Instructional Strategies Alice Taylor Course Ep 500 91 Septe

Instructional Strategiesalice Taylorcourse Ep 500 91september 21 2019

This Expertise Sharing Project is on instructional strategies. An instructional strategy is a learning activity that engages students and allows them to meet the learning objectives for the lesson (Carnegie Mellon University). It involves specific methods and approaches aimed at supporting student learning across diverse content areas.

Learning strategies are used to increase student engagement, motivation, and deepen understanding of concepts. Teachers utilize these tools to effectively teach standards, differentiate instruction to meet diverse learners' needs, and maximize learning outcomes. They support all learners, foster active participation, and make learning more engaging and effective.

Key terms essential to understanding instructional strategies include:

• Concept: An abstract idea generalized from specific examples (Slavin, 2018).
• Content: The body of knowledge included in the curriculum.
• Differentiated Instruction: An approach that adapts content, pace, and products to accommodate diverse student needs (Slavin, 2018).
• ESL Student: A student who speaks a language other than English at home.
• Scaffolding: Support provided to learners through hints, reminders, or breaking down tasks to promote independence (Slavin, 2018).
• Schemata: Mental networks of related concepts that influence understanding (Slavin, 2018).
• Strategy: A careful plan or method for achieving a goal (Merriam-Webster).

These strategies are used in classrooms to support teaching and improve learning by encouraging students to actively participate, understand content deeply, and develop critical thinking skills.

The reasons for using instructional strategies include supporting all learners, differentiating instruction, effectively teaching standards, engaging students, increasing learning opportunities, and making learning enjoyable. They also help prevent boredom and deepen comprehension.

Paper For Above instruction

Instructional strategies are fundamental components of effective teaching practices. They encompass a variety of methods designed to foster engagement, facilitate understanding, and accommodate diverse learning needs. This essay explores the significance of instructional strategies, their classification, and specific techniques applicable across different content areas such as reading, mathematics, and for learners with special needs, including English language learners (ELLs).

At the core, an instructional strategy is a deliberate approach applied to enhance student learning outcomes. According to Carnegie Mellon University's Eberly Center, these strategies serve to actively involve students in the learning process (Carnegie Mellon University, n.d.). Engaged learners are more likely to retain information, develop critical thinking skills, and enjoy the learning process, which ultimately results in higher academic achievement. Teachers employ various strategies strategically tailored to subject matter and student needs.

One primary purpose of instructional strategies is boosting student motivation and engagement. Motivated students tend to participate more actively, leading to a deeper understanding of the content. Strategies such as think-alouds, where teachers verbalize their thought process while reading, provide students with explicit modeling that enhances comprehension and language development (Morrison & Wlodarczyk, 2009). Read-aloud sessions foster listening skills, vocabulary expansion, and motivation to read, which are essential components of literacy development.

Another crucial aspect is differentiation. Differentiated instruction adapts content, process, and products to meet individual learner needs (Slavin, 2018). For instance, scaffolding — providing temporary supports such as cues, prompts, and breaking tasks into manageable steps — assists struggling learners in achieving mastery. Scaffolding builds independence and confidence, especially vital when teaching new or complex concepts (What is Scaffolded Learning?, n.d.). Strategies like graphic organizers, summarization, and elaborative questioning encourage active engagement and deepen understanding.

Reading comprehension strategies include making connections between the text and prior knowledge, peers’ ideas (through discussion webs), and visual aids. Morrison and Wlodarczyk (2009) emphasize that connecting prior experiences with new information promotes schema development, which enhances understanding. Teaching students to summarize text at different points during reading improves retention and comprehension, especially beneficial for struggling readers (Biancarosa, 2005).

In math instruction, repeated practice and encouraging mathematical discourse are fundamental. Repetition consolidates understanding, while "Math Talk"—discussions about problem-solving approaches—develops critical thinking and reasoning skills (Adams, 2019). Teachers should select meaningful, real-world problems that relate to students' experiences to increase motivation and foster conceptual understanding. For example, asking students to find the area of a typical classroom object makes abstract concepts more tangible, aiding in generalization of skills.

For students who struggle academically, tailored strategies like sentence frames and summarization are employed. Sentence frames provide structured language to facilitate communication and comprehension, whereas summarization helps break down complex information into manageable parts. These techniques promote active learning and help students internalize concepts (Carr & Bertrando, 2012). Additionally, student-centered strategies such as Think-Pair-Share encourage peer collaboration, fostering social skills and comprehension (Carr & Bertrando, 2012).

English as a Second Language (ESL) students benefit significantly from specific instructional strategies, including pre-teaching vocabulary, building background knowledge, and creating a welcoming environment. Pre-teaching essential vocabulary activates prior knowledge and reduces comprehension barriers (Gupta, 2019). Using multiple modalities—visuals, gestures, and multimodal instruction—engages different cognitive pathways, aiding retention and understanding. Creating a supportive classroom atmosphere encourages language development and builds confidence, enabling ESL learners to participate actively (Gupta, 2019).

Visual aids such as graphics and pictures serve as powerful tools to build schema, teach vocabulary, and deepen understanding. For ESL learners, contextualized instruction combined with interactive activities fosters language acquisition and content mastery. Frameworks like activity centers, cooperative learning, and technology integration further enhance engagement and accommodate diverse learning styles (Gupta, 2019).

Beyond specific strategies, educators can utilize an array of instructional tools such as learning centers, cognitive organizers, and active engagement routines like classroom meetings and routines. These strategies foster inclusive, dynamic classroom environments where all students can thrive. Research suggests that incorporating a wide range of strategies—such as reciprocal teaching for reading comprehension, role-playing to develop empathy and social skills, and formative assessment techniques—substantially improves academic outcomes and student motivation (Slavin, 2018; Carr & Bertrando, 2012).

In conclusion, instructional strategies are vital for creating effective, equitable, and engaging classrooms. They support learner variability, improve comprehension across disciplines, and foster skills necessary for lifelong learning. Teachers must continuously adapt and diversify their instructional techniques to meet evolving student needs, leveraging a broad repertoire of strategies to ensure successful learning experiences for all students.

References

• Biancarosa, G. (2005). After third grade. Educational Leadership, 63(2), 16.
• Carnegie Mellon University. (n.d.). Instructional Strategies - Eberly Center - Carnegie Mellon University. Retrieved from https://www.cmu.edu/teaching/assessment/examples/instructional-strategies.html
• Gupta, A. (2019). Principles and Practices of Teaching English Language Learners. International Education Studies, 12(7), 49. https://doi.org/10.5539/ies.v12n7p49
• Morrison, V., & Wlodarczyk, L. (2009). Revisiting Read-Aloud: Instructional Strategies That Encourage Students’ Engagement With Texts. Reading Teacher, 62(2), 110–120.
• Slavin, R. E. (2018). Educational Psychology: Theory and Practice (12th ed.). Pearson.
• What is Scaffolded Learning? (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.teachingstrategies.com/what-is-scaffolded-learning/
• Adams, C. (2019, January 4). 11 Essential Strategies in Teaching Math. Retrieved from https://www.edutopia.org/article/11-essential-strategies-teaching-math/
• Carr, J., & Bertrando, S. (2012). Top 10 instructional strategies for struggling students. Leadership - Burlingame, 1(1), 24–30.
• Additional sources as listed in the original references (e.g., various slides and graphic resources) are integrated through academic insights for comprehensive understanding.