Page 282 - Making Instruction Work

chap 21 3/11/97 5:18 PM Page 268

268 making instruction work

d. Provide as much practice time as possible. Arrange the
instruction so that students can practice when they are
ready, for as long as they need to achieve mastery of
the objective. Make sure they find out how well they
are progressing.

e. Provide instructional resources. Give students whatever
materials and other resources are currently available,
regardless of their quality. When students want to
learn, they’ll do it in spite of inadequate resources.

4. Supportive environment. Once the above steps have
been attended to, the best way to improve the quality and
efficiency of your instruction is to improve the learning
environment itself.

• Provide easy access to resources. Make sure that as
many resources are available in the classroom itself as
possible and that access isn’t restricted by unnecessary
bureaucratic rules.

• Minimize obstacles such as distractions, whether these
are provided by noise, students, instructors, or out-
siders.

• Make sure students know it’s OK to practice and per-
form as desired and that it’s OK to make mistakes
while learning.

• Be available to help, but stay out of their way.

• Offer positive consequences for desired performance,
as well as for performances that approximate the final
desired performance.