Practice Matters!
As I travel around to different districts and schools, I've noticed a difference in definition when it comes to shared, guided and independent practice. Having common verbiage and practice is crucial to students' success.
Students need both guided and independent practice in order to develop as strategic, autonomous learners who can deal with cognitively complex situations. When learning new processes, strategies, and skills, students need frequent structured guided practice. This practice should be closely monitored by the teacher and provide students with feedback as they apply the new understandings and behaviors.
Shared reading (or problem solving) is one way to provide guided practice. In a shared experience, the teacher is thinking with the learners. In the gradual release of responsibility, this is a "We do" or "I do, you help." The students all process the same content (no differentiation) with the teacher is providing support. The teacher monitors to make sure students understand how and when to apply the strategy or use the skill.
Guided practice should move from shared experiences to multiple guided experiences (e.g. guided reading or guided math) within the first few days or weeks of learning the new process, skill, or strategy. For example, in guided reading, the learners read independently, as the teacher is closely monitors and provides prompts or feedback as needed. Content needs to be differentiated, so that the learner can successfully execute the strategy or skill that is being targeted. In the gradual release of responsibility, this is a "You do" or "You do, I help." Help is only given if the student struggles. The teacher serves as a coach, giving feedback and prompting if necessary. Most students need 4-5 guided practice sessions in order to comprehend the steps to use in the process, strategy or skill.
After students have developed comprehension of the process, strategy or skill, varied independent practice should be provided over time and the complexity of the situations or texts can be increased so that students need to use the knowledge in a variety of scenarios. Fluency develops as students practice over a relatively long period of time. Bottom line, to really become a strategic, autonomous learner, students must have a lot of practice. Many students fail to develop as strategic readers simply because they didn't get enough coaching and practice. How will you ensure students get the practice they need? Click here to download a PDF version of the graphic organizer.
Happy teaching,
Randi Anderson