Trends in Instruction

Reading and Language Arts Seven basic approaches to teaching reading

Basal reader approaches b Comprehensive and systematic b Good sequencing b Is flexible b Well-established vocabulary b Has diagnostic tools b Well-rounded approach b Stereotyped b Limits students to one book b Geared to middle class whites b Little time for creativity b Heavily visual b Little transfer to functional reading

Language experience b Integration of all language arts b Utilizes students’ own language b Encourages sharing b Develops confidence b Develops self- expression b Limited materials b No sequencing built in b No concrete evaluation process b Limits word attack skills

Individualized reading b Enables child to select appropriate books b Progresses at own rate b Relationship with teacher enhanced through conferences b Diminishes competition b Flexible b Allows for insufficient skill development b Requires vast amounts of materials b May allow children to limit own selection b No advance organizers

Linguistic approach b Words are phonetically familiar b Presents words as wholes b shows letters as a function by arrangement in the words b Develops sentence order early b There are many linguistic approaches b Lacks extensive field testing b Has too controlled vocabulary (Dr. Suess books)

Phonics b Develops efficiency in word recognition b Helps develop independence in word recognition b Immediate success/positive reinforcement b Letter-sound association b Tends to isolate speech in an unnatural manner b Too much repetition; boring b Phonics can become reading instead of being a subset of reading

International Teaching Alphabet b Is simpler b Gives opportunity for free expression b Quick success, develops enthusiasm b Encourages learning of words more rapidly b Lacks clarification regarding techniques and materials b Transition from International Teaching Alphabet difficult b ITA is only at school b Validity unknown

Programmed Instruction b Allows child to proceed at own pace b Reinforces after each step b Records student progress b Self-instructional b Helps teacher to understand sequencing b Does not consider attention span of student b Becomes repetitious b Bypasses comprehension b Little room for child to develop his own interests b Expensive

Mathematics, moving from... b A narrow computationally driven curriculum b Acquisition of pieces of knowledge as an end in itself b A narrow role for problem solving with primary emphasis on word problems b Preoccupation with paper-pencil computation b Students as passive participants

Mathematics, moving to b A broad curriculum that includes experiences with several branches of mathematics b Embedding knowledge in a conceptual framework b Multiple methods of computation, including calculators for “messy” problems b Students as active participants

Mathematics Goals b Mathematical Ideals: the concepts of number, operation, relations, set function, and proof b Problem solving: ability to associate a physical event with the appropriate mathematical statement, use computations to solve the statement, and then apply the resolution to the originating physical event

Mathematics goals (2) b Computation techniques: the skills to compute effectively and efficiently the sums, differences, products, and quotients of whole and fractional numbers b Language: the meanings and experiences to use the communication system of mathematics to explore, invent, and discover (“think mathematics”)

Social Studies Education Developing an awareness of the social world around us

The social studies fields b History b Philosophy b Sociology b Political science b Geography b Economics b Anthropology b Social psychology

If social studies is uninteresting, it may be that b There are no opportunities for wise acting, experiencing, and inquiring b Objects and materials of the environment are inappropriate for the developmental levels of the students b the range of cognitive and affective behaviors is being thwarted

If social studies is boring... b Teaching and learning are considered as the same acts b Information, conclusions, and values are being imposed

Try these things... b Do some synthesis activities--building, doing, changing, amending. b Check the media resources--what else is there to help history come alive? b Get students involved

Health and Physical Education

A Physically educated person b Has physical skills b Participates regularly in physical activity b Is Physically fit b knows benefits from physical activities b values physical activity and its contributions

Two faces of sex education b “Home face” says that sex ed. Should be taught at home b Abstinence before marriage + monogamy afterwards =the only safe sex b Values and anatomy should be taught b Statistics say “home face” is failing b Abstinence is first choice; condoms, 2nd b Less than 25% of children have significant visits with parents about sex b Avoiding disaster is the motive for sex ed.

Science Education b Consists of (1) attitudes, (2) processes or methods, and (3) products b Current science education emphasizes attitudes and processes instead of just products

Scientific attitudes b Curiosity b Humility b Skepticism b Open-mindedness b Avoidance of dogmatism or gullability b Positive approach to failure b Objectivity

Scientific processes b Observing b Classifying b Measuring b Hypothesizing or predicting b Describing b Inferring or making conclusions from data b Asking insightful questions about nature b Formulating problems b Designing investigations b Carrying out exper. b Constructing from data, principles, laws, & theories

Scientific products b Concepts b Principles and generalizations b Theories

Art Education b No longer for the elite b Artist is a more careful observer, not just a “gifted hand.” b May include water color, charcoal, drawing, oils, sculpture, computer graphics

Music education b Includes singing, pre- orchestral instruments, band instruments, orchestra, synthesizer. b Not just for the elite b Enrichment for life

Vocational education b No longer just for “second track” students b Every person needs technical skills b Some skills are needed for use at home regardless of one’s profession

Directions for all curricula b Constructivistic b “Hands-on” b Students as active learners b MEANINGFUL LEARNING--teach nothing without teaching meaning b Connections to other parts of the curriculum