Teaching in Focus


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ORDER TODAY!	*Focused Instruction: An Innovative Teaching Model for All Learners* explains how to differentiate learning content, course of action, and final student product while maintaining a student-centered classroom. Each of its 11 steps is based on practices proven to enhance student achievement. With specific tools and sample lessons for supporting diverse learners, this highly systematic process includes how to: Analyze standards to focus the learning. Teach the vocabulary and concepts of a standard. Scaffold and customize content. The information and techniques in Focused Instruction will benefit teachers working at all levels and in all content areas.
REPRODUCIBLES AND ONLINE RESOURCES Chapter 1: Understanding Focused Instruction Read All About It! To gain an overview of effective teaching, read the article by Robert E. Slavin called “A Model of Effective Instruction.” To learn about the positive academic effects of focused instruction and the use of focused instruction components, read the article by Gary Adams called "Project Follow Through: In-Depth and Beyond." The Houghton Mifflin Education Place website has a large variety of graphic representations. The tools on this site can be used to plan many of the steps in the focused instruction sequence. To create and print your own rubrics for projects as well as all subject areas, visit the teAchnology website. Tools and Templates Tool 1: Terminology Advance Organizer Tool 2: Project Rubric Tool 3: Project Planning Sheet Tool 4: The 11-Step Focused Instruction Process Chapter 2: What Students Need to Know and How Well They Need to Know It Read All About It! For articles, stories, and information about the American Revolution, visit “France Allied with American Colonies” at the Library of Congress website. Read an excellent article by Carol Ann Tomlinson called “Reconcilable Differences? Standards-Based Teaching and Differentiation” found in the September 2000 issue of Educational Leadership. Tools and Templates Tool 5: Integrated Unit Plan or Lesson With Layered Learning Options Tool 6: Narrative Writing Frame Tool 7: Which Students Need More Instruction? Chapter 3: Preinstructional Strategies Read All About It! In thinking about how to best help English language learners, children of poverty, and culturally diverse students, visit Ogden’s Basic English Word List. Two very good learning-style websites are Learning-Styles-Online and the Paragon Learning Styles Inventory. Four excellent sites to learn more about differentiated instruction are: Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation Center for Innovations in Education Teachers Network “About Differentiated Instruction” on the Randolph-Macon Woman’s College website Tools and Templates Tool 8: Student Attribute Chart Tool 9: Semantic Feature Analysis Tool 10: A Practice Page for Customization Chapter 4 : The Focused Instruction Plan Read All About It! Creating Personalized Learning Time An interesting article by Paolo Martin, “Struggling Classroom Readers and Individualized Instruction,” at the Let’s Go Learn website discusses the need for individualized instruction and student practice. Learning the Language of the Standard Read a thought-provoking and inclusive article on vocabulary instruction by Elfrieda Hiebert, Fran Lehr, and Jean Osborn called “A Focus on Vocabulary.” The Carleton College website gives lots of ideas for scaffolded instruction. Concept Attainment The website for Instructional Strategies Online has an abundance of information about effective teaching practices, including concept attainment. See also the webpage “Concept Attainment" and the article “What Is the Concept?” by Patricia Seybert. *Tools and Templates* Tool 11: Personalized Learning Time Task List Tool 12: Personalized Learning-Time Rubric for Task List Tool 13: Vocabulary and Concepts Tool 14: Term and Concept Grid Chapter 5: Implementation and Reflections on Your Learning Read All About It! You will find an abundance of information and examples of complex metacognitive strategies at MathVIDS. Tools and Templates Tool 15: Student Success Grid Tool 16: Analyzing a Standard Tool 17: Integrating Focused Instruction With Diverse Learner Needs Tool 18: Project Rubric

REPRODUCIBLES AND ONLINE RESOURCES Chapter 1: Understanding Focused Instruction Read All About It!

REPRODUCIBLES AND ONLINE RESOURCES

Chapter 1: Understanding Focused Instruction

Read All About It!