S4E1: Just Tell Them – The Power of Explanations and Explicit Teaching
Sep 5, 2024
auto_awesome
Gene Tavernetti, a passionate advocate for effective modeling in education, joins Dr. Zach Groshell to dive into the importance of explicit teaching strategies. They discuss how clear explanations can reduce cognitive overload and boost student understanding. Tavernetti emphasizes rehearsing explanations to enhance teaching clarity and the art of storytelling to captivate students' attention. The conversation highlights the 'I do, we do, you do' approach, stressing that effective learning is rooted in active engagement and clear communication.
Clear and coherent explanations are crucial for effective teaching, especially for students who require explicit instruction to learn properly.
Rehearsing explanations and focusing on singular learning objectives can significantly enhance lesson delivery and reduce cognitive overload for students.
Deep dives
The Necessity of Clear Explanations
The podcast emphasizes the essential role clear explanations play in effective teaching. It argues that modern teaching methods, which often involve minimal guidance, can hinder the learning of students who struggle with content. These methods may lead to cognitive overload and behavioral issues, particularly for those who need explicit instruction the most. The discussion highlights the need for educators to focus on clarity and coherence in their explanations to support all learners effectively.
Rehearsing Explanations for Effectiveness
The importance of rehearsing explanations in teaching is thoroughly discussed, noting that preparation can significantly enhance the clarity and delivery of information. Effective teaching requires not just understanding of the content but also the ability to convey it succinctly, which can be achieved through practice. Teachers are encouraged to rehearse their explanations, whether through mental practice or by working with peers. By doing so, they can ensure that their lessons are delivered smoothly and that they can adapt their explanations based on student needs.
The Role of Learning Objectives
Learning objectives are presented as a vital tool for guiding effective lesson design and delivery. The podcast critiques the common practice of overloading classrooms with numerous objectives, arguing that simplicity and focus are key to student understanding. It stresses that clear, manageable objectives help streamline instruction and prevent cognitive overload. Having a singular, clear learning goal allows teachers to stay aligned with their instructional strategy and facilitate better outcomes for students.
Engagement Through Storytelling
Storytelling is highlighted as a powerful technique for engaging students and enhancing their understanding of material during lessons. The episode discusses how properly structured stories can capture students' attention and make lessons more relatable. These narratives not only serve to illustrate concepts but also help students connect personally with the content. However, the podcast cautions against the inappropriate use of storytelling, stressing that humor and stories should serve a direct educational purpose rather than diverting from the main learning objectives.
Welcome back to Progressively Incorrect, a show sponsored by John Catt from Hodder Education and hosted by me, Dr. Zach Groshell. Listen and subscribe to this podcast on…SpotifyYouTubeApple PodcastsWordPress In this episode, me and my friend Gene Tavernetti catch up after a busy summer to talk about strategies for effective modeling from the new book, … Continue reading S4E1: Just Tell Them – The Power of Explanations and Explicit Teaching
Get the Snipd podcast app
Unlock the knowledge in podcasts with the podcast player of the future.
AI-powered podcast player
Listen to all your favourite podcasts with AI-powered features
Discover highlights
Listen to the best highlights from the podcasts you love and dive into the full episode
Save any moment
Hear something you like? Tap your headphones to save it with AI-generated key takeaways
Share & Export
Send highlights to Twitter, WhatsApp or export them to Notion, Readwise & more
AI-powered podcast player
Listen to all your favourite podcasts with AI-powered features
Discover highlights
Listen to the best highlights from the podcasts you love and dive into the full episode