Reading Reflection 1

Instructions: READ the "Focus On" Research-Based Teaching Practices at http://www.nea.org/home/16454.htm. IDENTIFY research-based instructional strategies you can use in you ITU.

I chose to focus on listing research-based instructional strategies for Hispanics and girls because the former are very predominant in Southern California schools and the latter are a group I know I need help focusing on in my classroom. Strategies I can use to help close the achievement gap for these two groups include:

- Hispanics

1.       Assist students to accomplish more complex understanding by relating to their real-life experience.

2.       Assure that students, for each instructional topic, see the whole picture as the basis for understanding the parts.

3.       Engage students in focused and cohesive oral and written explanations of their work.

- Girls

1.       Use inclusive language: don't use "you guys" as a way of addressing a group (shows unintentional gender bias).

2.       Make a conscious effort to call on all students equally.

3.       Cooperative/collaborative learning between genders.