The Teacher's Role
While these lessons are designed so that students can work independently and at their own pace, the teacher plays an important role in ensuring maximum student learning and engagement. This is based on the Gradual Release of Responsibility instructional model (Pearson & Gallagher, 1983), in which the responsibility for learning gradually shifts from the teacher to the student. The teacher decides when to provide explicit instruction, when to allow students to work with guidance, and—after students have demonstrated understanding with the support of the teacher or a peer—when to encourage independent performance. The Teacher’s Guide reflects these varying levels of support throughout each lesson: explicit instruction, guided practice, and independent application.
For example, teachers may provide explicit instruction before students begin a lesson, posing questions to access background knowledge, clarifying misconceptions, and setting a purpose for the lesson content. Key vocabulary is reviewed or explicitly taught. As students begin working on the lessons, the teacher may provide assistance, as needed, to students in reading or responding to text or video. The teacher may also pair students to work together for assistance in completing tasks. The teacher facilitates discussions during or after students complete the lesson to prepare them for the final assignment. Finally, the teacher ensures that students have adequate time to complete the final assignment independently.
Think about the level of support you provide to students as they engage in learning. Write an example of when you provide explicit instruction and when and how you provide support for guided practice. How do you determine when students are ready to move from guided practice to independent application?
