Reading+Week+2+Whitton,+D.+Sinclair+C+2004

Teaching and Learning Strategies

"-Project voice clearly, vary tone, volume and pitch; -Match the language to the level of the students -Signpost the representations -Check the students' understanding -Use props/demonstrations when necessary" pg 123

Discussion Think about the attributes that keep you, the listener/viewer engaged, in discussions between presenters and participators in sporting and reality tv programs.

'Discussion is bringing the students into the teaching arena. That is, the students add to the content of the lesson.' pg 123 They are active learners, engaged in constructing their own knowledge through discussion.

Organizational guidelines for a discussion -Seating arrangements - plan prior to discussion. Consider teacher position in relation to students. If students are on floor and teacher is seated above, dynamics of group will deteriorate. -A tight circle free of distractions. Eye contact will involve all students. Ensure they can all see one another. -Organisational structure- don't rely on one. Create a list of places where discussion could take place. Circle at desks, circle on floor, panel at front of class. -Timing- "consider time allocated in relation to the students' age and level of knowledge of the topic" to assure appropriateness. Pg 124 -timing- students will be. Ore prepared to engage in discussions atdifferent times of the day. -"the success of a discussion is that there is part cipation (not giving a shit? Opposite of anticipation. Urban dictionary, surely they mean citation right?) by many of the group and therefore a signal or guideline to indicate a contribution is required should be shared prior to the discussion. The signal should not disrupt flow" pg 124

For successful development of a discussion the teacher needs to: - set ground rules - be warm and enthusiastic - be non judgmental and -utilize questioning

When planning and presenting a discussion -focus oN the topic, keep students on the topic being an active listener and clarifying student responses by paraphrasing Summarising Probing Elaborating Analysing. -Use student's ideas to encourage participation. Be silent sometimes to allow them to speak (increase wait time), challenge students (without creating debate or winner/loser). If discussion slows down "raise key questions to refocus the students". Pg 124

Sucessful discussions involve all students being prepared to "share their ideas, allow for some order in the way other studnet's present and in particular respect the opinions of others." pg 124 Clear ground rules prior to discussion commencment, effective Organisation where all members see each other and dynamics allow feelings of equality, and teacher management where discussion in maintained upon topic but not domineerEd should see this eventuate.

Questioning People are always asking questions in different ways. The underlying principle is that they require an answer.

In a classroom teacher usually asks the question and student responds. "The teacher's responsability impacts upon the the students' desire to participate in the learning". Pg 125 The relationship may inhibit some students responses, and some studnts may feel intimidated by others. This intimidation may hold students back from participating in the discussion. Questions can be used to 'encourage an interest and curiosity in the topic" 125, to "draw attention to a particular issue or concept and to highlight a comparison between different facets of information", 125 and to "seek clarification from the students" pg 125 Questions "determine if students understand the task required of them and also to stimulstudents nuts to ask theteacher and other students questions." pg 125

Convergent and Divergent Questions Convergent - closed questions, limited responses. Used for recall and comprehension of facts and rules. Divergent - "broad questions requiring higher level order thinking skills and synthesis and evaluation of previous learning." 126 "encourage thinking and problem solving over time to then come to an answer". Pg 126

Encouraging students to respond by asking questions depends greatly upon the way in which questions at asked. -ensure language is appropriate to student level -ensure content area is beingdiscussed. -closely linked app an expression and intonation (variation of tone) to encourage participation -distribute questions around students,considering timing (pauses (wait time) to encourage student responses. "Just like developing a narration if the planning of when questions considers the people, place, purpose, placement of teh questions they should be successful." pg 126

Motivating students to answer questions -place questions within the content of learning as to allow students to see relevance and ink to previous and future learning - pose a question and break the students into smaller groups to discuss and then report back to the larger group -Gives an incorrect answer to challenge the students' thinking and lightens the teaching moment -direct the question to a particular student -phrase the question using an appropriate level of language.

Responding to students answers There are five ways that a teacher may use the students ideas. They are Acknowledging, modifying, applying, comparing and summarising. These may be complimented with probing, elaborating and redirecting. Acknowledging a response allowed to students to know that you have heard that response by positive reinforcement, and reinforces how the points made relates to the topic of discussion. Modifying sees the teacher rephrase the students response. applying sees the teacher take the students response to the next level of learning and may incorporate the teacher elaborating upon the response. Comparing highlights relationships between student responses. Summarising is repeating relevant points

Handling the wrong answer Please note students give wrong answers for various reasons. This is an insight that something is not happening correctly. Firstly acknowledge student contribution and then enquire as to how they come to that conclusion. Use an error as "a springboard by modifying the response to develop the next question." pg 128

Unresponsive students Some students may not respond because they did not hear as they were not engaged in the lesson, bring back the engagement. Students may not respond because they do not understand the question, the language is too difficult or too easy. "If the students consider the question to be irrelevant the teacher may need to put it within the context of learning to assist in understanding before trying to enter the question." pg 128 Students may not respond because they emotionally not capable of doing so. Students maybe too timid to respond. "Many other issues need to be addressed to alter the student's interaction with the teacher; if these situations occur is not only a results of the type of the questions being asked." pg 129

Bloom's six levels in the cognitive taxonomy are suitable to use as a framework when developing questions in a lesson Knowledge - remember. Recall of facts and details Comprehension - understand. Showing understanding of the information presented Application - apply. Using the knowledge Analysis - analyse. seeing different parts Synthesis -evaluate. Using the parts evaluation – create? Assessing and judging.

What not to do? Do not use dead end questions Do not use Chameleon questions that is questions that start at addressing one area and then switched to a completely different area Do not use by the questions which are unclear and hence confusing to the students Do not use putdown questions that ridicule one student to demonstrate his or her lack of knowledge or understanding. Do not chorus questions which immediately have the whole class or group calling out a response which cannot be understood by anyone Do not echo the response from each student Do not talk over students and complete the responses Do not accept only the first response given

"Questioning is an art, not a chance to interrogate" pg 129

Demonstration A demonstration is showing someone has to do something. We use demonstrations to; Show students what is to be done- model the actions, expected outcome Motivate students to be interested in a particular topic area Protect students in danger by allowing them to watch but not be part of the dangerous activity Involve students in an activity that has limited resources and they are not required to part of the process The highlight that something is unusual To share different ways of creating a particular products and when the resources are precious or easily broken