Explicit instruction includes a number of components that when used in lessons help students learn and master problem-solving skills. Components of explicit instruction that are embedded in the Solve It! lessons include:
Actively Engaging Students in the Problem-Solving Process
- Role reversals—students assume the role of the teacher and demonstrate how to solve the problem for their classmates.
- Active student participation—students are engaged in the learning process, discussing and applying what they have learned.
- Verbal rehearsal—a technique that helps students memorize concepts—in the case of Solve It!—the seven cognitive processes.
- Practice with peers—a teaching technique used to help students see how their peers approach problems and, in some cases, to learn from them.
Reinforcing Student Learning during Skill Acquisition
- Motivation—teachers incorporate ways of helping students be interested and involved in the lessons.
- Performance feedback—students learn about their performance on tests and their responses during instruction.
- Reinforcement—a behavioral tool that increases the frequency of a desired behavior.
Achieving Mastery in Math Problem Solving
- Mastery learning—students build on their baseline scores to improve their proficiency.
- Distributed practice—teachers provide students with ample opportunity—spread out over time—to practice what they have learned.
- Overlearning—students learn a skill, strategy, or behavior successfully and then complete the task or use the strategy automatically.
Learn more about these components and how they are embedded in Solve It! Check out the various Solve It! titles at https://www.exinn.net/solve-it/