Explicit Teaching and the Role of Automaticity Laura Colligan & Kim St. Martin March, 2015

2 The content for this presentation is mainly developed using excerpts and concepts from: Visible Learning and the Science of How We Learn (Hattie and Yates, 2014) Acknowledgements

3 1.0Review from previous session 2.0Why the dissension? 3.0Memory skills and school success 4.0Matching teaching styles to learning styles – an urban legend 5.0 Braiding our learning into practice 6.0Next Steps Agenda

4 1.0Review from Previous Session

5 Goal is to get information so automatic, it can be easily accessed from long- term memory If this is done, it reduces cognitive load There are two types of cognitive load: 1.Intrinsic 2.Extraneous Big Ideas from Previous Session

6 Recall: Sources of Overload Little prior knowledge Weak mental strategies or inappropriate strategies to learn the information or cope with overload Unrealistic expectations for learning (goal too high) Poor instruction Learning conditions were not favorable for learning the information Anxiety around assessment Intrinsic Extraneous Intrinsic Extraneous

7 The Principles of Instruction, steps of direct instruction, steps of explicit instruction are designed in such a way to help information move from short term memory to long term memory The Principles of Instruction, steps of direct instruction and steps of explicit instruction include entry points where problem-based learning, inquiry would be appropriate to foster deeper learning Big Ideas from Previous Session (cont.)

9 But…there is still some dissention with the messaging of direct instruction and inquiry

10 2.0Why the Dissension?

11 Direct instruction and inquiry: Some still believe the message is one over the other Direct instruction, inquiry and their role in teaching students mathematical concepts Argument seems to be to refute Hattie’s work on the basis of the methodologies he used to calculate the effect sizes Current Dissension

12 Hattie’s work has been integral in our unpacking of the effects of interventions / innovations BUT it has not been the sole citation for why some things are more effective than others Important Thing to Note

These are just a few of the resources that we have used to tie together many of the pieces we have been working on for a few years (MTSS, Hattie’s effect sizes, what we know about knowledge acquisition, systems to support implementation, etc.)

14 The push in this county for evidence based practices (instructional practices, programs, etc.) has been consistent and relentless Criticisms have been made and as a result having multiple sources of information / research / guidance to point to helps us respond to the criticisms Why the all the Resources?

15 Read document titled, “Corrections in VL2” that was written by John Hattie. Discuss the information in this document and whether it will be helpful to you based on questions you have gotten from staff? As leaders, what talking points could you provide to staff who are drawing attention away from the message? Activity

16 One final point about the dissension…

17 Underestimate the level of difficulty for novice learners Can struggle to effectively communicate the content knowledge Concepts are so automatic it is easily forgotten what it took to learn the most basic skills in the content area Limitations of Teachers Who are Content Experts

18 High level of pedagogical knowledge Higher ability to improvise and adjust instruction based on the situation Deep understanding of why students are successful or are unable to perform a task More apt to provide appropriate learning strategies that engage, challenge intrigue without overwhelming Characteristics of Teachers Who are Experts in Instruction Hattie, 2009

19 More apt to anticipate and plan for the challenges students will encounter when learning new tasks Higher ability to improvise when things are not going as expected Accurate in hypothesis generation about what is causing students success or failure Distinct passion Hattie, 2009 Characteristics of Teachers Who are Experts in Instruction (cont.)

20 3.0Memory Skills and School Success

21 Memories from birth to age three are unavailable (infantile amnesia) Age three you remember episodes (episodic memory) Rich conversations play a large role in developing a child’s memory system (elaborative reminiscing style) –Gives the child the chance to practice searching for and retrieving information through narrative accounts Memories

22 Going to school has cognitive benefits Alters the ways students organize their perceptions, language skills and knowledge storage systems Our minds want and needs recitation along with other things like elaboration (connecting the information you are trying to remember to existing information to get it to LTM) and imagery Teaching Memory Skills

23 “There is nothing wrong in stressing that memorization and understanding go hand in hand.” (Hattie and Yates, 2014, p. 170)

24 Read pages in your Visible Learning and the Science of How We Learn books. Why does “memorization” have a bad rap?Why does “memorization” have a bad rap? How can we use this information and distinguish between the benefits of teaching memorization skills from common sayings like “drill and kill?”How can we use this information and distinguish between the benefits of teaching memorization skills from common sayings like “drill and kill?” Activity

Matching Teaching Styles to Learning Styles: An Urban Legend

26 VAK Model: Visual, auditory and kinesthetic learning styles –Says that most of us are visual learners; however, auditory learners benefit from hearing words and learn through language / vocabulary building Model has been around for 50 years Unpacking the Myth

27 Effectiveness of the VAK Model – Conclusion: “there is not any recognized evidence suggesting that knowing or diagnosing learning styles will help you teach your students any better than knowing their learning style Unpacking the Myth (cont.)

28 Recall: Conditions for Learning 1.Time, effort and motivation 1.Concentration (spans are short) 1.Distributed practice - more effective than massed practice (or cramming) 1.Prior knowledge - effects are powerful 1.Multimedia input - is important (mind responds to the combination of visual and auditory information) 1.Mind needs to do something with the information

29 Read the sections of in your Visible Learning and the Science of How We Learn books. “A brief topical history…” on pp (top)“A brief topical history…” on pp (top) “Significant reviews of the empirical research…up through “In Perspective (pp )“Significant reviews of the empirical research…up through “In Perspective (pp ) How does this align or conflict with what you learned or with what your teachers believe to be true? Activity

Braiding our learning into practice

31 Focus Question: How do we translate what we have been learning about Hattie, Explicit Instruction, Student Engagement, and Active Feedback into practice? Now, let's look at some samples within Ingham..... APPLICATION

How do we braid our learning into practice?

33 First Step: Strategic Discussion Groups Look at your name tag and locate colored dot. There is a corresponding poster on the wall. This is the cross district group you will be in.Look at your name tag and locate colored dot. There is a corresponding poster on the wall. This is the cross district group you will be in. Each group will watch a short TLT video and take notes looking for the principles of effective instruction, explicit instruction, &/or direct instruction on the observation form.Each group will watch a short TLT video and take notes looking for the principles of effective instruction, explicit instruction, &/or direct instruction on the observation form. APPLICATION

34 Second Step: Debrief as a groupDebrief as a group On chart paper list:On chart paper list: 3 Elements of direct/explicit Instruction3 Elements of direct/explicit Instruction 2 Questions2 Questions 1 Opportunity/recommendation to increase impact of lesson1 Opportunity/recommendation to increase impact of lesson APPLICATION

35 WHOLE GROUP SHARE OUT APPLICATION

36 6.0Next Steps

37 Feedback Sheets Dates for next year Updates Next Steps