Providing Meaningful Instruction to Promote Literacy.

Instruction should always be geared towards increasing literacy and promoting educational success. It should always be student centered, and it should encourage students to develop a deep understanding of the content that is being taught. Meaningful instruction will move students towards developing higher level thinking, and problem-solving skills. Throughout this practicum experience I have come to the realization of the serious impact that I have on the students that I come in contact with on a day to day basis. Teachers have an amazing responsibility to promote literacy within every student that they teach. I have made some eye-opening observations that has helped me determine how I want to approach promoting literacy within my classroom. I want to always encourage students to challenge themselves, and to think. I also want to refrain from putting too much focus on teaching for testing. When students are able to think, and when they have a deep understanding they will be able to apply their knowledge to any situation. This is what helps them to pass any test that they are given. So teachers don’t necessarily need to focus so much on gearing their teaching towards a test, but instead ensuring that their students have a deep understanding of the content, and can apply that knowledge into any situation.

Too often educators fall into the trap of teaching towards a test, and not putting the necessary focus on teaching for meaning. Jay McTighe, Elliott Seif, and Grant Wiggins states in the “You Can Teach for Meaning” article “We contend that teachers can best raise test scores over the long haul by teaching the key ideas and processes contained in content standards in rich and engaging ways.” When teachers adopt these principles within their instructional planning they will begin to see how their instruction provides students with a practical reason for why they are learning the information. Once students understand why they are learning the content and how this new knowledge can be applied to new concepts they will begin to have a deeper understanding of the “big ideas” that are being taught. This level of understanding will ensure that students have the knowledge and the capability to do well on any test that they are given.

The model to the left exemplifies what meaningful instruction should look life. It also identifies the behaviors that a highly effective teacher should possess, and highlighting the various instructional practices that can be used in the classroom. Incorporating these practices within your instruction will give students the full understanding that they need to apply the information to new situations. This will encourages higher order thinking, and will also force students to develop skills that are beyond the basic level of thinking and learning.

Teachers can provide more meaningful learning experiences by providing students with choices in the classroom. To some educators this may sound like a setup for failure,but in actuality this forces students to take responsibility of their education and literacy. Teachers can allow students to decide what they want to learn with the use of K-W-L charts, and even allow students to decide how they want to display their mastery of knowledge. Students can choose to display their mastery of knowledge through a song, essay, video, or even a drawing. In the article “Three Strategies for Creating Meaningful Learning Experiences” Steven A. Myers PhD states “professors that use differentiated instruction gives students different options during class time.” “This approach builds on students’ strengths and interest,” Allowing students to have a choice gives them the opportunity to highlight their strengths while displaying their mastery of the acquired skill.

My goal as an educator is to provide meaningful instruction to promote literacy, and to challenge my students to think and gain a deep understanding of knowledge that can be applied within new situations.

References

McTighe, J., Seif, E., Wiggins, G.(2004). Educational Leadership. You Can

Teach for Meaning. 62(1), 26–31.

Allen, J., Magner, M. (2017). Content Area Learning Strategies that Help

Students Take Responsibility for Their Learning. retrieved from https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0ahUKEwi8keXRn_fXAhVm4IMKHZSaAgQQjRwIBw&url=https%3A%2F%2Fcontentarealearningstrategies.wikispaces.com%2F&psig=AOvVaw0hSPQn5iYiSPJlJCCKLNEh&ust=1512713614880925

Myers, S.A. (2014) Three Strategies for Creating Meaningful Learning Experiences.