 Hour

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

By the end of this lesson, students will be able to:

1. Define cognitive flexibility
2. Understand how to shift between multiple perspectives

METHODS OF INSTRUCTION
• Discussion

• PowerPoint instruction
• Independent practice

MATERIALS
• “Being Flexible and Shifting Expectations” PowerPoint

• “Shifty Word Cards” handout for Metacognitive Activator
• “Diagnostic Lizard” handout
• “Student Paragraphs” handout (contains two pages, one entitled “5th-Grade Student
Paragraph” and the other entitled “College Student Paragraph.”)
• Strategy Notebooks
• Strategy Reflection Sheets

TEACHER PREPARATION
1. Review the “Being Flexible and Shifting Expectations” PowerPoint and add information

that is relevant for your students.
2. Cut out the “Shifty Word Cards” from the handout.
3. Make copies of the “Diagnostic Lizard” handout (one of each per student, double-
sided if possible).
4. Make copies of the “Student Paragraphs” handout. Half the class will receive the
“5th-Grade Student Paragraph” and the other half will receive the “College Student
Paragraph.”
5. Choose the appropriately scaffolded strategy reflection sheet and make copies (one
per student) or have multiple copies of each from which students may choose.

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DIRECTED LESSON SEQUENCE

METACOGNITIVE ACTIVATOR
1. Distribute “Shifty Word Cards” (one to each student). With more advanced students,

use the shifty sentence cards.
2. Students should find the other student who has the same “Shifty Word” word or
sentence.
3. Ask student pairs to sit together and come up with at least two potential meanings for
the words on their card. Ask students to draw a picture with the two different meanings
(alternatively, you can ask students to describe how they would draw a picture of the
two different meanings).
4. Call on a few students to share their drawings.

GUIDED INSTRUCTION
1. Activate student’s prior knowledge. Ask students to recall the prior lesson when

cognitive flexibility was discussed (see Lesson 1.2).
a. What does cognitive flexibility mean?
b. What are some examples of cognitive flexibility?
c. Why is cognitive flexibility important for school?
2. Distribute the “Diagnostic Lizard” handout. Ask students to stay on page 1.
a. Explain to students that one way we shift our thinking is through the expectations we
set and the ways in which we look at specific text (e.g., spelling, tone, purpose).
b. Ask students to read the first page of the “Diagnostic Lizard” handout and to record
five positives (features of the paragraphs they think are good) and five negatives
(features of the paragraph they think needs work).
c. Draw a T-chart on the board and record students’ responses (or use the slide that
has been provided in the appendix). In some cases, students might present a posi-
tive that could also be considered a negative or vice versa. If so, ask students to
explain their responses and to shift perspectives.

INDEPENDENT PRACTICE
1. Ask students to flip to page 2 of the “Diagnostic Lizard” handout.

2. Explain to students that a second grader wrote the paragraph.
3. Ask students to revise the positives/negatives handout considering that a second
grader wrote it.
a. How did their positives/negatives shift? Why did they shift? How did their
expectations change?
b. Why is this important to consider when we are reading/peer editing papers?
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 METACOGNITIVE WRAP-UP
1. Distribute the sample writing paragraphs without any explanation. Half the class should

receive the “5th-Grade Student Paragraph” and the other half should receive the
“College Student Paragraph.”
2. Ask students to silently and independently generate a list of five pros (features of the
paragraph they think are good) and five cons (features of the paragraph they think
need work).
3. Ask students to share their responses. Students are often surprised by their peers’
responses.
4. Discuss why their responses vary.
a. Discuss how different expectations lead to very different analyses of the same piece
of writing.
b. Brainstorm with your students why it is important to set appropriate expectations that
help them to flexibly approach and edit their writing.

STRATEGY REFLECTION ACTIVITIES

Strategy Reflection Sheets

Distribute “Strategy Reflection Sheets.” Allow 2–3 minutes for students to complete their
reflections. If time permits, select 2 or 3 students to share their responses.

Strategy Share
After students have had an opportunity to apply the strategy to their schoolwork or
activities outside of school, distribute a new strategy reflection sheet (typically 2–3 days
following direct instruction of the strategy). Allow students 5–10 minutes to complete
their strategy reflection sheets and to attach them to the piece of work or artifact that
demonstrates their application of the strategy.

*In some instances, students may not have had the opportunity to practice the strategy
they learned that week. Therefore, encourage them to reflect on a different strategy that
they have used.

After all students have completed strategy reflection sheets, select 2 or 3 students to share
their strategies. During the strategy share, students should provide the following information:

• What strategy did you use?

• How did you use the strategy? (e.g. to study for a test, on a writing assignment, on
homework, etc.)
• Was the strategy helpful? How did you know that it was helpful? (e.g. you remembered
more information for the test, it helped you complete an assignment more quickly, etc.)

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