Summary of Precision teaching

You use (or make) a sheet with many randomised examples of the few items being learned. You will be teaching the child to discriminate between these items. (There are examples and blank probes on the PT page.)

The child performs from the sheet for one timed minute a day, while you note the number of correct and incorrect answers.

You graph these numbers onto a line-graph. The correct line should go up, and the other line go down!

It's really Daily Measurement to ensure that your teaching/learning methods are working properly. If the correct line doesn't go up for three days, change the methods immediately! Or make an easier probe sheet.

See the GUIDANCE SHEETS for essential details.

The child practises the items between measuring sessions, using the specific teaching/learning methods you are monitoring.

Fluency level is set (e.g. 40 spoken items per minute at KS1, 60 at KS3. Maybe 15 for KS1 written responses).

Draw a horizontal line on the graph to show the target fluency level. The learner is aiming at that.

When the child hits fluency three days running, you move on to next set of items.

Using a pack of cards instead of a probe sheet

As the learner answers, sort cards into two piles for correct/incorrect

Use a pack of cards with several copies of a few items to be learned.

If you put the answers on the back of each card, the learner can practise independently between measurements.

Shuffle!

Keep a note of correct/incorrect items in one minute, and keep a graph as before.

But during measurement, don't turn over to the answers, as that wastes time.

Examples:

front : 3x7/ back: 21;

a letter/its phonic cue picture (S-Snake)

A word/its definition;

an English word/its Spanish translation.

This technique can be used at high academic levels to learn facts, terminology or foreign language words, with only one card per item, and with answers on the backs. The learner then can do the whole thing independently, including making the cards, and may not need to graph. Aim for at least 60 correct per minute. Its american name is

SAFMEDs (Say All Fast in a Minute Every Day Shuffled ) .... more on Google and Youtube.

For a lot more SAFMEDS detail, mostly for older students and adults click here