Tracy Knickerbocker, Ed.D.
This document summarizes a presentation on using fluency building techniques in the classroom. It describes the 5 steps to implement fluency building: 1) Pinpoint the specific skill or concept, 2) Provide practice opportunities, 3) Chart student performance data, 4) Use data to determine when to advance or provide more practice, and 5) Manage materials and student responsibilities. The rationale for fluency building is that practicing skills to automaticity improves retention, endurance, and application of concepts. Examples are provided for each implementation step.
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Tracy Knickerbocker, Ed.D.
- 1. A Presentation for: The 30th National Conference for Paraeducators & Related Service Providers Presented by: Tracy Knickerbocker, Ed.D. The E2 Group, Inc. 7714 Silent Forest Drive Houston. TX 77479 • 800.282.5491 tknick@theE2group.com www.theE2group.com
- 2. Workshop Objectives! ! Todescribe the rational behind using fluency building;! ! Tolist the five implementation steps for constructing fluency sheets; and! ! Toapply fluency building to one content area in your classroom.! Rationale and Definition ! !Fluency (True Mastery: accuracy AND speed)! ! ! !Practice makes the difference!! ! !100 % accuracy (traditional “mastery”)! ! !Beginnerʼs level (inaccurate and slow)! ! !Incompetence (no measurable performance)! © 2011, The E2 Group, Inc. 1
- 3. Why is FluencyImportant?! ! Retention & Maintenance! -the ability to perform a skill or recall knowledge long after formal programs have ended.! ! Endurance! -the ability to maintain performance levels and attention to task for extended periods.! ! Application! -the ability to combine and apply what is learned to perform more complex skills and to generalize the information to new situations.! A Successful Learner! When students lack! fluency in foundation! skills, performance! requiring application ! of those skills is likely! to be painfully slow,! difficult, and full of! errors.! Foundational Concepts! ! Fluency building can be used with any teaching method and material.! ! It is based on continuous measurement of a childʼs progress.! ! It may be used for feedback, assessment, motivation, and instructional decision making.! © 2011, The E2 Group, Inc. 2
- 4. Foundational Concepts ! ! Fluency building assists students in retaining and organizing information.! ! Keeps students actively involved.! ! Helps students perform better on tests.! ! Students can develop their own practice sheets for other classes.! ! Students like using them.! Five Implementation Steps Implementation Steps! ! Step 1: Pinpoint! ! Step 2: Practice! ! Step 3: Chart! ! Step 4: Decide! ! Step 5: Manage! © 2011, The E2 Group, Inc. 3
- 5. Step 1: Pinpoint! ! Describe behavior.! -What is it that you want the students to learn?! ! Determine placement.! -Students must be placed within the curriculum in accord with instructional objectives.! ! Set aim.! -What should the students shoot for?! Characteristics of a Pinpoint! ! Precise.! !-Specific target behavior.! !-Describes specific action & outcome: learning channel! !-Is consistent.! ! Countable.! !-Has an observable beginning & end.! !-Is repeatable within the length of the timing.! ! Fair Pair.! !-Collect both correct and incorrect responses.! ! Relevant part of Curriculum.! Step 2: Practice! ! Timeframe.! -Determine an appropriate time for the skill (e.g. minute, minutes, etc.).! ! Select practice method.! -How do you want students to practice (practice sheets, SAFMEDS, paired practice, etc.)! ! Conduct daily timings.! -Conduct timings on pinpoint skill to monitor progress and give practice.! © 2011, The E2 Group, Inc. 4
- 6. Creating Practice Sheets! 1. Select content material (subject, unit);! 2. Determine the objective (what do you want to measure?);! 3. Choose key items or vocabulary;! 4. Select 5-8 items for repeated practice;! 5. Prepare student practice sheets.! Practice Sheet Tips! ! Label the sheet. Include the objective.! ! Include only 5-8 different items. Repeat two or three times in random order.! ! Determine the length of your timing.! ! Donʼt overcrowd - leave space to write answers.! ! Provide more items than the students can complete during the timing period.! ! Develop an answer key.! ! Provide prompts if necessary.! ! Check the readability level.! Partner Practice! ! Pair students with a partner for oral timed drill.! ! One student reads one from one column and the other student supplies the missing element.! ! Remind partners to provide immediate feedback to the other student (when correct, praise; if incorrect or hesitant, provide the answer immediately).! ! After two minutes, partners switch roles. The practice session is started again for two minutes to allow the other student timed practice.! ! If the page is finished before the two minutes are up, then the student should start over from the top.! ! Conduct timed practices on previous practice sheets for review.! © 2011, The E2 Group, Inc. 5
- 7. Other Uses of Practice Sheets! ! Homework! ! Pre & Post Tests! ! Group Games! ! Independent Practice at Centers! Step 3: Chart! ! Count responses.! -Count both corrects and incorrects.! ! Record.! -Record responses per minute.! ! Display.! -Display responses on academic chart for student.! Purpose of Charting! " To obtain an accurate measure of the rate of movement you have pinpointed;! " To display the rate obtained graphically so that both the general trends and smallest change in rates will be easily observed.! © 2011, The E2 Group, Inc. 6
- 8. Step 4: Decide! ! Determine when to move on or scale back.! ! Decision tools:! 1. At aim for two out of three days.! 2. Three day days of flat data.! 3. Less than x1.25 growth per week.! 4. Corrects decelerating.! 5. Celeration turn down.! Acquisition Level! ! Low frequency: ! More direct teaching correct < 20 minutes! and/or instruction! ! Modeling & feedback! ! Error, no pattern ! Emphasize tool skills (slice back)! ! More bounce or ! Assess learning variability in data! channels! ! Still learning the ! More immediate basic concepts!! reinforcement on items.! Fluency Building Level! ! Middle frequency: ! Instruct to errors! correct > 20/minute! ! Practice has effect! ! Middle frequency: ! Keep learning errors <5/minute! channel and format ! Less bounce! consistent! ! Refining the ! Less instruction is concepts! necessary! ! Feedback to total task! © 2011, The E2 Group, Inc. 7
- 9. Proficiency Level! ! High frequencies - at ! Add on! or near aim! ! Change learning ! Few, if any, errors! channels! ! Little bounce! ! Change format! ! Smooth, easy, ! Feedback through rhythmic responding! natural consequences! Step 5: Manage! ! Preparation.! ! Teach students to chart.! ! Classroom management.! Weekly Preparation! ! Week 1: Preparation! -Get materials ready! -Organizational decisions made! ! Week 2: Teaching the Process! -Discuss terms and purpose! -Model & practice management! ! Week 3: Charting! -Decide who will chart! -Teach charting to students & practice! ! Week 4: Decision Making! -Decide how often charts are analyzed! -Decide how & when to provide feedback! © 2011, The E2 Group, Inc. 8
- 10. Management Tips! ! Organize directions & materials well.! ! Assign all possible tasks to students.! ! Establish a routine.! ! Establish partners.! ! Designate a place for all materials.! ! Practice, practice, practice.! ! Establish a time to check charts.! ! Have a backup for uncooperative students.! ! Use positive reinforcement.! ! Have students use pencils to chart.! ! Select initial pinpoints that will be likely to ensure success.! In Summary . . .! ! Using fluency allows us to help children learn faster than ever before;! ! By including the time dimension in our measurement methods we can systematically make changes in teaching with fluency as our goal;! ! We can help students achieve levels of truly masterful performance, in the same way that excellent coaches develop athletes.! © 2011, The E2 Group, Inc. 9