1. The Concept Anchoring Routine The Content Enhancement Series 2002 The University of Kansas Center for Research on Learning

2. University of Kansas Center for Research on Learning
We believe no child or adolescent can be left behind in the quest for literacy, equal opportunity, and a future with promise. We have worked to break the processes of learning down into easy-to-remember steps to make learning manageable for those students who lack the basic literacy skills they need to succeed in school or compete for jobs.

3. KU-CRL…
The result of our research is the Strategic Instruction Model (SIM), a comprehensive approach to adolescent literacy that addresses the need of students to be able to read and understand large volumes of complex materials as well as to be able to express themselves effectively in writing.

4. Content Enhancement
A way of teaching an academically diverse group of students in which: -The integrity of the content is maintained; -Critical features of the content are selected and transformed in a manner that promotes student learning; -Both group and individual needs are valued and met; and -Instruction is carried out in a partnership with students.

5. Understanding the Challenge of Diversity
Creating connections to background knowledge is required when introducing difficult but important concepts. Varying levels and types of student diversity impact background knowledge.
Student need new ways of thinking about critical concepts. Teachers can take advantage of student diversity as they anchor new information to help students find and build learning on know information.

6. Content Enhancement Routines for Teaching Concepts
Three of the Content Enhancement Routines are
directly related to the teaching of concepts:
Concept Mastery Routine
Concept Comparison Routine
Concept Anchoring Routine
All three of the routines focus on teaching students about concepts, or groups or
categories that have the same characteristics.

7. The Concept Anchoring Routine
The Concept Anchoring Routine focuses on two concepts. The teacher creates an analogy using a concept with which students are familiar to help them understand a new concept. Teacher & students identify the characteristics of each concept; with the teacher taking care to match up the characteristics of the two concepts.

8. The Concept Anchoring Routine
Then, the teacher and the students create names for the similar characteristics, that is the characteristics that both concepts share. The teacher and students work together to create a statement of understanding about the new concept, which often includes information about the familiar concept and how the two concepts are related.

9. Responding to the Challenge
The Concept Anchoring Routine helps
students to:
-Focus on key concepts.
-Use prior knowledge to understand new concepts.
-Focus attention on similarities between concepts.

10. Responding to the Challenge
The Concept Anchoring Routine helps students to:
-Remember a way to think about new concepts.
-Understand usefulness of analogies in understanding and learning.
-Interact with teacher and others to explore and understand new concepts.
-Record information for later use.

11. Supporting Research
The routine was studied in academically diverse secondary content-area classes.
Students in various groups gained an average of 7 to 27 percentage points on tests or assignments that required demonstration of understanding.
Teachers learned the routine easily and continued using it regularly after the study was completed.
Students learned how to participate in and use the routine.

12. Components of The Concept Anchoring Routine
The Anchoring Table
Teaching Device
The ANCHORS
Linking Steps
The
Cue-Do-Review
Sequence

13. The Anchoring Table Teaching Device
Is a visual device that:
-focuses attention on a New Concept and a
Known Concept;
-identifies critical features of each concept;
-prompts elaboration based on prior knowledge;
-helps make relationships between concepts clear.

14. 3 Collect
Known Information
4 Highlight
Characteristics of
Known Concept
5 Observe
Characteristics
of New Concept
6 Reveal
Shared
7 State
Understanding of
New Concept
Known
Information
Name: Date:
Anchoring Table
2 Name 6
Characteristics of Known Concept
Characteristics of New Concept
Characteristics Shared
1 Announce
the New Concept
ANCHORS
Linking
Steps:
Understanding of the New Concept:
Unit: 1 2 4 5 3 7
The Challenge
University of Kansas Center for Research on Learning 2002
University of Kansas Center for Research on Learning 2002

15. The ANCHORS Linking Steps
Guide the teacher in ways to:
-present the Anchoring Table effectively;
-involve students in constructing and using the Anchoring Table;
-elicit and make connections to the prior knowledge of students; and
-focus student attention on learning.

16. The ANCHORS Linking Steps
Announce the New Concept.
Name the Known Concept.
Collect Known Information.
Highlight Characteristics of the Known Concept.
Observe Characteristics of the New Concept.
Reveal Characteristics Shared.
State Understanding of the New Concept.

17. Anchoring Table The Teaching Device: The Anchoring Table
3 Collect
Known Information
4 Highlight
Characteristics of
Known Concept
5 Observe
Characteristics
of New Concept
6 Reveal
Shared
7 State
Understanding of
New Concept
Known
Information
Name: Date:
Anchoring Table
2 Name 6
Characteristics of Known Concept
Characteristics of New Concept
Characteristics Shared
1 Announce
the New Concept
ANCHORS
Linking
Steps:
Understanding of the New Concept:
Unit: 1 2 4 5 3 7
Federalism
in the U.S.A.
Decision making
in your school
Federalism in the U.S.A. is a form of government in which decisions are made by both
state and national govts. Rules to decide how power is divided are based on the Constitution. Some powers (e.g., make
war, coin money) belong to the national govt. Other powers (e.g., education, marriage, gambling) belong to the states.
Some powers (e.g., tax, punish crimes) belong to both.
administra-
tors
penalties
teachers
make
assignments
tors expel
rules
not sure if
powers are
written down
Decisions are made by state &
national govts.
Rules, based on Constitution,
tell how power is divided.
Some powers belong to national
govt (war, money).
Some powers belong to states
(education, marriage, gambling).
Some powers belong to both
(tax, punish crimes).
Decisions are made by
administrators & teachers.
Rules, written or understood, tell
how power is divided.
Some powers belong to
administrators (expel).
teachers (give assignments).
(make rules, set penalties).
2 groups are involved.
Rules tell how power is divided.
groups.
Some powers belong to the other group.
Some powers belong to one group.
The Teaching Device: The Anchoring Table
The Challenge
University of Kansas Center for Research on Learning 2002
University of Kansas Center for Research on Learning 2002

18. The Cue-Do-Review Sequence
The teacher announces the Anchoring Table and explains its use and expectations for student participation. Do
The teacher and students construct the device together using ANCHORS Linking Steps that “connect” the content to the student needs.
Review
Information presented in the Anchoring Table is reviewed, and the process of developing the analogy is also reviewed.

19. “Get Ready!” (p.14) Decide when to use the routine. Collect materials.
Construct a draft.
Identify major concepts you will be teaching.
Identify one concept for which you can create an analogy.
Plan how you will present the table to students.
Know what information you will expect students to know related to the table.

20. “Get Set!” (p. 19)
Prepare to teach students about the Anchoring Table.
Introduce the Anchoring Table.
Describe how you will Cue the Anchoring Table.
Describe and model how you will Do the routine.
Explain how you will Review the information in the Anchoring Table.

21. “Go!” (p. 24) Use the routine explicitly.
Build lessons abound Anchoring Tables.
Review understanding of Anchoring Tables as needed.
Beware of “pit” monsters.
Evaluate your use of the routine.

22. “Win!”
Teachers who make the biggest difference in education today are those who are committed to a process of continual professional learning. The Concept Anchoring Routine can be a highly effective tool if you learn it and use it regularly. Collaborate with someone to learn and use the routine. Tell others how you are using it. Share your Anchoring Tables and ask for ideas.