What is a Learning
Strategy? A Learning Strategy is a student's approach to
a learning task. It is often guided by a memory device that enables
him to plan, execute and evaluate his performance of that task. In our
era of information overload, it is important to prepare students, most
particularly at-risk students, to process information in an efficient
and effective way. In short, learning strategy instruction focuses on
training challenged learners how to learn.
Learning
Strategies research results have shown dramatic growth in academic performance
of at-risk students, including:
- Word recognition
fluency from 20 errors per 400 words to 3 per 400 words
- Reading
comprehension scores from 35% to 85%
- Sentence
writing resulting in 100% complete sentences with a 40% complicated
sentence structure rate
- 9 types
of paragraph writing with:
- Topic,
detail, and concluding sentences
- Consistent
verb tense and point of view
- Logical
sequence of ideas
- Appropriate
transitions between ideas
- Errors in
written products reduced from 1 per every 4 words to less than
1 per every 33 words
- Memory for
factual content information, including vocabulary, from 22% to
85%
- Content test
scores increased, on average, by 10%
- Significantly
higher % of study behaviors performed in cooperative groups (18%
to 70%)
- Significantly
higher % of social skills demonstrated in cooperative groups (25%
- 78%)
- Significantly
more students knew how to create a classroom community, participated
more frequently, and engaged in fewer behaviors that disrupt discussions.
- Significantly
higher grade-point averages after 6 years for students who set
goals and created action plans.
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Learning
Strategies
Where can
Content Enhancement Routines and Learning Strategies be taught?
Instruction can be accomplished in several settings and directed
by various personnel. However, the most powerful approach is to
utilize the "Content Literacy Continiuum" as a framework
for analyzing student achievement data, identifying where evidenced
- based interventions are missing, then prioritizing which Content
Enhancement Routines and Learning Strategies need to be added. The
Content Literacy Continiuum (CLC) describes 5 levels of literacy
support that should be in place in every secondary school. It emphasizes
the connections among the literacy processes of reading, writing,
listening, speaking, viewing, and presenting. CLC is a cutting edge
way for secondary schools to begin framing literacy interventions
in their buildings in a comprehensive manner rather than hit or
miss. The levels are:
- Level
1: Ensuring mastery of critical content in all subject area classes.
Teachers use Content Enhancement Routines to promote understanding/mastery
of content for all students.
-
Level
2: Weaving learning strategies within rigorous general education
classes. Teachers incorporate selected learning strategies
into their content-based instruction.
-
Level
3: Supporting mastery of learning strategies for targeted students.
Students with literacy problems receive specialized, intensive
instruction from someone other than the subject-matter teacher.
- Level
4: Developing intensive instructional options for students who
lack foundational skills. Students learn content literacy
skills through specialized, direct, and intensive instruction
from reading specialists and special education teachers.
- Level
5: Developing intensive clinical options for language interventions.
Students with underlying language disorders receive individual
or small-group language therapy from speech pathologists in collaboration
with other support personnel teaching literacy skills.
We
are pleased to offer several articles to further explain and illustrate
possible applications of Content Enhancement Teaching Routines and
Learning Strategies. Click text links below to view.
"Adolescent
Literacy: Ensuring that No Child is Left Behind," Principle
Leadership, 11/03
"Strategic
Content Literacy Initiative Focusing on Reading in Secondary Schools",
9/99, vol. 8, issue 1
"SMARTER
Planning: Considering Curriculum in Light of Standards-based Reform",
March, 2001, vol. 9, issue 6
"Content
LIteracy Continuum"
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