Instructional Approaches

There is no single method or single combination of methods that can successfully teach all children. Therefore, teachers must have a strong knowledge of multiple methods for teaching … and a strong knowledge of the children in their care so they can create the appropriate balance of methods needed for the children they teach (International Reading Association, 1999).

Instructional Guidelines

Students need a range of skills and strategies to communicate effectively. They learn these skills and strategies best when teachers use a range of approaches to teach the language arts. The following guidelines are provided to help teachers choose approaches appropriate for the students in their classroom in order to help them achieve curriculum objectives.

To show belief in all students' potentials, the teacher must establish respectful relationships with students in a warm and friendly environment. Teachers can build confidence and capability in students by:

maintaining an emphasis on enjoyment and a sense of humour
remaining sensitive to cultural differences between children, and between teacher and child
reducing pressures to compete or "perform"
using mistakes as opportunities to learn
offering students choices and supporting their decision making and problem solving
creating instructional sequences that build upon students' strengths.

Five broad guidelines are described in the following pages.

1. Plan language arts routines and units that incorporate the key components of language arts.

Effective units have clear and interesting beginnings, middles, and endings. They have an appropriate balance of listening, speaking, reading, writing, viewing, and representing activities that help students achieve curriculum objectives. Effective units employ varied instructional methods and strategies. Effective units also employ a range of resources (e.g., oral, print, and other media). They include assessment and evaluation procedures and strategies that are appropriate for the objectives and nature of the activities. Such variety in instruction, resources, and assessment helps students engage in different ways of knowing and allows them to demonstrate their learning in a variety of ways.

2. Plan lessons that focus on meaning.

Whether students are listening, reading, viewing, speaking, writing, or representing, meaning is the central focus of language use. Language development is most effective when students are encouraged to construct meaning.

3. Provide supports for students' learning.

When students might not be able to accomplish learning tasks independently, teachers can support their learning by:

structuring tasks so that students begin with something they can do
calling their attention to critical features of a new task
modeling and thinking aloud about the steps and procedures to do the new task
providing sufficient guided and independent practice so students make the new strategy their own.

The teacher can also support students by providing what are known as "scaffolds". Scaffolds provide additional supports for particular students related to particular tasks (e.g., partially completed viewing guides for some students, strategic questions for some students). The concept of scaffolding is based also on recognition of the importance of social interaction to learning.

Scaffolding includes providing supportive materials, or dialogue with adults or more skilled peers while students engage in learning tasks. Such material or dialogue give students the support to do the task independently (i.e., providing them with a way to "talk themselves through it"). Teacher demonstration or modeling is an example of scaffolding in a group setting. Scaffolding may also take the form of thinking aloud, providing guides or checklists, coaching, asking questions, and other forms.

4. Model and discuss key strategies for language arts.

Strategies are systematic and conscious plans, actions, and thoughts that learners select, create, or adapt to each task. They know what to do, how to do it, when to do it, and why it is useful. They consider: What is the strategy? How does this strategy work? When do I need to use this strategy? As students become aware of their own thinking and learning processes, they develop their metacognitive abilities.

Note: Metacognition refers to thoughts about thinking and learning. Effective language learners have metacognitive knowledge about their abilities, the ways they learn the tasks they face, and the strategies they can employ in completing these tasks.

Students should be encouraged to choose key strategies that will best suit the phase of the learning task, the language text, and their purpose.

Teachers should model and discuss these strategies so that students understand what they are, when to use them, and why they are effective. Good learners use a variety of strategies before, during, and after a language task.

Teachers can effectively teach mini-lessons to introduce or review a language arts procedure, concept, skill, or strategy (Atwell, 1998). Mini-lessons are brief and are intended to highlight the topic in a meaningful context, not to isolate it or to provide drill and practice. Mini-lessons can be conducted with the whole class, a small group, or with an individual. They rarely, if ever, involve worksheets but are always used to help students understand and apply what they need to know.

Teachers can demonstrate key language strategies and develop visual aids to help students remember these strategies (e.g., making charts and book marks). Teachers can also use think alouds and conferences to help students learn and demonstrate the strategies. See the charts on the following page for a listing of key strategies.

5. Use a range of instructional approaches to help move students from teacher-supported and guided lessons to independent learning that requires a minimum of teacher support and guidance.

Continuous teacher support includes consistent guidance, modeling, demonstrating, coaching, and prompting before, during, and after activities such as anticipatory guides, framed reading, or teacher-led discussions. On the other hand, students may need minimal teacher support at a particular phase of the learning task (e.g., before a reading circle activity).

To meet the needs of all students, teachers must use a variety of instructional approaches. The approaches described on the following pages will assist teachers in planning daily listening, speaking, reading, writing, representing, and viewing opportunities. The strategies associated with each approach can be adapted to accommodate students' language needs and learning styles in order to help students achieve curriculum objectives.

Most instructional methods offer many opportunities to integrate the language processes. For example, a directed listening activity could include discussion of students' prior knowledge, the viewing of a short video, and the development of a graphic organizer to build background and understanding before students listen. As they listen, they note key information. After listening, they clarify and discuss their understanding.

Key Strategies Used in Listening, Reading, and Viewing (Receptive Strategies)

Before

During

After

Reflecting on prior knowledge and experiences

Building some background

Asking questions

Setting a purpose

Determining a strategy or strategies needed to complete a task

Considering possible terms and vocabulary that might be used

Considering reading rate

Anticipating a message

Constructing mental images

Making connections and accommodating new understanding

Using the cueing systems

Noting what happens and why

Noting key ideas and what supports them

Making and confirming inferences

Predicting events

Detecting opinions and biases

Drawing conclusions and making judgements

Pausing, thinking, and making notes

Self-monitoring and self-correcting

Adjusting rate or strategy

Recalling, retelling, and reviewing

Summarizing and paraphrasing

Responding personally

Listening/reading/viewing again to deepen understanding or for pleasure

Evaluating

Considering overall effect of text

Comparing new insights with other points of view

Posing new questions

Reflecting on how to use and apply new understanding

Extending experience by research

Key Strategies Used in Speaking, Writing, and Representing (Expressive Strategies)

Before

During

After

Finding a topic or idea of personal interest, or appropriate for purpose and audience

Generating ideas

(e.g. brainstorming, clustering, webbing, discussing, drawing) from prior knowledge and experience

Accessing and gathering additional ideas and information from external sources

Developing a plan or approach

Focusing, grouping, shaping, and organizing ideas

Exploring a way to start

Drafting, shaping, connecting, composing, and creating

Modifying, changing, and problem solving

Clarifying thoughts

Reflecting and exploring new ideas

Noting what happens and why

Drawing conclusions and making judgements

Pausing and thinking

Self-monitoring and self-correcting

Adjusting rate or strategy

Reviewing content

Analyzing effectiveness of form and organization

Checking language for clarity, precision, and appropriateness

Attending to conventions

Conferring

Teacher, peer, and self-editing

Sharing with and responding to others

Evaluating the effectiveness of and response to creation