Teaching Strategies

• Warm-Up Activity - Use the warm-up portion of your lesson to recall prior knowledge needed for the new learning. If necessary, review/use pictures, diagrams, graphic organizers, etc. to help students construct meaning.

a. An example of this would be to have students work in teams and complete problems on a topic previously learned such as addition. Then have them discuss how the steps they used to complete the problem while reporter takes notes on responses. The teacher could then link these steps to the next concept such as multiplication.

• Critical Elements - Teach critical elements. As you teach the critical elements, be sure that the students have a list of what these are to refer to as they move on and complete each problem.

An example would be when teaching students how to complete an algebra problem such as
4x-6=18
The teacher would chart the following and complete the problem as she or he charted it. Then leave the chart up as a visual for the students to see as they complete similar problems.

a. Add 6 to both sides
b. Divide both sides by 4
c. The answer will say x=6.

• Higher Level Thinking - Challenge student’s thinking. Ask why, how, and what evidence questions to promote thinking. Have students write clarifying questions they have about a concept on sticky notes and post on chart paper. Have other students and or the teacher respond to these clarifying questions. This is similar to the clarifying questions we use in reciprocal reading. It teaches student s that it is okay to ask questions when you are not clear about what you are learning.

a. A double entry journal would be an excellent source to use here. On one side the student completes a problem or word problem. On the other side he or she discusses what their thought process was as they completed the problem.

• Chunking and Modeling - Skill development requires breaking the task into parts and modeling. Well-structured practice should progress from the simple to the complex. We need to teach students to chunk the Math problem just as we tell them to chunk unfamiliar words.

a. Break the concept down into parts or steps.
b. Have the students chart these steps and use the chart until they are comfortable completing the problems without the chart. One example of this would be

1. PLEASE-Parenthesis
2. EXCUSE-Exponents
3. MY-Multiply
4. DEAR-Divide
5. AUNT- Add
6. SALLY-Subtract
3(4+6/2) =
The first step is to complete what is in the parenthesis.
That would include first dividing 2 into 6 and getting 3
Then add 4+3 which equals 7
Next multiply 3x7 which equals 21

• Assessment - Check recall and factual knowledge with every-pupil- respond strategies. Follow-up questions can probe understanding.
• VAKT (Visual, Auditory, Kinesthetic, and Tactile) - Utilize multiple modes of learning content: oral, auditory, tactile, and experiential.
• Graph Paper - Use graph paper or turn lined paper sideways so the students can keep numbers in the correct spot when completing a problem.
• DRAW - Strategy Instruction – DRAW (Mercer, C.D., & Miller, P.S., 1992)

a. Discover the sign.
b. Read the problem.
c. Answer or DRAW a conceptual representation of the problem using lines and tallies, and check.
d. Write the answer and check.
First three steps address problem representation, last problem solution

• STAR - for older students (Maccini, P. & Hughes, C.A., 2000)

a. Search the word problem:

i. Read the problem carefully.
ii. Ask yourself questions “What facts do I know”? “What do I need to find?”

b. Translate the words into an equation in picture form:

i. Choose a variable.
ii. Identify the operation(s).
iii. Represent the problem with the Algebra Lab Gear (concrete application).
iv. Draw a picture of the representation (semi-concrete application.
v. Write an algebraic equation (abstract application).

c. Answer the problem.
d. Review the solution.

i. Reread the problem.
ii. Ask question “Does the answer make sense? Why?

e. Check answer.

• STAR Modified - from Strategic Math Series by Mercer and Miller, 1991.

Six elements used in each lesson:

a. Provide an advance organizer – identify the new skill and provide a rationale for learning.
b. Describe and model.
c. Conduct guided practice.
d. Conduct independent practice.
e. Give post test.
f. Provide feedback (positive and corrective)

• Helpful Hints - Three easy accommodations are:

a. Highlight symbols, different colors.
b. Use different colors for rules, relationships.
c. Use vertical lines or graph paper in math to help the student keep math problems in correct order.

• Conferences - Conference with students to explain why the math problem is incorrect and then show them steps to use to correct the problems. The teacher can also evaluate how students completed problems and group the students with similar problems and meet with small groups to explain errors and show how to correct these errors.