Summary of How to Teach the Six Kinds of Knowledge
Summary of How to Teach the Six Kinds of Knowledge
Facts.
The first ten amendments are called “The Bill of Rights.”
Boston is the capital of Massachusetts.
How to teach.
**State the fact (model). [Students write it down in GUIDED NOTES? Students say it to themselves?]
**Then have students say the fact with you (lead). [At first.]
** Then have students state the fact by themselves (test/check).
Lists.
The six New England states are Maine…
How to teach.
**Model the first several on list.
**Then students say with you.
**Then test.
**Add more (model, lead, test).
**Then do all (model, lead, test).
Sensory concepts. blue, on
One example shows all of the defining features. red, straight line, on top.
How to teach.
**Present/model a range of examples that differ in size, shape, etc., but are the same in the defining feature (e.g., color)—to allow comparison, to identify sameness.
“This is red.”
** Juxtapose examples and nonexamples that are the same except for the defining feature---to show contrast, to identify difference that makes the difference.
** Test with all examples and nonexamples (delayed acquisition test). “Is this red?...Is this red?” Or with a generalization test.
** Test with new examples (generalization test).
Higher-order concepts.
Society, mammal
Features are spread out. Can’t be sensed all at once.
Representative democracy, cell mitosis, table, galaxy.
How to teach.
** Teach the definition: model, lead, test/check. “Mitosis is….”
** Then present examples and nonexamples, as with sensory concepts.
** Test all (delayed acquisition test). “Is this…?” “How do you know?”
** Generalize to new examples and nonexamples.
Rules. Statements that connect NOT one thing and another thing (e.g., name and date), but connect whole sets of things (concepts).
When demand increases, price increases.
All dogs are canines.
Can be shown on diagrams; e.g., graphs and models of interconnections.
Teach rules one of two ways.
a. Deductive method---from general (rule) to specific (examples).
** Teach rule statement (model, lead, test) first.
** Then present examples and nonexamples---as with
concepts. Verbal or graphs.
** Then test all examples and nonexamples.
“Is this (verbal description of graph) an example of the demand-price rule?”
“No.”
“How do you know?”
Students state rule.
** Then generalize to/test new examples and nonexamples.
b. Inductive method---from specific (examples) to general (rule).
** Present a range of examples first (e.g., different price-demand curves): cars, oil, movies.
** Show students how to compare the examples and to identify the sameness—the relationship. One variable goes up and the other variable goes up. “Demand varies directly with price.”
** Then present nonexamples, and show (in relation to the rule) how they are nonexamples. “Demand is increasing, but price stays the same. That does NOT fit the rule.
** Then give new examples and nonexamples, and have students say if they are or are not examples, and how they know.
Routines. A sequence of steps for getting something done.
Solving math problems, sounding out words, writing essays, brushing your teeth, brushing someone else’s teeth.
How to teach.
Teach the same way you teach lists.
**Model, lead, test each step (or a few steps).
**Add a few more steps and then do the whole sequence so far (model, lead, test);
**Add a few more; etc.
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