Teaching Strategies

(Fisher 4)

• Integrates visual, auditory, tactile (touch) and kinesthetic (movement) learning elements.

• Different teaching methods activate different parts of the brain.

• Helps learners discover their learning style and the techniques best for them.

• Effective for all learners but particularly effective for dyslexic students. 

(dyslexia-reading-well.com)

1. Phonology:  is the study of sound structure of spoken words and is a critical element of Structured Language instruction 

2. Sound-Symbol Association Once students have developed the awareness of phonemes of spoken language, they must learn how to map the phonemes to symbols or printed letters. Sound-symbol association must be taught and mastered in two directions: visual to auditory (reading) and auditory to visual (spelling). 

3. Syllable Instruction:  A syllable is a unit of oral or written language with one vowel sound. Instruction includes teaching of the six basic syllable types in the English language: closed, vowel-consonant-e, open, consonant-le, r-controlled, and vowel pair. 

4. Morphology:  A morpheme is the smallest unit of meaning in the language. The Structured Literacy curriculum includes the study of base words, roots, prefixes, and suffixes 

5. Syntax: is the set of principles that dictate the sequence and function of words in a sentence in order to convey meaning. This includes grammar, sentence variation, and the mechanics of language.

6. Semantics: is that aspect of language concerned with meaning. The curriculum (from the beginning) must include instruction in the comprehension of written language. 

• A way to optimize teaching to effectively instruct a diverse group of learners. 

• Based on insights from the science of how people learn.

•  Flexible in how students access material, engage with it and show what they know 

• Considers multiple means for: 

  • Representation: Provide information in more than one format—like audio, video and hands on learning—to help students access material in ways best suited to their learning strengths.

  • Action and expression: Offer flexibility in how kids interact with the material and show what they’ve learned, such as choosing to take a test, give an oral report or do a group project. 

  • Engagement: Look for different ways to motivate students and sustain their interest, like letting them make choices and giving them assignments that feel relevant to their lives. 

(CAST) 

• Present information in smaller, meaningful "chunks"

• Provide time for students to process the information, "chew" 

• Check for student understanding "check" 

• Follow the 10:2 rule

  •  10 minutes of explicit teaching

  • 2 minutes of processing time 

•  Breaks a skill down into smaller, more manageable components.