Focused Instruction

Notes on Focused Instruction from Minneapolis Public Schools website:


Pared back to its simplest elements, focused instruction is an approach to keeping a whole classroom moving toward performing at or above grade level in every subject despite the fact that some learners may be years behind. Teachers have to simultaneously stay on their lesson plan, figure out what basic skills each child who is struggling has missed out on and how best to impart that knowledge. Because any particular instructional method works for about two-thirds of learners, students with gaps in their understanding may all need different, creative approaches. Educators traditionally call this process “scaffolding up.”



Focused Instruction aligns what we teach with how we teach and what we assess in a continuous cycle.  Features of Focused Instruction include the following:
   
Planning lessons using high-quality curriculum derived directly from state standards

Engaging students in rigorous learning using a variety of instructional strategies

Adapting instruction to meet individual students’ needs at all levels

Conducting frequent assessments to provide students with the opportunity to demonstrate their knowledge and skills

Using data to identify students who would benefit from additional help or accelerated learning opportunities




The 11-Step Focused Instruction Process

1. Analyze the Standard

Teachers decide what they need to teach, the depth they need to go, and what students are expected to know.

2. Preinstructional Strategies

Teachers determine students’ uniquenesses as well as academic skill levels.

3. Goals and Purpose

Teachers tell students exactly what they are expected to learn and why.

4. Brain Activators

Students learn and retain information better when they associate it with something they already know.

5. Learn the Language of the Standard

Students need to know the terms and concept words of the lesson.

6. Sequential and Active Instruction

Students must be engaged as they learn new content. Teachers should be aware of the expectations for the standard (essential, application, or complex thinking) and create teaching activities that differentiate for student readiness.

7. Check for Understanding

Instead of asking, “Are there any questions?” ask questions of your students, or engage them in summarizing the main points that you have taught.

8. Student Practice with Scaffolding

Students engage in practice through the scaffolded levels of controlled, coached, and independent practice.

9. Teacher Feedback

Teachers provide individual feedback to students on what they are doing correctly and incorrectly, with suggestions for improvement.

10. Final Student Product

Students show how well they have mastered the material. The ideal assessment shows learning in a more meaningful way than a paper and pencil test.

11. Student Reflections

When students have time to reflect, they process learning on a deeper level and transfer newly learned concepts into long-term memory.