Effective Instruction Series

2011-12

Brain Basics
Boosting Retention

Objective
You will be able to
Identify and explain research-based ways to boost retention

Key Concepts:
Clear Objectives Information Processing Model Primacy-Recency Sense & Meaning VAK Closure

The questions that p____________ face as they raise ch_______ from in________ to adult life are not easy to

an______. Both fa________ and m_________ can become

concerned when health problems such as co___________ arise any time after the e__________

stage to later life. Experts recommend that young

ch_________ should have plenty of s__________ and Nutritious food for healthy growth. B________ and g _______ should not share the same b__________ or even sleep in the same r__________.

Now try this...

Objective:
Identify issues that poultry farmers face.

The questions that p____________ face as they raise ch_______ from in________ to adult life are not easy to

an______. Both fa________ and m_________ can become

concerned when health problems such as co___________ arise any time after the e__________

stage to later life. Experts recommend that young

ch_________ should have plenty of s__________ and Nutritious food for healthy growth. B________ and g _______ should not share the same b__________ or even sleep in the same r__________.

The questions that poultrymen face as they raise chickens from incubation to adult life are not easy to

answer. Both farmers and merchants can become

concerned when health problems such as coccidiosis arise any time after the egg

stage to later life. Experts recommend that young

chicks should have plenty of sunshine and Nutritious food for healthy growth. Banties and geese should not share the same barnyard or even sleep in the same roost.

Objectives
(learning targets, outcomes, learning goals, benchmarks, goals, purpose)

Aligned with district standards and indicators Express what students should know (declarative) or be able to do (procedural) at the end of a learning episode describes learner following instruction specifies what is to be learned, to what level, and the behavior that will provide evidence describes conditions necessary for the objective to be met and expected performance level

Write Pair - Share

Write
Record sharing objectives on your craft knowledge record (name it, describe it, say why its good).

Pair
Find your 3:00 partner

Share
Compare your descriptions, check for accuracy and thoroughness, revise as necessary

What will I do to help students effectively interact with new knowledge?

What do I typically do to identify critical information? (MRL, Teachers Guide to Reflective Practice, p. 7)

K-12 Comprehensive Content Standards

Determined by State Board

Grade Level Standards
Required for all

Determined by State Board

Curricular Indicators
Local Curriculum Lesson Plans
Classroom Instructional Strategies

Guidance for Districts, Schools, & Teachers

Determined by Local School Districts / Classroom Teachers

Specific Strategies for Individual Students

Curriculum
Has my district articulated curriculum?
Am I to use specific materials? To Consider
Are some standards more important than others?
Must I use certain materials? Can I supplement? Is there a pacing guide or timeline? Are district assessments administered at a particular time?

Curriculum
Identify important skills and strategies, content rules and concepts, vocabulary
Make a clear target.
Essential? Worthy? Nice to Know?

What is the evidence that you will accept, to what level of mastery?

Objectives
(learning targets, learning goals, benchmarks, goals, purpose)

Stated explicitly very early in the lesson

Feedback tied closely to objectives Clear purpose explained to students
relevance to students previous or future learning, current experience (sense & meaning)

(Sharer, Anastasio, & Perry, 2007, p. 62)

Clock Partner 6:00

Discuss why sharing clear objectives with students is important.

Objective
You will be able to
Identify and explain research-based ways to boost retention

Key Concepts:
Clear Objectives Information Processing Model Sense & Meaning Primacy-Recency VAK Closure

(Sousa, How the Brain Learns, 2007, p. 39)

Information Processing Model

The learning brain asks two questions before it stores info.

Does this new learning make sense?

Does this new learning have meaning?

Makes Sense

Makes Sense Little Meaning Moderate Chance of Remembering

Makes Sense Has Meaning High Chance of Remembering

Little Sense Little Meaning Little Chance of Remembering

Has Meaning Little Sense Moderate Chance of Remembering

Has Meaning

Importance of Processing Time

The brain needs time to create connections and pathways to create long term memories.
The hippocampus can only hold so much example of glass of water Too much, too fast, it wont Last.

Partner Response
Partners A & B
Find your 9:00 clock partner
(A) Tell your partner everything you remember about (B) Add, clarify, question

Objective
You will be able to
Identify and explain research-based ways to boost retention

Key Concepts:
Clear Objectives Information Processing Model Sense & Meaning Primacy-Recency VAK Closure

Primacy-Recency Effect

During a learning episode we remember best that which comes first, second best that which comes last and least that which comes just past the middle (Sousa, 90).

Memory Task

 Paper clips Stapler Marker Sticky notes Notepad Pencil Ruler Calculator White out Glue

Primacy-Recency
(Sousa, How the Brain Learns, 2007, p. 90)

Amount of Prime Learning Time

20 minute episode
18 prime time (90%), 2 down time

40 minute episode
30 prime time (75%), 10 down time

80 minute episode
50 minute time (62%), 30 down time

Serial Positioning
Beginning (Prime Time 1)
Bell Ringer Sharing the Agenda Sharing the Objectives Going Over Homework

Middle

End (Prime Time 2)

Closure Assigning Homework Getting the Homework Started

Sharing 1st Objective Anticipatory Set Input for Objective 1 CFU for Objective 1 Using 5-1 & 10-2 Rules Practice with Feedback Repeat for Each Objective

(Sharer, Anastasio, & Perry, 2007, p. 27)

Boosting Retention
Lecture 5%

Reading

10%
20% 30% 50% 75%

Average Retention Rate after 24 hours

Audio-Visual Demonstration Discussion Groups Practice by Doing Teach Others / Immediate Use of Learning

90%

(adapted from David Sousa, How the Brain Learns, p. 95)

VAK

Match to what youre teaching!

Visual
Primary source of input More developed in digital natives

Auditory
Both listening and speaking E.g., choral response

Kinesthetic
Can be small movement E.g., solid, liquid, gas example

Closure

(summarization, generalization, terminal closure)

Sense and meaning attached to new learning Occurs at end of lesson or after sequence of instruction for an objective (3-7 minutes) Directly involves learner processing Relates directly to objective

(Sharer, Anastasio, & Perry, 2007, p. 120)

Closure

Talk a Mile a Minute / Name that Concept

Goal: Successfully communicate all items in one minute.
Partner A: Provide clues to your partner without using the actual words, derivatives, or rhymes.
definitions, examples, descriptions, contexts

Partner B: Name the concept or component or say pass to move on to the next item.

Ways to Boost Retention

(Sharing) Objectives
Information Processing Model Sense & Meaning

Primacy-Recency
VAK Closure