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Plasmalink - Glossary of Instructional Strategies Category: Management > Instructional Strategies Date & country: 14/10/2008, USA Words: 676

Absentee Management
In addition to recording and reporting student absences according to their particular school's rules, teachers can also employ strategies designed to encourage students to attend class regularly. One approach is to call parents during the evening as soon as the student misses a day of school. This call can also be used to allow the teacher to get t...

Abstracting
A thinking skill that involves summarizing and converting real-world events or ideas into models.

Academic Dishonesty Clarification
Any activities through which the teacher explains to the student what constitutes academic dishonesty for a particular class. Clarification is necessary because different forms of collaboration are allowed in different classes and for different activities and different levels of 'copying' from sources are allowed in different classes and at differe...

Accelerated Reading
A commercially produced reading program that includes quizzes administered via computer and student selection of books.

Acronym Memory Method
Example: ROY G. BIV = Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, Indigo, Violet

Acting Out a Problem
Students can act out mathematical, scientific, or social problems to improve their comprehension.

Action Projects
A project where ideas learned through research are tested and applied in a real- world situation.

Activating Prior Knowledge
Helping learners connect to concepts about to be taught by using activities that relate to or determine the level of their existing knowledge.

Active Learning
Any approach that engages learners by matching instruction to the learner's interests, understanding, and developmental level. Often includes hands-on and authentic activities.

Adaptive Scheduling
No one wants to take a test the morning after prom night or the big football game. When scheduling exams, ask students for suggestions about what would be good days and what days are already full with other activities. Some schools keep three month calendars in the office to let teachers know in advance when 'big' activities are coming up and to al...

Admit Slips/Exit Slips
Teacher helps in the synthesis of learning by reading anonymous student writings aloud to begin or end a class.

Advance Organizer
David Ausubel's guidelines for an abstract introduction. Designed to activate prior knowledge and help students become more receptive to the learning that is to follow.

Affinity
A brainstorming approach that encourages less verbal members of a group to participate. First, all members of the group write responses to the problem or question on separate cards, then the cards are silently grouped by each member while the others observe. After a discussion, the agreed upon arrangement is recorded as an outline or diagram.

Affirmations
Technique for motivating students by helping them believe they can 'do things.'.

Agree Matrix
A formal approach to discussing and researching issues. Students are polled for agreement or disagreement with a statement and their responses as a group are recorded in the matrix. Students research the topic, and again their responses are recorded. Finally, small groups to meet to to discuss the results and changes.

Agreement Circles
Used to explore opinions. As students stand in a circle, facing each other, the teacher makes a statement. Students who agree with the statement step into the circle.

Air Drawing
Students draw or motion in the air to demonstrate how they will carry out a procedure before they actually do so. Used in science labs, home economics, and classes where students use tools or musical instruments.

Alphabet Summary
Each student is assigned a different letter of the alphabet and asked to generate a word starting with that letter that is related to the topic being discussed. Students share their terms with the class.

Alphabetic Foods Teams
Brainstorm the names of 26 foods (apple, bread, etc.). A paper is passed within the group and individuals write appropriate names in alphabetical order. Can be adapted to other categories (authors, cities, etc.).

Alternative Assessments
Any of a variety of assessments that allow teachers to evaluate their students' understanding or performance. Examples include: performance assessments, portfolios, journals, and authentic assessments.

Alternative Scenarios
A creativity technique in which students consider alternative futures. Useful in writing to encourage students to consider several plots and endings for their stories before settling down to write. In social studies or science classes, this approach can be useful in helping students see possibilities, both for the present, and for their own futures...

Alternative to Recitation
Similar to recitation, but the questions are generated by the students. Usually included : preparation (students read and generate questions), review, quiz, and evaluation.

Analogies
A thinking skill demonstrated by a student when he or she can give examples similar to, but not identical to a target example. For example, the Internet is analogous to the post office (because in both, multimedia information is delivered to specific addresses).

Analyzing Perspectives
A thinking skill that involves considering a problem or topic from various perspectives. Related to 'Point of View.'

Anchored Instruction
A form of constructivism where learning is tied to the students' real world 'anchors' (such as social or work experiences).

Andragogy
Instructional theory by Malcolm S. Knowles dealing with the psychology and special needs of adult learners.

Anecdotes
A motivational technique to encourage creativity or empathy students. Anecdotes can be about the teacher's life or excerpted from biographies to help students make real-world connections.

Application Cards
At the end of instruction, students write a real world application for the knowledge on a small card and submit the card to the teacher.

Application Teaching
A constructivist approach centered on activities which involve learning which proceeds from more basic ideas to more complex. The expected products generated by the students are determined by the teacher.

Applied Behavior Analysis
For purpose of modifying student or class behaviors

Applied Imagination
Technique to stimulate creativity. Includes the use of questions as prompts to enable people to consider many, apparently unrelated, options.

Apprenticeships
Students work in the workplace under the guidance of mentors or tutors who take responsibility for the professional development of their apprentices.

Argument Paper
Type of writing which presents a thesis, then supports that thesis with evidence or proof.

Argument Table
A table used to organize logical statements. Used in teaching logic in geometry and in expository writing classes.

Artifact Strategy
The teacher presents carefully selected objects (artifacts) to the students, poses a problem, and allows students to collect information about the object, then formulate answers to the presented problem.

Assemblies
Meetings of large groups, typically an entire student body, for the purpose of describing future events, sharing values, and recognizing achievement.

Associations
Finding or making association between concepts.

Assumption Smashing
List assumptions, then eliminate one. What might happen? (for example, 'All forms of transportation are now free.' What is the effect on society?)

Assumption Surfacing
Creativity technique.

Attributes
Listing attributes of concepts.

Audio Tapes
Educational audio tapes are most often used in language and music classes, but are also useful in social studies, physical education, and in building vocabulary in many fields.

Audio-visuals
Includes many categories of educational materials including: posters, paintings, slides, videos, films, audio tapes, and videotapes.

Authentic Instruction
Instruction which is meaningful to students. Focuses on higher order thinking, depth of knowledge, real-world applications, and social interactions.

Authentic Questions
Questions generated by learners in response to natural curiosity about the content. Questions spontaneously asked by learners without prompting by teachers.

Author's Chair
Students sit in a chair at the front of the class and present their work to the class.

Autobiographies
Students can write their life stories as a writing activity, or explore the lives of prominent people by reading published autobiographies.

Awards
Any tangible object given to students to reward positive behavior or achievement. May include certificates, plaques, trophies, or ribbons.

Backward Forward Planning
Creativity technique.

Bag-It
Game using manipulatives to reinforce mnemonic approach.

Baggage Claim
Members in a new group are asked to write five interesting facts about themselves on a note card. For several minutes, people walk around the room, introducing themselves and sharing the facts on their cards. They then exchange cards (baggage) and move on to introduce themselves to others in the group. When time is up, the teacher or moderator coll...

Basadur Simplex
A problem-solving strategy. Steps include: problem finding, fact finding, problem defining, idea finding, evaluating and selecting, action planning, gaining acceptance, taking action.

Be Here Now
David B. Ellis's method for focusing student attention when it begins to wander from the task at hand.

Before, During, and After
A metacognitive approach to reading that guides students to explore text Before reading to activate prior knowledge, monitor comprehension During reading, and summarize the reading After reading.

Behavioral Observations
Measuring of students actions using either formal or informal methods.

Behaviorist Models
Based on the philosophy that learning is a change in behavior. Student behaviors which are rewarded will be repeated. Behaviors which are punished or ignored will decrease. Model stresses the importance of the environment in learning and treats the student's mind as an unknowable 'black box.'

Big Books
The use by a teacher of oversized books when reading to a group of children. The large size of the text and pictures makes it possible for all children in the group to see interact with the book at the same time.

Blogs
Blogs, also known as weblogs, are online journals that can be used by the teacher as a means of sharing thoughts, assignments, or resources; or blogs can be created by students for the purpose of reflection, intergroup communication, or to fulfill particular assignments.

Bloom's Taxonomy
An approach to ranking learning by the sophistication or depth of learning required or accomplished.

Book Box
Boxes of books, kept in the classroom, to be explored by students at their own pace.

Book Club
Groups who meet to discuss books.

Book Ends
Pairs of students discuss and make predictions before an activity, then meet after the activity to review and compare reactions.

Book Reports
A factual, written summary of a book.

Books on Tape
Audio tapes of books that have been read aloud.

Brain Lateralization
Because different hemispheres of the brain perform different functions, individual's learning styles and preferences are related to the functioning and dominance of the different halves (hemispheres) of their brains. Instruction can be adapted to fit variation in individual's brain preferences.

Brain-based Learning
An instructional model based on the idea that instructional activities are more effective if they occur in an environment compatible with the way the brain is designed to learn.

Brainstorming
Group process where all ideas are accepted and recorded.

BrainWriting
A creativity or problem-solving technique similar to brainstorming, but individuals write their ideas.

Brochure
Students research a topic then create a brochure to explain the topic to others.

Buddy Program
Students are typically paired with a slightly older child for most of the year. The buddies meet once every week or two to work together on reading or spelling. The younger children benefit from individualized attention and the older children benefit by being able to act as a role model. Teaching recently learned skills reinforces and strengthens t...

Buddy System
Pairing students during the first week of class to create pairs who are responsible to help each other get missing assignments due to absence, or watch out for each other during field trips.

Budget Preparation
Students research and prepare budgets to understand costs and values.

Bulletin Boards
Boards or wall space where information or materials can be posted to inform, excite, guide, or motivate students.

Business
Teachers and programs can guide students in beginning a small business.

Buzz Sessions
Small, informal group discussions.

Calculator
For use in computation, or for demonstrating skill with the calculator.

Capsule Vocabulary
A teaching strategy to explore a few vocabulary words related to a specific topic.

Career Exploration
Activities, guides, and counseling to assist students make decisions about choosing their future professions, and how to get jobs in their chosen fields.

Carolina Teams Improvement
Scoring method where students receive bonus points for exceeding their individual target and team bonus points if their team's combined score exceeded their team's target.

Carousel
Collaborative problem-solving using teams of three students.

Carousel Brainstorming
Subtopics or questions about a topic are posted throughout the room. Student groups brainstorm as they visit each of the subtopics.

Cartoons
Reading or creating cartoons.

Cascade
Cooperative analysis of short, but critical, passages of text or graphics.

Case Studies
Case studies are real life problems that have arisen in the workplace that students must solve. Can also be used to explore interpersonal relationships.

Categorization
Thinking skill that allows students to sort objects or concepts into categories according to a variety of criteria.

Causal Mapping
A form of concept mapping in which causes and effects are more clearly shown.

Cause and Effect
A pattern showing the relationship between two actions or occurrences.

Celebrations
Classroom and school-based celebrations provide an opportunity to teach students more about their own cultures and that of their classmates.

Chant
Rhythmic text, repeated orally by individuals or a group to improve recall.

Character Analysis
Character analysis in education has two meanings. The most commonly used is to describe activities designed to help students understand characters in their fictional reading. The second meaning is analysis of the student's own character with regard to ethics and values.

Character Education
Activities designed to develop character, compassion, ethics, and responsibility in youth.

Characterization
In critical thinking, characterization a form of analysis of critical features of an object or concept. In writing, characterization is the creation of believable fictional characters.

Cheat Notes
Summarization technique. Students prepare a single note card of information they believe will be on test. Students are allowed to bring these notes to test. As students gain confidence, withdraw use of cards during test.

Checklist
Checklists can be used to satisfy many objectives. They are useful as a memory tool or in encouraging creativity. They can also be used directly as assessments, or as a review tool in preparing for assessments.

Choice Theory
Glasser's updated Control Theory.

Choral Response
In response to a cue, all students in the group respond verbally at the same time. The response can be either to answer a question, or to repeat something the teacher has said. Often used in learning languages and in repeating of computational facts.

Chronological Sequencing
An instructional approach in which objectives are presented to learners in chronological order. Compare to: General-to-Specific, Known-to-Unknown, Part-to-Part-to-Part, Part-to-Whole, Part-to-Whole-to Part, Spiral, Step-by-Step, Topical, Unknown-to-Known, Whole-to-Part

Chunking
A memorization technique.

Chunking
A writing technique.

Circles of Knowledge
Graphic organizer that prompts students to write: 3 Facts I Know, 3 Questions I Want Answered, and Answers to My Questions.

Circles of Learning
Cooperative learning method devised by Roger and David Johnson which combines whole class learning plus heterogeneous small groups. An extension of Johnson and Johnson's 'Learning Together.' Comprises eighteen steps designed to guide teachers through the team building and managing process.