Teach · CoacH · Mentor

Design short 15-25 minute mini-lessons instead of long lessons.

TIPS

• A learning sprint is typically collaborative, short, and fast paced.
• Pacing needs to be managed with learner comfort levels.

 Organize information into small steps so complex information is easily digested.

• Chunking is a concept that applies to every aspect of teaching.
• Considering chunking the following:
  • Directions
  • Lesson
  • Steps
  • Content Activities
  • Assignments

Combine written or oral material with illustrations.

Engage visual, verbal, and kinesthetic cues simultaneously in the moment of processing to help learners process, comprehend and encode information.

TIPS

• The key to effective cues is using the cues together. The integration of the cues increases memory encoding and recall.
• Multi-sensory cues are great for facilitating flash reviews.

Flash Review Stop every 15-20 minutes and conduct a fast-paced REVIEW for the information taught in the PREVIOUS 15-20 minutes of instruction.

TIPS

• Flash Reviews are a great tool to reorient learners to the topic, the learning goal, or what they should focus on.
• Use multi-sensory cues as an organizational tool to conduct fast-paced reviews.
• Hang cues on the wall.  Similar to a vocabulary wall, the image wall is a great organization and review tool.

Periodically stop and change the mental, emotional, or physical energy (attention) in the room.

TIPS

• Physical state changes like standing, stretching, and changing seats are the most under-utilized state changes.
• Always share the WHY with learners to create buy-in.
• Mental state changes include pair-shares, probing questions, discovery, and drawing.
• The easiest and fastest emotional state change is music.

Continually shift learners into different social groups to reflect, rehearse, and articulate information collaboratively.

TIPS

• Moving learners in and out of social groups manages social dynamics and coaches learners in active participation.
• Moving students frequently in a classroom space requires strong behavioral management skills. To save time and create strong routines, use visual or auditory cues to signal learner movement.

Frequently stop during a lesson and ask learners to explain the information from the lesson segment in their own words.

TIPS

• Strategies that induce self-explanation: Think-Pair-Share Minute Papers
• Predict-Explain-Observe-Re-explain
• Group Grid for classifying
• Draw a diagram or illustration
• Explained worked examples