Knowledge Gaps

Examples of Instructional Strategies for Filling Knowledge Gaps:

Independent, Self-paced Strategies:

• Curriculum compacting. Students advance through material at their own pace and according to their own needs. This strategy works well if students have widely varying levels of understanding and need individualized, differentiated instruction.  Pre-assessment of skills already mastered and those not yet learned is essential because students do not all start at the same place. This strategy can be used for a unit of instruction or even whole courses.  

Example: 

• Mastery paths A mastery path is a self-paced, independent learning strategy available through Canvas.

Example: Dennise Grater used this Canvas-based strategy in Economics to move an entire class forward but at their own pace. The strategy freed Dennise to work in the classroom with those who were struggling.

Small-group Strategies:

• Learning Stations (or Learning Centers): Small groups rotate through a series of related activities.

Example: Abi Bymaster has set up Learning Stations in her classroom to remediate, reinforce, and/or introduce concepts and knowledge in biology.

• Tiered lessons:  Tiered readings or activities accommodate students with different reading levels within the same class.

Example: Encyclopedia Britannica presents information at three different reading levels. 

• Literature Circles: Groups read books or articles at different complexity levels or even on different topics. 

Example: 

• Reciprocal teaching: Students work together in small groups to teach material to each other. Students can be given specific roles within the group (much like Literature Circles) or they can collaborate in a less structured way. Originally, reciprocal teaching was designed as an approach to reading comprehension with all groups reading the same information; however, each group could pursue a different concept and report out to the whole class.

Example: Abi Bymaster's 9th-grade biology students read The Bitter Side of Sweet, a novel about the devastating impact of the cacao industry in West Africa on children and the environment. Students worked in groups to research aspects of the growth, harvest, and global trade of cacao and then taught the information to the rest of the class.  

 Teacher-led Strategies:

• Bell-Ringers: Bell-Ringers are designed to last no more than 5-10 minutes at the beginning of the class and are useful for previewing or reviewing content. 

Example: Suzy Ryan uses daily bell ringers, presented as a "problem of the day". This activity is done at the beginning of the class period in an attempt to "warm up the student's minds" on a lesson previously covered. 

Example: Jeri Tribby uses bell ringers to review specific concepts learned from the previous semester in her Spanish classes in order to benefit the students' memory of the content.  She determines which concepts to cover by giving a pre-test at the beginning of the year to identify specific learning gaps.  Reviewing the bell ringer with the class provides an opportunity to give a mini-lesson if needed which leads to greater student success since the previous concepts are built on in the current semester. 

• Mini-lessons: A mini-lesson is a short review or explanation (no more than 5-10 minutes) that the teacher inserts into the overall lesson. A mini-lesson can be planned or spontaneous. If planned, there are specific steps that help to cement the new knowledge.

Example:

• Flipped classroom: In a flipped classroom, the teacher presents content through reading and instructional videos that the students watch at home; in class, the teacher is available for guided "homework" and support.

Example: Michael Coates teaches AP Chemistry and regular Chemistry by flipping his classroom Students view and review his presentations at home.  Michael structures class time to answer questions and lead students through labs. The strategy gives him an opportunity to work one-on-one with students who need help.  

Anchor Charts: An anchor chart is a giant-sized visual, posted on a classroom wall, that captures key content and can be used by students to recall information.  Often, teachers and students create an anchor chart together.

• Reteaching material:

If the entire class or a substantial portion of the class is missing an entire block or unit of fundamental skills, the best option may be to back up and reteach (or teach the material for the first time). This is especially important in a course where the skills are linear-sequential and fundamental for future learning.

Example: Amanda Cox discovered that her Honors 9 Biology students were missing critical chunks of knowledge: Structure of DNA (bases, base pairing rules) and Organelles (some basic cell organization/ structure). Only a few of the students had been exposed to that information during remote learning, so she needed to reteach this fundamental information, However, she was able to put the students who did know the content to work as "TA's," helping her help the others understand the materials and complete the activities. Her "TA's" received recognition and refreshed their knowledge without being bored; the others caught up. The class as a whole then moved on to material that was new to everyone.

Where to Find Tutoring Opportunities and Help

Short term:

• Teacher (prep, after-school, in class) 

• English lab  (teacher)

• Math lab (teacher)

• NHS peer tutor (student)

• EL Study Hall (teacher)

• United Way Volunteers for ELL students (adults in the community)  (Contact Jeremy Bloyd or Kat Speer for information)

• Interventionists, paraprofessionals (teacher)

• www.askrose: Free online tutoring with college students at Rose-Hulman by phone, chat or email for math and science questions.

• www.Schoolhouse.world: Free online tutoring with peers for math or SAT prep.        

• www.khanacademy.org: Free tutorials at all grade levels in all subjects.

Long term: 

• Commercial services (e.g., Sylvan Learning)