Current Course Title & Author:

Secondary Methods - Dr. Marilyn Buck, Ball State University

Topic Focus of Activity:

Understanding cues or critical elements, and evaluating how many cues can be used in a teaching episode

Student Learning Objectives:

1. The student will understand that only 3 cues can be given and remembered at any one time in a teaching episode
2. The student will understand that more than 3 cues can be used if the cues are provided after student master previously given cues
3.

National Standard Connections:

.NASPE/NCATE 6

Description of Idea:

This is a "Simon Says" type of activity. The students stand up from their desks in the classroom and move desks to the side of the room so that the students can be active.

State the separate teaching cues once and then give the signal to begin.  The students cannot begin the skills until the signal has been given and each cue must be completed in the order that it was presented.

Do the activities listed below in the order presented.  Speak slowly so the students can understand each task.
1. Touch left hand to right toe. Go.
2. Scratch back with right hand.  Jump twice.
3. Touch a wall in the room.  Lift right knee toward chest.  Touch the left ear.
4. Touch the left heel.  Draw a circle in the air.  Touch a wall.  Do a push up.
5. Touch the floor.  Hop on one foot twice.  Draw a star in the air.  Do two jumping jacks.  Put left hand on hip.

Discuss the results.  Typically once 4 activities are introduced, the students look around the room for assistance in remembering what they are supposed to do, and look for assistance with the order to perform the skills.  Everyone seems to be able to do 3 activities without any difficulty.

Do the following activity in a similar fashion.
1. Touch left hand to right foot.
2. Touch left hand to right foot.  Scratch back with right hand.
3. Repeat #2 above and add: Jump five times.
4. Repeat #3 above and add: Touch a wall in the room.
5. Repeat #4 above and add: Draw a triangle in the air.
6. Repeat #5 above and add: Do one pushup.
7. Repeat #6 above and add: Touch left ear with right hand..

You could go on but by this time the students are ready to analyze what has occurred.  Ask what was different in the second activity as compared to the first activity.  Be sure to recognize that the skills in the first activity are unrelated but simple to master and in the second activity each skill or aspect of a skill is mastered before adding more to think about.  tell the students that for a beginner to learn efficiently each aspect of a skill may seem unrelated as well!

Ask: How many cues (or critical elements) could you remember without difficulty when given the cues one at a time?  Once those cues are mastered, additional cues can be added.

Also discuss that the use of as few cues as possible is the ideal conditions for learning.

Assessment Technique:

Results of the discussion.  Also when the students present skills during peer teaching episodes or other practicum experiences, no more than 3 cues are given at any time.

Approximate time required:

Plan for 15-20 minutes of class time, including discussion.