STUDY GROUP OUTLINE

1. This chapter begins with a slice-of-life dialogue between a teacher and student about using decimals. (Pg 11) How many of you groaned when it was clear that the student had not made the connection between classroom worksheets and the cash register? Do you have your own story to tell?
2. “The question of transfer is perhaps the fundamental educational question.”
   (Pg 11) What do you feel is the “fundamental educational question?”
3. The GED test is structured so information taught in one context is tested in a different context. (Pg 11) Since most adult education teachers have students whose goal is to “get my GED,” are you preparing your students for the expectations of the GED, whether you are an ABE or ESOL teacher?
4. The author referred to several studies demonstrating that transference of problem-solving skills from one area to another is sadly lacking. (Pg 12) In addition to those mentioned, do you have examples from your teaching or personal life when information has simply not made the shift?
5. “Good learners do transfer more than poor learners . . .” (Pg 12) offers hope to teachers who nurture problem solving and thinking-skills practice in their classrooms. Six things are recommended (Pgs 12-13). Choose two and describe how you are teaching that skill now OR how you plan to teach it in the future.
6. Consider the students in your class this semester. Name two who know “when to use a skill, as well as how to do it” (Pg 13). What is different about those students than the others in your class? On what basis did you select those two students? Can you not think of any students in your class who know when to use a skill?
7. “Students who learn new facts through patterns or principles . . . rather than by rote are better able to transfer that knowledge.” (Pg 14) Give one example of a pattern/principle lesson you have taught in the past month.
8. “Students who spend time organizing what they know . . . have a deeper understanding of what they have learned.” (Pg 14) Give one example of something you do in your class to teach students how to be organized.
9. Did the chart entitled “Is It Better To Learn From Rules, Examples, or Both?” (Pg 15) surprise you? Consider your own teaching style. Are you more comfortable teaching rules or examples? As a child, which style(s) were more common in your classes? Do you personally learn better from rules or examples?
10. When students read aloud in your class which do you say: “Here’s how you say that word,” or “What do you think that word means?” (Pg 15)
11. Analogies are very effective teaching tools (Pg 16), but have you ever used a wonderful analogy in your classroom and all the students looked blank? What did you do?
12. Research suggests that practice of multiple problems is more effective than multiple practice of similar problems. (Pg 16) Give an example of how this suggestion could be implemented in your classroom. What type of material would you use as the basis for your practice?
13. Teachers are urged to provide instruction in the following areas: transfer, modeling, analogies, examples, practice, and learning for understanding. (Pgs 17-19) Choose two of these areas and share ideas you have for doing these things in your classroom. Have you provided instruction in these areas before? If so, are your suggestions now different than they were before you read this chapter?

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