Rosenshine #7: obtain a high success rate

Summary

This video discusses Rosenshine’s Principle Number Seven, emphasizing the importance of maintaining a balance between success rates and learning challenges. Effective teachers connect new knowledge to students' existing knowledge, facilitating easier learning and reducing misconceptions. The principle highlights the importance of teaching in small steps, using regular checks for understanding, and adjusting support based on student needs. Achieving an 80% success rate in learning tasks leads to optimal fluency, confidence, and long-term memory retention, while avoiding errors that could hinder progress. Teachers are encouraged to stop and re-teach when necessary to cement knowledge effectively.

Takeaways

• 😀 Effective learning occurs when students have opportunities for a high success rate in activities, with a balance of challenge.
• 😀 Teachers can increase success rates by linking new knowledge to students' existing knowledge, aiding retention in long-term memory.
• 😀 The most effective teachers break down lessons into small steps and frequently check for understanding.
• 😀 A well-structured learning journey involves designing stepping stones that integrate both instruction and practice activities.
• 😀 By revisiting stepping stones and ensuring students master topics before moving on, teachers help prevent misconceptions.
• 😀 Teachers should aim for an 80% success rate for students, as this is linked to better recall and fewer errors in learning.
• 😀 Too much challenge or too little challenge can negatively impact learning; a balanced level of difficulty is optimal.
• 😀 Teachers need to assess students' starting points and adjust scaffolding levels to maintain the 80% success threshold.
• 😀 Regularly stopping to re-teach and correct misconceptions is more beneficial than continuing without addressing errors.
• 😀 Using guided practice and review helps cement knowledge into long-term memory, preventing the development of bad learning habits.

Q & A

What does Rosenshine's principle number seven focus on?

Rosenshine's principle number seven focuses on obtaining a higher success rate in student learning by balancing appropriate levels of challenge and ensuring consistent success opportunities.

How can effective teachers balance challenge and success in the classroom?

Effective teachers can balance challenge and success by linking new knowledge to students' existing knowledge, ensuring lessons are structured in small, manageable steps with regular checks for understanding.

What is the importance of checking for understanding during lessons?

Checking for understanding allows teachers to assess students' grasp of the material before moving on to new content. This helps prevent misconceptions and ensures learners are absorbing the material effectively.

What is meant by 'stepping stones' in the learning journey?

'Stepping stones' refer to carefully designed instructional and practice activities placed throughout lessons or units of learning, which help students gradually build up their understanding and mastery of a topic.

Why is it important to revisit earlier steps in the learning process?

Revisiting earlier steps ensures that students master concepts and can overcome any misconceptions before progressing to more advanced material. This approach prevents students from building on incorrect knowledge.

How does linking new knowledge to existing knowledge help in learning?

Linking new knowledge to existing knowledge helps facilitate the transfer of information into long-term memory and reduces the likelihood of developing misconceptions by grounding new concepts in what students already know.

What role do success rates play in student learning?

Research suggests that students are most successful when they have an 80% success rate in learning tasks. Success rates above 90% might not offer enough challenge, while rates below 70% may result in students practicing too many errors.

What happens if a student's success rate falls below 70%?

When students achieve less than a 70% success rate, they are likely practicing errors, which can negatively impact their learning and retention. This makes it harder to overcome misconceptions later.

Why is guided practice important for students?

Guided practice is important because it allows students to practice skills in a controlled way, with support from the teacher. This helps ensure that students can build confidence and fluency, avoiding the development of bad habits.

How can teachers ensure that students are challenged appropriately?

Teachers can ensure appropriate challenge by assessing students' starting points and adjusting the levels of scaffolding in tasks. This ensures that each student receives the right level of support to reach the ideal 80% success rate.