Independent Practice

Summary

The speaker emphasizes the importance of deliberate practice in education, stressing that students need purposeful, spaced, and retrieval-based practice to truly learn. Contrary to the idea of 'drill and kill,' the speaker advocates for a more structured approach with clear instruction and opportunities for independent practice. By engaging in activities that promote phonetic awareness, students not only build cognitive skills but also enhance memory retention. The video underscores how combining explicit teaching methods with spaced and deliberate practice leads to more effective learning.

Takeaways

• 😀 Practice is essential for student success, and it's important to provide adequate opportunities for it.
• 😀 The term 'drill and kill' is often misused, as practice should never be harmful or monotonous.
• 😀 There's no evidence that practice harms students—on the contrary, it is crucial for their learning.
• 😀 Research in cognitive science highlights that deliberate practice, done with purpose, is vital for effective learning.
• 😀 Practice should be spaced over time, not crammed into a single session, to help students retain knowledge.
• 😀 Students benefit from retrieval practice, where they actively recall and apply what they have learned.
• 😀 A structured teaching approach, such as 'I do it, we do it, you do it,' helps in building strong foundational skills.
• 😀 Deliberate and spaced practice should follow explicit instruction to reinforce learning.
• 😀 Interactive practice activities, like identifying sounds in words, help engage students actively in the learning process.
• 😀 The script emphasizes that students should be encouraged to actively practice in different contexts to enhance their skills.

Q & A

What is the main concern expressed in the script?

The main concern is that students may not be receiving enough practice, and there is a common misconception that practice is just 'drill and kill.' The speaker emphasizes the importance of deliberate and spaced practice instead.

How does the speaker respond to the criticism of 'drill and kill'?

The speaker argues that there are no incidents of children being harmed by practice and highlights that research from cognitive science and learning supports the need for deliberate practice with a purpose.

What does the speaker suggest about the nature of effective practice?

Effective practice should be deliberate, spaced over time, and involve retrieval of information. It should also be coupled with explicit instruction following a structure of 'I do it, we do it, you do it.'

What is meant by 'deliberate practice' in the context of the script?

Deliberate practice refers to practice that is purposeful, structured, and focused on improving specific skills, rather than being mindless repetition or 'drill and kill.'

What is the significance of 'spaced practice' as discussed in the script?

Spaced practice means that practice should be distributed over time, rather than crammed into one session. This method has been shown to enhance learning and retention.

What instructional framework does the speaker advocate for in the script?

The speaker advocates for a clear instructional framework: 'I do it, we do it, you do it,' followed by deliberate and spaced practice.

What role does retrieval play in practice according to the script?

Retrieval is crucial in practice because it helps reinforce learning by requiring students to actively recall and apply information, which improves long-term retention.

What is the significance of the phrase 'show me how you do that' in the script?

This phrase signals a shift to the practical demonstration of skills or concepts, implying that the speaker is guiding the learner through the process of applying the concepts in real-time.

What seems to be the purpose of the sound and word exercises in the script?

The purpose of the sound and word exercises is likely to help students practice phonemic awareness and language skills, showing how words and sounds are broken down and articulated.

How does the script illustrate the practice of 'retrieving information' in the context of language learning?

The script demonstrates the practice of retrieving information through an exercise where students are asked to identify and articulate the sounds in words, thus reinforcing their understanding of language patterns.