Intervention 2 Reducing Cognitive Load and Increasing Cognitive Processing

Students who are at risk cannot keep up with the quantity of words they hear spoken and rarely are willing to ask for clarification.  At risk students need predictable routines that are practiced in the past and have been perfected.  Students must have multiple opportunities during lessons to actively engage their brains and be able to retain/process information that is being taught.

Research shows that cognitive load needs to be reduced and an increase in cognitive processing needs to occur.  Cognitive load is the total amount of mental activity or the amount of material asked to be memorized.  By reducing this amount and increasing the number of opportunities to have different experiences will increase the likelihood of material being retained.

Several opportunities for cognitive processing are writing, talking with classmates, asking and answering questions, visualizing, drawing pictures, role playing/acting out and graphic organizers.  Throughout lessons we provide students with these cognitive opportunities.  I think that the difficult task is to ensure that students are able to use more than one with a particular skill or concept. 

Think, Pair, Share ( Word of the day)

Think: Think about the word.  Take one minute to write as many sentences as you can showing that you know the meaning of the word.

Pair: Take ninety seconds to talk with a partner about your examples. Write new examples here.

Share: Review the examples with your partner. Rank the 3 most accurate or unique examples with the numbers 1, 2, and 3.  Choose a favorite idea to share with the class.  Share your idea.  Listen as classmates share their ideas.

Close: Choose 2 or 3 good examples from other pairs.  Record them.

Intervention 1 Implementing Research-Based Instruction for Intervention Groups

McEwan-Adkins believes that if intervention strategies that she describes in model 1.1 http://go.solution-tree.com/literacy/Reproducibles_40RIS.html) are implemented with fidelity, it will enable your students at risk to learn to read. The model lays out what effective instruction for at-risk students should look like.
1. I Do - (Teachers Does, Teacher Says) No longer than 5-6 minutes
2. We Do- (Teacher Says, Students Say)
3. You Do Together- (Productive Group Work)
4. You Do Alone- (Students Apply what they learned)
5. Recap- (Bring students back together for one last check for understanding)
 This is a powerful model that fits directly with the "gradual release" lesson plan format. I like the fact that the author confirms that this is a great way to teach students. A big "ahhhaaa" for me was taking this model and using it in our small group interventions. Are we doing this? Do our new materials (95% group, Fundations, W.V.Phonics, etc.) fit this model?
McEwan-Adkins also lists teaching moves that are made by effective teachers. Explaining, Giving directions, modeling, reminding, guided practice, scaffolding, coaching, attributing, constructing meaning, motivating-connecting, and recapping. I have observed all of these throughout our building. From the list above, what do you think we could improve on or would you personally want to improve?
Proven presentation skills listed on pages 16 and 17. As I read through these, "Wait Time" stands out to me. When teaching, I want to move quickly from one question to another without allowing students to process what was asked. I ask the question and then call on a student immediately. By setting a procedure, (drawing sticks, cold call, etc) it allowed  ample time for the students to process the question before an answer was needed.
One final quote: "Students at-risk must have differentiated, explicit,systemic, and supportive instruction in order to keep up with their average and above-average classmates."