Increasing Opportunities to Respond: Written Responses

Have you ever been at a staff meeting or professional development seminar where you (or some of your colleagues) were not paying attention?  Perhaps they were grading papers, texting, scrolling social media or having private conversations....

As we know all too well, kids are not a whole lot different than adults: if they aren't fully engaged in what is going on, they will find something else to absorb themselves in. 

I know all educators strive for maximum learning for all of their students, so we must avoid student disengagement at all costs!  One of the ways to do this is by increasing opportunities to respond (OTRs).

During a lesson students should have LOTS of opportunities to respond by saying, writing and doing! And by lots, I mean 3-5 OTRs per minute for simple responses (verbal or gestural) and 1 OTR per minute when the OTR is more complex (think solving a multi-step math problem) (MacSuga-Gage & Simonsen, 2015).

In my previous post I shared TEN ways students can engage in content in a verbal way.  You can find those posts by clicking here or here.   For this post, we will focus on ways students can respond to learning in a written way!  Keep reading for FIVE easy strategies that will get your students responding to content in written form. 

1. Quick Writes:

Encourage students to engage in brief, focused writing exercises, known as quick writes. Pose open-ended questions related to the lesson and give students a short time frame (e.g., 5 minutes) to express their thoughts. 

Quick writes serve as a low-pressure way for students to respond individually, promoting reflection and comprehension.

2. Think-Pair-Share with Writing:

Combine the traditional think-pair-share strategy with writing. After pondering a question individually, students pair up to discuss their thoughts and then collaboratively write a concise summary of their discussion. This approach not only enhances critical thinking skills but also encourages peer interaction.

3. Journals and Reflections:

Implement regular journaling or reflection sessions where students can express their thoughts on the material covered in class. Journals provide a personal space for students to connect with the content on a deeper level.

If your students struggle getting pen to paper, perhaps supporting their thoughts with sentence frames will do the trick. 

4. Interactive Note-Taking:

Transform note-taking into an interactive activity. Encourage students to annotate their notes, ask questions, and make connections to their own experiences. This method not only promotes active engagement during the lesson but also serves as a valuable reference for future review.

Interested in some specific note-taking strategies? Check out this easy WICK strategy from Edutopia. Or, take a look at downloadable graphic organizers from HMH or Thinkport.

5. Exit Tickets:

Use exit tickets as a writing tool for students to demonstrate their understanding of the day's lesson. Require them to summarize key concepts, ask questions, or share their opinions. This quick form of assessment helps both students and teachers gauge the effectiveness of the lesson.

Interested in a FREE exit ticket for comprehension?  Download the resource pictured below, by clicking here. 

When you incorporate written opportunities to respond in the classroom, you are enhancing student comprehension while contributing to the development of communication, critical thinking and collaboration.  Embracing the power of written expression truly empowers our students to deepen their educational journey!

If you are interested in deepening your knowledge about student engagement, check out How to Keep Kids Engaged in Class from Edutopia.  This is a great quick read with resources at the end! 

References

MacSuga-Gage, A. & Simonsen, B. (2015). Examining the effects of teacher directed opportunities to respond on student outcomes: A systematic review of the literature. Education and Treatment of Children, 38, 211-240.

Increasing Opportunities to Respond: Say Something Reponses (Part 2)

Learning is not a spectator sport!!



During a lesson students should have LOTS of opportunities to respond by saying, writing and doing! And by lots, I mean 3-5 OTRs per minute for simple responses (verbal or gestural) and 1 OTR per minute when the OTR is more complex (think solving a multi-step math problem) (MacSuga-Gage & Simonsen, 2015).

In my previous post, I shared FIVE ways students could engage with content in a verbal way. And, today I am here to give you FIVE additional ways students can "say something" while they are learning.

1. Partner Response

• Assign partners to students (Tip--pair a low performing student with an on grade level student).
• Give partners a number (1, or 2) and have them sit next to one another
• Teach students how to dialogue with a partner by looking, leaning and whispering. Determine if partner 1 or partner 2 will respond first.
• Use this strategy when answers are long, different or require higher order thinking.
• Example:
• Think: Teacher asks students a question (i.e. what might be an an alternative solution to this problem? )
• Students think about what they know.
• Partner: Each student gets with pre-assigned partner
• Share: Students share their thinking with their partner. Teacher expands the share into a whole class discussion.

2. Think-write-pair-share

• This is VERY similar to think, pair share, but with the addition of a written step. The teacher asks all students the same question, gives wait time to think, gives time for students to write a written response, and then students pair up and share their responses with a partner.
• Example:
• Think: Teacher asks students a question (i.e. would you want to be friends with the main character in the book? )
• Students think about what they know.
• Write: Students write their thoughts on paper.
• Pair: Each student gets with a partner
• Share: Students share their thinking with their partner. Teacher expands the share into a whole class discussion.

If you find yourself saying, "pick a partner," and kids inevitably choose the same person (aka their best friend)....then it is time to find a better way to pair students up!  Check out the Student Pairing pack  which has thirty ways to pair students in a quick and organized fashion! 

Some of the ways include: speed dialers, clock pals, app friends, color buddies, states, regions, famous couples, etc.!  

 

3. Quartet Quiz

• This technique was developed by Carol Ann Tomlinson in order to check the understanding of the whole class while creating small and large group processing
• Example:
• The teacher poses a question about the content being learned.
• Students think about their answer to the question.
• Students meet in quads to share their answer and create
• "We know" statements
• "We wonder" questions
• The teacher records the we know responses on the board and corrects any misconceptions
• The teacher keeps recording until all answers are recorded
• The teacher records the "we wonder" statements next to the "we know" statements that might relate. There may be no relationship, and that is okay.
• The class discusses the "we wonder" statements
• The class develops a closure/clarification/summary statement.

4. Think, Turn & Talk

• This is VERY similar to think, pair share, but instead of randomly finding a partner you turn and talk with peers in close proximity. The teacher asks all students the same question, gives wait time to think, and then students turn and talk about their thoughts with a partner.
• Example:
• Think: Teacher asks students a question (i.e. would you want to be friends with the main character in the book? )
• Students think about what they know
• Turn to a peer close by
• Talk: Students share their thoughts with their partner. Teacher expands the talk into a whole class discussion.

5. Inside, Outside Circle

• Inside-Outside Circle is a great technique to help students develop communication skills as they process or review taught information. It is also a wonderful opportunity for students to interact with a variety of peers.  Checkout the video below from Teacher Toolkit!
• Example:
• Students will form two equal circles.
• Half of the group stands in a circle facing out, and the other half faces in.
• The teacher provides a question with differing answers to the students.
• With a signal from the teacher, the inside circle tells the person directly across from them (in the outside circle) their response.
• The outside circle responds to the inside circle and then shares their response.
• The teacher has one group (inside OR outside) circle rotate a space or two, and a new question is given.

If you are looking for more structures to add to your classroom, check out the Teacher Toolkit!  Their website has tons of structures complete videos and adaptations! 

Increasing Opportunities to Respond: Say Something Reponses

When we have students re-engage with material again and again at spaced intervals, we are helping students cement learning to memory.

One of the best ways to create re-engagement with your learners is by providing ample opportunities to respond (OTRs). 

Opportunities to respond is a teaching strategy that elicits students responses by posing questions or comments that provide students multiple occasions to answer (Cuticelli, Collier-Meek, & Coyne, 2016)

When you provide students with OTRs it makes learning:

• Micro.  You are chunking and chewing content that has been delivered.  Students get time to digest and process taught information.
• Interactive.  Students are involved in their learning
• Reinforced.  Students are asked to answer, comment or complete an activity about what they are learning. 

  

Research tells us that teachers should provide 3-5 OTRs per minute for simple responses (verbal or gestural) and 1 OTR per minute when the OTR is more complex (think solving a multi-step math problem). For very complex tasks, like answering a prompt in writing, 1 OTR per 20 to 30 minutes is sufficient. (MacSuga-Gage & Simonsen, 2015).

Learning is not a spectator sport, so during a class period students should have plenty of opportunities to:

1. say things
2. write things
3. do things 

For this post, lets take a deep dive into saying things. Take a look at these FIVE say something strategies below: 

1. Choral Response: 

• The teacher asks all students the same question, gives wait time, and then gives a signal that cues students provide a response in unison. 
• Example: 
• Teacher: What is the capital of Kansas? 
• Give wait time 
• Students: Topeka

2. Jigsaw

• The teacher introduces a subject to be studied.  The teacher then assigns students to a "home group" of 3-5 students.  Each student in the "home group" is tasked to become an expert for a particular portion of the subject they are studying by getting into an "expert group" with other classmates.
•  The teacher provides each "expert group" with a resources (text selections, videos, websites, etc.) in order to become an expert. 
• After appropriate time studying, reading and dialoging with expert groups, students return to their "home groups" to teach the other members what they learned. 
• Resource:  Check out this video from Reading Rockets to watch a jigsaw strategy in action. 

3. Numbered Heads Together

• Numbered heads together is a great strategy that is helpful in reviewing taught concepts.  Teachers will create groups and give each group a number 1-6.  Within each group, members are also given a number 1-6.  
• The teacher asks a question and members of the group put their "heads together" to discuss the answer.  
• The teacher rolls two dice.  The first dice is the group that gets to answer.  The second dice is the person that gets to answer.  Only the student within the group whose number is rolled may speak.
• The student will stand and say, "WE decided the answer is...."  
• If the student is right, that group gets a point. If the students is wrong, the student does not get a point.  
• Example: 
• Teacher: Which character traits are stated directly, and which are implied by the author? 
• Numbered heads get together to discuss
• Teacher: Rolls 2 dice (ex: 1, 6--group 1, member 6 answers)
• Student answers--if correct the group earns a point. 
• Resource:  Check out this video to see numbered heads together in action!

4. Whip Around

• This strategy actively engages all students and encourages participation by all. Students will write down answers to a prompt and quickly share their responses with their class. 
• Example: 
• Question
• Pose a prompt that has multiple answers. Have students write down as many responses as possible.
• Whip Around
• “Whip” around the room, calling on one student at a time. Have students share one of their responses. When called on, students should not repeat a response; they must add something new.
•  Discuss
• After completing the whip around, have students discuss which ideas and themes showed up most in their responses.
• If you are looking for some great question stems, check out Blooms Taxonomy Question Cards! The cards included are flexible and can be used with any text---and over 8 pages of questions!!

• Resource: check out the whip around strategy in action by clicking here.  On the Teacher Toolkit website, there are also variations to the whip around strategy. 

 5. Think-Pair-Share

• The teacher asks all students the same question, gives wait time, and then students pair up and share their responses with a partner.

• Example: 

• Think: Teacher asks students a question (i.e. what do you know about the civil war?) Students think about what they know.

• Pair: Each student gets with a partner

• Share: Students share their thinking with their partner. Teacher expands the share into a whole class discussion

• Resource: Check out this video from Reading Rockets for further examples of think, pair, share. There are even suggestions for using think, pair, share in various subject areas.

• If you are struggling to find different ways to partner students, check out the Student Pairing Pack! It has THIRTY ways to pair students!

All of the above strategies are GREAT ways to get kids saying something during your instruction.  I have no doubt you will see student success increase as you maximize students' chances to interact with taught material and increase engagement.  

References

Cuticelli, M., Collier‐Meek, M.A., & Coyne, M.D. (2016). Increasing the Quality Of Tier 1 Reading Instruction: Using Performance Feedback To Increase Opportunities To Respond During Implementation Of A Core Reading Program. Psychology in the Schools, 53, 89-105.

MacSuga-Gage, A. & Simonsen, B. (2015). Examining the effects of teacherdirected opportunities to respond on student outcomes: A systematic review of the literature. Education and Treatment of Children, 38, 211-240.

A Teacher's Purpose

Many teachers across the nation are preparing to head back to school in the upcoming weeks, while some have already began their year.  

Once the school year begins, teachers quickly get bogged down with never ending to-do lists, supplies to buy, curriculum to learn, and professional development to attend to.  The list keeps going......  

This overflowing educational plate is all the more reason teachers should spend time reflecting on "why" they chose this profession.  

Each year I elect to read (and keep posted in my classroom) a poem adapted from Loren Eiseley's work titled "The Starfish Story."  It is a perfect message for teachers to recall why they do what we do.  

We are here to invest in youth. 

Invest in our future. 

Often I present professional development to first and second year teachers, and I like to give them this poem as they leave training.  Attached to the poem, I glue a small plastic starfish to serve as a reminder  of our true purpose in education.  

I know all teachers reach point in the school year when teaching seems too hard and they feel as if they are barely keeping their head above water.  My hope is that they will look at that little starfish, and take a moment to refocus and realize the impact they are making. 

If you would like to share "The Starfish Story" with your colleagues, click the first image above or click here to download the poem for free.  

Teacher Recommended Books to Ease Back to School Anxiety

 Going back to school, or starting school for the very first time is a momentous occasion in every child's life.  

Some kids are bursting with excitement and can hardly wait for the first day back.

Others have lots of back to school butterflies fluttering around in their bellies as they dread the start of school.    

My son is one of the anxious ones.  He started first grade this week, and was very worried! I get it!!  There are so many new things for him to experience.  He will see new spaces and new faces.  He will meet new friends and start new routines. SO. MUCH. CHANGE!  

As a parent, I wanted to ease his first day jitters ahead of time by reading books to help prepare him for his first day. 

Books are truly an amazing way to reassure kids when new situations have them scared.  Authors do a fantastic job putting emotions into words and having relatable characters.

 

Below are six fantastic books to help calm the nerves as students return to school.

Worrysauraus by Rachel Bright (PreK-2)

Perfect for any reader who might feel the flutter of an anxious butterfly in their tummy.  The Worrysaurus has a wonderful day planned, but it isn't long before a small butterfly of worry starts fluttering his his tummy.  What is he to do?   With a little help from his mom, the worrysaurus finds a way to soothe the anxious butterflies. 

The Kissing Hand by Audrey Penn  (PreK-2)

First published in 1993, this heartwarming book has touched the lives of millions of children as they struggle with separation.  School is starting for Chester Raccoon, and he doesn't want to go.  To help ease his fears, Mrs. Racoon shares a family secret called the Kissing Hand to give Chester the reassurance of love at any time. 

Wemberly Worried by Kevein Henkes (PreK-2)

This book is a warm and comforting back to school book favored by many.  Wemberly worries about everything.  Big things. Little things. And things in between. Then it is time for school to start, and Wemberly is worried even more. Wemberly gets to school and realizes that school is too much fun to waste time worrying!

Sad, Sad Bear by Kimberly Gee (PreK-K)

Young readers can relate to bear as he experiences going to school or daycare for the very first time.  Bear feels very, very sad as he is in cub care and mommy is at work.  Luckily, with the help of some brand new friends, Bear is able to cheer up.  

Invisible String by Patrice Karst (Grades 2-4)

This book offers a simple approach to overcoming loneliness, separation or loss that is easy for children to understand and welcome.  In this reassuring story, a mother comforts her two children who are frightened.  She explains that even when she isn't with them, that they are all connected with an invisible string. 

Llama Llama Misses Mama by Anna Dewdney  (Prek-1)

Little faces can connect with Little Llama as he experiences separation anxiety on his first day of school.  Little llama has a strange new teacher, strange new toys and there is lots of kids and lots of noise.  Little llama doesn't know what to do, and he feels so new! 

For more back to school book suggestions check out this list from Today or Scholastic.    

Learning Reinforcement: The Best Way to Fight Learning Loss

Are your students forgetful, and their forgetfulness is driving you cRaZy?

If yes--read my previous post about The Forgetting Curve.  It will probably answer some questions you have.....

Obviously students forgetting taught information is NOT great for educators, BUT....there is a way to combat the forgetting curve.  Read about the FIVE ways to soften forgetfullness by reading The Forgetting Curve: Why Students Keep Forgetting and What Teachers Can Do About It!

Perhaps one of the biggest findings in Herman Ebbinghaus's original forgetting experiment was that re-engaging with material again and again, at spaced intervals leads to a dramatic reduction in forgetting.

So, as teachers, we need to design lessons where students are asked to re-retrieve information at spaced intervals.  Hello.....opportunities to respond (OTRs)! OTRs are an excellent way to help cement learning to memory.

Opportunities to respond is a teaching strategy that elicits students responses by posing questions or comments that provide students multiple occasions to answer (Cuticelli, Collier-Meek, & Coyne, 2016)

When you provide students with OTRs it makes learning:

• Micro.  You are chunking and chewing content that has been delievered.  Students get time to digest and process taught information.
• Interactive.  Students are involved in their learning
• Reinforced.  Students are asked to answer, comment or complete an activity about what they are learning. 

Research tells us that teachers should provide 3-5 OTRs per minute for simple responses (verbal or gestural) and 1 OTR per minute when the OTR is more complex (think solving a multi-step math problem). For very complex tasks, like answering a prompt in writing, 1 OTR per 20 to 30 minutes is sufficient. (MacSuga-Gage & Simonsen, 2015).

Now, although an increase in OTRs is good....the goal should be quality OTRs over quantity. 

So, what might be some ways to get quality OTRs in your classroom?

Students should be: 

1. Saying things
2. Writing things
3. Doing things 

We will take a deep dive into the three types of OTRs in the preceeding blog posts!  So, stay tuned.  

In the meantime, take a look at this resource from Tennessee Behavior Supports Project at Vanderbuilt University  Or, this resource from the Institute of Education Sciences which is funded by the US Department of Education. 

References

MacSuga-Gage, A. & Simonsen, B. (2015). Examining the effects of teacherdirected opportunities to respond on student outcomes: A systematic review of the literature. Education and Treatment of Children, 38, 211-240.

The Forgetting Curve: Why We Keep Forgetting and What Teachers Can Do About It

Are your students forgetful, and their forgetfulness is driving you bananas?

If yes--read my previous post about The Forgetting Curve.

Basically, our brains are hardwired to get rid of any information they don't deem necessary for survival.  The Forgetting Curve presents a real challenge for educators.....after all our job is to bestow knowledge to students.

So how do we fight the forgetting curve?  How do we help students retain taught information?  

We combat the Forgetting Curve in following ways:

1. Improve Clarity

Make information easy to absorb from the onset by using learning intentions and success criteria.  We want students to know what we will teach them and how they will know they're successful.  We should tell them BEFORE we teach.  

Check out this quick video about learning intentions an success criteria from educational guru, John Hattie:

2. Learning Reinforcement

Perhaps one of the biggest findings in Ebbinghaus's original experiment was that re-engaging with material again and again, at spaced intervals, leads to a dramatic reduction in the forgetting curve (check out that graph below!)

So, as teachers, we need to design lessons where students are asked to re-retrieve information at spaced intervals.  This is an excellent way to help cement learning to memory.

3. Make Learning Relevant

We all remember information easier if the topic is something we are passionate about.  How might we present information to students to help them care about it and to help them see the relevancy?  

4. Make Learning Interactive

People learn better when they are actively involved.  We must give learners opportunities to interact with the content and not be passive observers.  Learning is not a spectator sport!

5. Use Microlearning 

Microlearning is a fancy word for chunking and chewing information.  Information is easier to learn when it comes in bite-sized pieces.  A long teaching session makes it difficult for our brains to absorb all of the information.