Teaching: Modeling, Supported Practice, Mastery
Teaching involves 3 steps:
Modeling (the teacher shows the student how)
Supported practice (teacher and student do it together; the student gets help as needed)
Mastery (the student does it independently or takes a test on it)
Modeling works beautifully in the classroom, and testing happens efficiently in the classroom. Supported practice comes harder, so teachers often need to send homework to cover that step.
Homework is not a test!
Homework provides a chance to practice a skill correctly in order to imprint it in memory. Forcing a child to work alone, especially if practicing incorrectly, becomes counterproductive in every possible way. The child soon pairs the emotional pain of failure and confusion with academic learning! The student may spend hours trying to do something he or she actually can’t do yet. The child misses out on much-needed play time, outdoor contemplating time, physical exercise, and even sleep doing incorrect work that imprints wrong information and must be unlearned later.
Homework, Incorrectly Done, Is Worse than Useless
Remedy: A parent or tutor supports the student with homework, ensuring that it is done correctly and in a happy confident emotional atmosphere, leaving time for other important activities. Support can take these forms:
- Read material aloud while student tracks (reads along silently).
- Ask the student to compose answers orally while typing or writing the student’s words (attach a note to the teacher about how the work was done).
- Write answers lightly and let students trace over them, discussing orally to be sure the student understands.
- Use a voice recorder so the student can speak an essay or story, then the adult types it up from the recording.
- Work on a computer or iPad with a spell checker.
- Do homework side-by-side, so that the adult is modeling how it should be done and the student can check his/her work against that of the adult at each step. Dialogue about the work to ensure understanding
In short, provide enough support so the student can practice the skill correctly without becoming exasperated. Assure that the student has sufficient time for outdoor play and plenty of sleep. Homework that prevents these essentials hurts the child.
by Yvonna Graham, M.Ed.
www.dyslexiakit.net
@GrahamYvonna