The Strategic Teacher and

Using Instructional Strategies to Engage Learners

2.5 - Engages learners in developing and monitoring goals for their own learning and behavior. (The Strategic Learner)

$2.00 Summary

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Which of the objects below best represents your style and approach to learning?

As a learner, I am like a __________ because……

Mastery learners are most comfortable with tasks that require them to learn/recall concrete facts and procedures.

They prefer a well-organized classroom environment with practical, clearly-spelled-out-goals and expectations, and they learn best from instruction that proceeds in a straightforward and “step-by-step” manner.

When it comes to showing what they know, these learners prefer objective questions with single correct answers to questions that require creative thinking or logical reasoning.

They take pride in mastering the content and are motivated by a drive for accuracy, success, and competence.

Understanding learners are most comfortable with tasks that requires them to use logic and analytical thinking skills.

Their preferred classroom environment is one that values “big idea discussions,” logical debates, and critical thinking skills-and they are motivated by their never-ending curiosity, their need to know why, and their drive to uncover logical errors or flaws.

These learners are most engaged when the learning process proceeds “question-by-question,” and they like assessment tasks that ask them to analyze data, critique ideas, or justify arguments with evidence.

Interpersonal learners are most comfortable with tasks that allow them to interact with classmates and make personal connections to what they are learning.

They are drawn to a friendly and nurturing classroom environment where people collaborate with and support one another, and they are motivated by their desire to help others and be a part of a team.

Because their ideal learning process is a “feeling-by-feeling” one, these learners enjoy questions, activities, and assessment tasks that invite them to share their personal feelings, values, and perspectives about the content material.

Self-expressive learners are most comfortable with tasks that ask them to apply what they know in new and different ways.

They are motivated by a drive for originality, and they are drawn to learning environments that provide stimulation, surprise, and the opportunity to think creatively.

For these learners, who prefer to operate “dream-by-dream,” the ideal learning and assessment scenarios are ones that allow them to use their imaginations; explore possibilities; think metaphorically; or create novel products, ideas and solutions.

Strategic learning is, in effect, a highly probable outcome of effective strategic teaching. Reduced to its essentials, strategic learning is learning in which students construct their own meanings, and in the process, become aware of their own thinking.

The link between teaching, thinking, and learning is critical. As a teacher, if we are not causing our students to think about what we are presenting, discussing, demonstrating, mediating, guiding, or directing, then we are not doing an effective job. We must be more than a dispenser of information.

We must create conditions and an environment that encourages thinking, deepens and broadens it, and which causes students to become aware of how they think. The process of thinking about how we think is referred to as metacognition.

• Predict• Question (generate

and answer)• Make Connections • Infer• Draw Conclusions• Summarize • Visualize

• Analyze• Synthesize• Recognize Text

Structure• Use Graphic

Organizers for Thought Processes

• Monitor Comprehension and Use Fix-Up Strategies

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Visualize a strategic learner. Each team member discuss their vision

with the team. Discuss critical attributes of the

strategic learner you envisioned. As a team, draw a picture or create a

set of icons that represent your vision of a strategic learner.

Sum up your vision at the bottom of your graphic with a brief statement. Be prepared to share.

Strategic teaching describes instructional processes that focus directly on fostering student thinking, but goes well beyond that. Strategic teaching and strategic learning are inexorably linked. A strategic teacher has an understanding of the variables of instruction and is aware of the cognitive requirements of learning.

Dr. Bob Kizlik

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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hazitrxzhPk&safety_mode=true&persist_safety_mode=1&safe=active