Before students are asked to engage in complex learning tasks, they need to have a solid grasp of basic skills.
Background
The "basic skills first" approach to learning is intuitively sensible and is reinforced by some curricula. Of course, students must learn basic skills. However, when students are not given challenging problem-solving tasks at early stages of their cognitive development, it is likely that they will not develop important skills. This is particularly problematic for students who do not experience opportunities for problem solving (high cognitive demand) in their homes. So, when the curriculum turns to lessons that demand the ability to make judgments and inferences, basic-skills-first students will be disadvantaged. Similarly, when students are struggling with so-called basic skills but are not given more demanding work in school, they may not appreciate how interesting and useful learning can be. Additionally, when basic skills are taught in isolation from authentic contexts—such as using a worksheet that has no relationship to a problem or situation that is meaningful to them—students do not learn to apply what they have been taught or recognize what they have learned in a variety of contexts. As Patricia Alexander cautions, teachers need to ensure that struggling students do not become struggling thinkers.
Question to Consider
1. What are some ways to incorporate complex problem solving in basic-skills assignments?
To explore this and other questions, take a closer look at the resources below. At any time, add your comments to the Discussion by starting a new discussion or viewing an ongoing discussion.
- Kris Gutierrez says that rather than focus on traditional forms of remediation to help struggling students, educators need to enrich their students learning opportunities through "re-mediation":
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