Model the Assignment or Skill

Overview

By talking through their thinking at each step of a process, teachers can model what learning looks like. Showing students that teachers, too, are learners who struggle and persist through challenging work also models the importance of continuous growth and fosters growth mindset. Observing thought processes and expected behaviors also helps students feel supported in their learning.

Use It in the Classroom

Watch how this high school teacher models how to read a historic text with a specific purpose. By talking through how he skims through the document and what questions to ask, he models what to pay attention to and how to connect to their Background Knowledge. He also demonstrates how to tackle unfamiliar Vocabulary and examines how the author builds authenticity, thus building their Disciplinary Literacy. After he models the thinking process, he gives the students the opportunity to try this out in groups.

In modeling a skill, teachers can verbalize their thoughts while completing a task like evaluating a source or structuring an argument. Hearing the thoughts and questions that arise for the teacher helps learners become more aware of strategies to use, supporting their Metacognition. Modeling discipline-specific language also builds their Disciplinary Literacy.

Design It into Your Product

Visual and interactive models can be readily integrated into edtech products. Developers can provide pre-made models or the tools, such as audio and video recording, for teachers to create models that their students can revisit.

View References

Resources

Below are additional examples, research, and professional development. These resources are possible representations of this strategy, not endorsements.

Examples

Modeling for Learning

Edutopia article with examples on using modeling for teaching

Examples

Modeling Literary Analysis

Edutopia blog on modeling literary analysis

Examples

Think-Alouds

Reading Rockets guide for how to implement think-alouds as modeling

Professional Development

How to Model Effectively

Module by Sanford Inspire