Purposeful Learning Experiences

Purposeful learning experiences are the activities or tasks students are participating in while the teacher is conducting small groups. As purposeful learning experiences are developed, consider the question "What purpose does this serve my students' literacy or math development?" If the activity does not serve a valid purpose, discard it.

Purposeful learning experiences or intentional learning activities with integration technology (SWIFT) includes:

Student Choice (Purposeful activities supporting individual needs)
Word Study
Independent Growth (Reading with Journaling/ Problem Solving FAST Model)
Fluency
Teachable Concepts

Guided Math & Math Workshop is a flexible instructional framework that enables teachers to promote the deep mathematical understanding and computational fluency of their students by determining their unique needs and then prescriptively addressing those needs through a combination of whole class instruction, small group instruction, math workshop, and conferences within a classroom environment supportive of numeracy. All Parts of the Math Workshops should be full of the use of manipulatives. Base Ten Blocks, Rekenreks, counters, number lines, charts, graphs, beaded number lines, ten frames, strip diagrams and so many more.

The label Math Workstation clearly sends the message that students are expected to work as mathematicians. Workstation tasks are not included for fun alone, but to further student's understanding of math, improve their computational fluency, and increase their mathematical competency.

SWIFT

Intentional work for kids with technology integrated (SWIFT). Best Practices show that including all of these components provide an effect experience that support student learning.

Student Choice (Purposeful activities supporting individual needs).

ELA Samples:
Math Samples: Games can help students safely explore math concepts they might be struggling with. It could be as simple as Uno Cards or dominoes with a specific rigorous math task attached. The Math RtI Resource Website on the Intranet is full of 100 of targeted lessons. (See 2nd Grade Sample below). It is imperative that tasks maintain the complexity where as the rigor of the standard is met.

Word Study

ELA Samples: Word Sorts, Vocabulary Match, Syllable Building, Phoneme-Grapheme Mapping
Math Samples: Tap and Talk, Vocabulary Match, Create Anchor Chart ( See Unit FPGs for Explicit Vocabulary activities

Independent Growth (Reading with Journaling/ Problem Solving FAST Model)

ELA Samples: Students reading self-selected text using reading journals, Graphic organizers
Math Samples: FAST Problem Solving Model (Materials located in TEKS Resource System). South Dakota Counts Math Problems Booklet provides 100s of problems by type that can be made into center activities (See Problem Solving Folder in TEKS Resource System)

Fluency

ELA Samples: Fluency with letters, sounds, phrases, connected text with student goal setting.
Math Samples: Teaching Strategies for fluency using Materials in the Math Fluency Resource Folder in the TEKS Resource System, 100 of activities that are in the "Strategies Resource Materials for Addition" and Subtractions" and "Multiplication Fact Strategies & Resource Materials." Power Towers, Bottle Cap math, and Skip Counting are other activities that can make this practice Fun. Technology programs like Xtra Math can help with monitoring progress

Teachable Concepts

ELA Samples: Literacy Centers that provide students with specific practice that reinforces concepts that have been taught.
Math Samples:
- Pearson Centers provide specific practice that reinforces topics, They are linked in FPGs. There are online level activities, Advanced Activities, Math & Science Activities, Problem Solving & Reading Activities and Technology Activities. All found in the TEKS Resource System.
- Other Standard specific teachable concepts can be found linked in the FPG

Report abuse