A scope and sequence is a summary of what is to be taught, the sequence in which it will be taught and the syllabus outcomes that may be addressed in the intended learning. Scope and sequences are flexible and fluid documents. They provide a brief overview of the key concepts and ideas addressed in a […]

I know some incredibly intelligent individuals who really struggle to teach concepts in the classroom. They have more subject knowledge than I could comprehend, but their students don’t succeed. Why? Because these teachers aren’t able to encode their knowledge in a way that makes it easy for students to access. It’s as simple as that. […]

Teachers who can connect with any student, even those hard to like students, is something special. You can see them talking, hugging, high-fiving, and complementing these students. In fact, they do it so well, that the student cannot help himself or herself from showing respect back to them. What do these teachers do to create […]

In addition to rapid physical growth, young children also exhibit significant development of their cognitive abilities. Piaget thought that children’s ability to understand objects—such as learning that a rattle makes a noise when shaken—was a cognitive skill that develops slowly as a child matures and interacts with the environment. Today, developmental psychologists think Piaget was […]

INFANCY THROUGH CHILDHOOD The average newborn weighs approximately 7.5 pounds. Although small, a newborn is not completely helpless because his reflexes and sensory capacities help him interact with the environment from the moment of birth. All healthy babies are born with newborn reflexes: inborn automatic responses to particular forms of stimulation. Reflexes help the newborn survive […]

Zeichner (1992) has summarized the extensive literature that describes successful teaching approaches for diverse populations. From his review, he distilled 12 key elements for effective teaching for ethnic- and language-minority students. Teachers have a clear sense of their own ethnic and cultural identities. Teachers communicate high expectations for the success of all students and a […]

Brainstorming is an excellent teaching strategy to generate ideas on a given topic. Brainstorming helps promote thinking skills. When students are asked to think of all things related to a concept, they are really being asked to stretch their thinking skills. All too often, a child with special learning needs will say they don’t know. However, with […]

Brainstorming is an essential part of critical thinking and a tool that people use to invent an idea, find a solution to a problem, or answer a question. 6 Elements of the Perfect Brainstorm Brainstorming is simple and natural. However, when groups of people collaboratively brainstorm, we can have wildly different experiences — from awesome […]

The Visual (Spatial) Learning Style If you use the visual style, you prefer using images, pictures, colors, and maps to organize information and communicate with others. You can easily visualize objects, plans and outcomes in your mind’s eye. You also have a good spatial sense, which gives you a good sense of direction. You can […]

Overview of Learning Styles Many people recognize that each person prefers different learning styles and techniques. Learning styles group common ways that people learn. Everyone has a mix of learning styles. Some people may find that they have a dominant style of learning, with far less use of the other styles. Others may find that […]