EDI: Skill Development and Guided Practice — Key Concepts

Concept Development: teaches what the lesson’s concepts are; use written definitions, labeled examples, non-examples; includes CFU to verify understanding.
Skill Development and Guided Practice: applies conceptual knowledge to solve problems; shows how to use the concepts, with CFU to check thinking.
Purpose: Concept Development = what; Skill Development/Guided Practice = how to do it.

Skill Development: teacher solves problems aloud, showing steps and thinking processes; provide a methodology and explicit thinking as you solve.
Guided Practice: students solve similar problems step-by-step with teacher guidance; CFU questions after each step; corrective feedback as needed.

Rule of Two: present problems in matched pairs; teacher solves the first problem, students solve the matching one; CFU questions after each.
Also called mirror or matched problems; aims to scaffold from teacher thinking to student application.

Modeling is the primary method for Skill Development: verbalize thinking in first person while solving.
Purpose: reveal strategic thinking so students can emulate it in similar tasks.
Benefits: helps lower-performing students; conveys that experts use systematic thinking, not just luck.

Shows internal thinking and cognitive strategies, not just answers.
CFU after modeling focuses on explaining thinking processes (process questions).
If students can’t answer process questions, the teacher may need to reveal more thinking.

CFU questions after Modeling verify students’ understanding of thinking processes, not just final answers.
Examples of process CFU: How did I decide? What thinking led to this step? Why did I choose that approach?
Language Arts CFU often address identifying textual evidence or reasoning; Math CFU focuses on problem-solving processes and reasoning.

Usually students listen/watch while the teacher models; sometimes students copy the worked problem for reference.
Copying can provide a worked example to refer back to later.

1) Develop Steps: outline steps and processes used to solve problems; include discrete, describable thinking actions.
2) Provide Matched Problems for Teacher and Students (Rule of Two): prepare a teacher problem and a corresponding student problem.
3) Include All Variations: anticipate different variations of the problem type and design pairs to cover them.
4) Add CFU Questions: embed process-focused questions after each step.

Steps include a mix of directions (mechanics) and strategic thinking (cognition).
Directions example: Read the question. Read the passage. Write the answer.
Strategic steps require thinking and can include a stated strategy or hint; use cognitive verbs: identify, determine, analyze, explain.
To avoid turning thinking into mere mechanics, place the thinking verb in the sentence and keep mechanical verbs at the end.

Locate or create matched problems for teacher and students; teacher demonstrates, then students demonstrate.
Engages students by alternating teacher-led and student-led problem solving with CFU checks.

Once students solve a few matched pairs, intermix variations to help students distinguish between similar types.
If variations are complex, model thinking first before students attempt them.

Most lessons have multiple variations of the same problem type; teach each variation in pairs using Rule of Two.
Ensure Independent Practice or homework covers only the variations taught.
Example: rounding numbers variations (nearest 10, nearest 100).

Begin with teacher-led, then gradually release to independence.
Reduce CFU frequency and number of steps as students become proficient.
In advanced stages, students can show answers or solve multiple problems with minimal guidance.

For long problems or long passages, use Internal Rule of Two: some repetitive steps are performed by students inside a larger task after modeling.
Helps maintain engagement and manage cognitive load.

Identify events suggesting theme across sentences; teacher models first event; students identify subsequent events with guidance.
Requires pre-reading/plan to decide which sentence groups students will analyze.

Use Engagement Norms, TAPPLE: Read a step, do a step, CFU, then discuss thinking.
Provide matching mirror problems using Rule of Two or Internal Rule of Two.

Teacher works a problem with thinking aloud; students work matching problem; CFU after each.
Read and execute steps one at a time; pair-share for processing steps; repeat for remaining steps.
After several problems, switch to referring to steps rather than constantly solving aloud.

Skill Development should take about 15–20 minutes; split longer lessons into two parts if needed.
Slow release: progressively reduce teacher questioning and modeling as students gain independence.

Procedural Knowledge: how to do something (e.g., rounding numbers, identifying steps).
Declarative Knowledge: facts/information (e.g., causes of revolutions, components of government).
Some content blends both (e.g., in history or science).

Literacy Approach: learn content by reading and analyzing text; informational text reading is integrated into Skill Development/Guided Practice.
Graphic organizers are used to extract and organize key information (often via Rule of Two).
CFU in literacy-based lessons cover both content and literacy skills (e.g., citing textual evidence, determining central ideas).
Text-based lessons emphasize reading and analyzing passages across content areas (science, history).

Students pair-share and describe content and organizer placement.
CFU questions include why information goes where in the organizer and how it supports key concepts.

History (Declarative/ Literacy): Describe the government of the Roman Republic; use a graphic organizer to categorize responsibilities and checks and balances.
Science (Declarative/Procedural): Analyze plate boundaries; use informational text to supplement ideas; organize in a graphic organizer.

Rule of Two and Internal Rule of Two facilitate efficient, engaging Skill Development.
Modeling reveals explicit thinking; CFU checks ensure understanding of the thinking process, not just answers.
Distinguish strategic thinking from simple directions; use cognitive verbs to describe thinking.
Vary instruction with all variations; use slow release to move toward independence.
Literacy Approach expands content learning through reading and analysis, with graphic organizers and literacy-focused CFU.

Identify Steps: Look for clear, reusable steps that apply to any problem.
Matched Problems: Locate or design teacher/student matched problems to implement Rule of Two.
Declarative Knowledge Literacy: Find declarative lessons that could be taught via literacy approach.
Sample Lessons: Explore educeri.com for Skill Development/Guided Practice with CFU and variations.