Embedded Files
The goal of engagement in this section is to help clarify where you are going, share learning intentions and success criteria, and provide feedback to students.
Best Answer Competition- "Each group chooses best answer or best quality of work. Each group then shares with the class their best and then the class chooses the overall best. Class identifies strengths and weaknesses of each. "
Best Answer Competition- "Each group chooses best answer or best quality of work. Each group then shares with the class their best and then the class chooses the overall best. Class identifies strengths and weaknesses of each. "
When to use it:
What it encourages:
How to use it:
Resources: Article, Video
Choose swap-choose - "The student chooses a response that he thinks is best. Then swaps with a neighbor and he chooses which response is best. If they disagree, they discuss why?"
Choose swap-choose - "The student chooses a response that he thinks is best. Then swaps with a neighbor and he chooses which response is best. If they disagree, they discuss why?"
When to use it: When teachers want students to understand and talk about quality work and discuss what features or characteristics make the work high quality.
What it encourages: A students ability to recognize quality work and critically think about the strengths and weaknesses of work samples.
How to use it: Teachers can either provide work samples or have students generate their own work samples. Students will then individually choose which work sample he or she thinks best and then swap with a neighbor. If the neighbors disagree, the students discuss why.
Resources: Article, Video
Generating test items (with correct answers) - "Students fourth grade and up design their own test questions with correct answers about what they have been learning. It helps the teacher be informed of their level of understanding."
Generating test items (with correct answers) - "Students fourth grade and up design their own test questions with correct answers about what they have been learning. It helps the teacher be informed of their level of understanding."
When to use it: When teachers want to find out what students learned compared to what the teacher thinks they have learned. This is useful for clarifying, sharing, and understanding learning targets/learning goals/success criteria/learning intentions and informing the teacher about the students level understanding.
What it encourages: Increased student performance on tests. A feeling of liberation for disaffected older students who may not perform well on tests but a capable of generating test items.
How to use it: The teacher provides students an outline of topics or better yet, students create an outline of topics then generate test or study questions with correct answers. The teacher grades the questions rather than the answers.
Resources: Article, Video
Ranking Exemplars - "Allowing students to rank exemplars is a meaningful practice for modeling expectations and conveying qualities of proficient work. One method of doing this is to place students into groups, provide them with samples of work from last year’s class, and have the students decide if some samples are better than others. Have students rank the samples in order of quality. Lastly, lead a group discussion and have groups share out reasons for their views. Use the student responses alongside a rubric/scale/success-criteria for the work assignment."
Ranking Exemplars - "Allowing students to rank exemplars is a meaningful practice for modeling expectations and conveying qualities of proficient work. One method of doing this is to place students into groups, provide them with samples of work from last year’s class, and have the students decide if some samples are better than others. Have students rank the samples in order of quality. Lastly, lead a group discussion and have groups share out reasons for their views. Use the student responses alongside a rubric/scale/success-criteria for the work assignment."
When to use it: Research suggests that regular and frequent questioning and testing increases learning. This technique can be used in a lesson, after a chunk of content, or for review.
What it encourages: It encourages students to retrieve information from their memories.
How to use it: The teacher asks a multiple choice question with four choices. If the student does not know the answer they can ask to go 50/50 which means to remove two choices or half of the answers similar to the game-show titles "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?" There are also powerpoint templates which can be used with this questioning technique.
Resources: Article, Video, PowerPoint Templates
WALT and WILF - "This is a way to communicate to younger students the learning intentions and success criteria. You can use the acronym WALT for “We are learning to” and WILF for “What I am looking for”. Sometimes TIB can be used for “This is because”. These help the students understand how the learning today fits into prior lessons. These two techniques would be simple ways to communicate your learning targets if you wanted something besides the words 'I can'."
WALT and WILF - "This is a way to communicate to younger students the learning intentions and success criteria. You can use the acronym WALT for “We are learning to” and WILF for “What I am looking for”. Sometimes TIB can be used for “This is because”. These help the students understand how the learning today fits into prior lessons. These two techniques would be simple ways to communicate your learning targets if you wanted something besides the words 'I can'."
When to use it: When a teacher wants to explicitly present the learning targets/learning goals/success criteria/learning intentions to students.
What it encourages: It encourages students to see how new learning connects to existing knowledge.
How to use it: At the start of the lesson simply present the learning targets/learning goals/success criteria/learning intentions to help younger students become familiar with learning targets/learning goals/success criteria/learning intentions.
Resources: Article, Video
What not to write (based on the TV show 'What Not to Wear') - "After examining work samples, students compile a list of suggestions for their peers titled, "What Not To Write." This allows students to share pitfalls they recommend others avoid."
What not to write (based on the TV show 'What Not to Wear') - "After examining work samples, students compile a list of suggestions for their peers titled, "What Not To Write." This allows students to share pitfalls they recommend others avoid."
When to use it: Use it before, during, or after a written task.
What it encourages: It encourages students thinking critically and finding errors, providing peer feedback, and self-assessment of their own work through identifying and sharing weaknesses/pitfalls.
How to use it: Students review each others written work for strengths and weaknesses. They compile of list of "what not to write". The class is then pulled together and a list of "what not to write" is compiled containing pitfalls the recommend others should avoid.
Resources: Article, Video
Writing Frames - "Writing frames are used as process criteria for scaffolding written responses. They Can be used for any topic or subject. "
Writing Frames - "Writing frames are used as process criteria for scaffolding written responses. They Can be used for any topic or subject. "
When to use it: When teachers need to break a complex writing skill down into simpler tasks. Research shows it can be easier for students to learn when they practice steps individually then integrate the steps into a final work, process, or performance. Simply stated, writing frames structure the student's response. Writing frames are also an area where differentiating writing tasks can be used.
What it encourages: When a teacher needs to focus on specific writing process or criteria. Writing frames can encourage thinking and processing around content by raising the motivation and self-esteem to help reluctant students write successfully. Instead of focusing on the the mechanics of writing students can express their thinking and ideas.
How to use it: See Examples for more detail. As a teacher you are creating the structure of thought in writing by leaving blanks for students to fill in their ideas, thoughts, arguments, and knowledge.
Resources: Article, Video, Examples of Writing Frames
Technique - "Summary"
Technique - "Summary"
When to use it:
What it encourages:
How to use it:
Resources: Article, Video
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