Teaching Specific Types of Knowledge

1. Teaching Specific Types of Knowledge

2. Vocabulary Terms and Phrases • Students must encounter words in context more than once to learn them (at least 6). • Instruction of new words enhances learning words in context. • The best way to learn a new word is to associate it with an image.

3. Vocabulary Terms and Phrases (continued) • Direct vocabulary instruction works. • Direct instruction on words that are critical to new content produces the most powerful learning. ***Don’t give the students too many words…only the words that are essential.***

4. Details • Students should have systematic, multiple exposures to details. • Different types of instruction produce different effects on student learning (the type of instruction should match what you want the student to learn).

5. Organizing Ideas • Students have misconceptions about organizing ideas (Example: All Arabs are like Osama bin Laden.) Discussion and argument help to get rid of misconceptions. • Students should be provided opportunities to apply organizing ideas (application).

6. Skills • The discovery approach is difficult to use in teaching skills. • Teachers should organize examples into categories that represent different approaches to the skill. • Skills are most useful when they are learned to become automatic.

7. Processes • Students should learn processes in context, not in isolation. (Example: Prewriting should be taught in the context of the writing process.) • Teachers should emphasize metacognitive thinking in processes.

8. The End.