Lesson Segment: Addressing Content
Design Question: #3 – Helping Students Practice and Deepen New Knowledge
Element 16:
Using Homework
A teacher’s growth in using instructional strategies can be tracked along the developmental
scale. Coaching and growth needs vary for each developmental category on this scale. A
teacher at the “beginning” level on the development scale has very different needs than a
teacher at the “applying” level. Therefore, in order to track a teacher’s growth in using this
strategy, it is important to begin by pinpointing his/her current level of use.
Monitoring for the desired effect of a strategy is a critical component addressed in the
developmental scale. Monitoring is the teacher act of checking evidence for desired student
learning of critical content during instruction, which includes student action and teacher
witnessing of that action.
For this element, the teacher designs homework activities that allow students to access and
analyze content to deepen knowledge or practice a skill, strategy, or process.
The desired effect of this element states that students’ understanding of content and/or
practice of skills, strategies, or processes is deepened with appropriate homework.
Developmental Scale
Beginning
Uses strategy
incorrectly or with
parts missing.
Developing
Assigns homework
that is designed to
deepen knowledge of
content or practice a
skill, strategy, or
process, but the
majority of students
are either not
monitored for or not
displaying the desired
effect of the strategy.
© 2016 Learning Sciences International.
Applying
When appropriate (as
opposed to routinely),
assigns homework
that is designed to
deepen knowledge of
content or practice a
skill, strategy, or
process and monitors
for evidence of the
extent to which
homework extends
learning for the
majority of students.
Innovating
Adapts and creates
new strategies for
unique student needs
and situations in order
for the desired effect
to be evident in all
students.
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The following scale has been enhanced to demonstrate common mistakes, examples and nonexamples, along with ideas for scaffolding and extended learning.
BEGINNING – Uses strategy incorrectly or with parts missing.
Some common mistakes include:
• The homework does not align with the desired effect or to the lesson’s critical
content.
• The teacher uses homework as part of a routine rather than for the purpose of
deepening students’ understanding of content and/or practice of skills, strategies, or
processes.
• The teacher assigns homework that is too brief to increase fluency or understanding.
• The teacher continues to assign homework in which students practice the same skill,
strategy, or process after automaticity has been reached.
• The teacher monitors the assignment for homework completeness rather than
content accuracy.
• The teacher assigns parent-assisted homework but fails to clarify the role the parent
will play in completing the task.
DEVELOPING – Assigns homework that is designed to deepen knowledge of content or
practice a skill, strategy, or process, but the majority of students are either not monitored for
or not displaying the desired effect of the strategy.
Some examples of typical, correct use of the strategy include:
• The teacher provides homework that is aligned to the lesson’s critical information,
which can be an extension of an activity begun in class.
• The teacher communicates a clear purpose and gives directions for homework.
• The teacher ensures students understand critical information before assigning
homework that will deepen their understanding of the information.
• The teacher asks student to preview new information and make linkages between
what they already know and what they are about to learn.
• The teacher has parents assist with homework in a support role rather than a
teaching role.
• The teacher uses strategies associated with a flipped classroom.
© 2016 Learning Sciences International.
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APPLYING – When appropriate (as opposed to routinely), assigns homework that is
designed to deepen knowledge of content or practice a skill, strategy, or process and
monitors for evidence of the extent to which homework extends learning for the majority of
students.
At this point in development, the teacher uses the strategy with increased accuracy and
fluency while staying focused on student outcome, or desired effect. At the “applying” level,
the teacher must provide opportunity for students to demonstrate that the strategy is having
the desired effect – in this case, students’ understanding of content and/or practice of skills,
strategies, or processes is deepened with appropriate homework. Planning for the
implementation of this strategy allows the teacher to identify how he/she will monitor for the
desired effect. Some examples of monitoring may include:
• The teacher listens as students discuss the linkages they made between new
content and their prior knowledge.
• The teacher observes as students demonstrate a skill, process, or strategy after the
completion of homework.
• The teacher listens, observes, and asks questions as students demonstrate their
understanding of critical information that was deepened through the completion of
homework.
• The teacher examines and provides feedback on written homework ensuring that
students deepened their knowledge.
• The teacher discusses critical information with students as they self-correct the
homework.
• The teacher listens and interacts as students pair together and review the critical
information in the homework.
• The teacher reads through the parents’ comments to ensure students deepened their
knowledge.
• The teacher surveys students to see if they thought the homework was effective.
© 2016 Learning Sciences International.
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INNOVATING – Adapts and creates new strategies for unique student needs and
situations in order for the desired effect to be evident in all students. In order to do this, the
teacher scaffolds, extends, and/or creates a macrostrategy as necessary. As a result of
this, ALL students’ understanding of content and/or practice skills, strategies, or processes
is deepened with appropriate homework.
Examples of providing unique support to meet the individual needs of all students include:
• The teacher provides structure for students’ preview of new content, for example, a
reference guide that highlights critical content.
• The teacher provides students with a graphic organizer, study guide, diagram or list
of questions to guide and focus student thinking during homework.
• The teacher adapts the homework to include foundational content allowing students
to develop fluency with a skill, strategy, or process.
• The teacher scaffolds homework such that students have more structure and
guidance to be able to deepen their knowledge.
• The teacher provides opportunity, support, and/or resources, for students who lack
support for schooling in order for them complete their homework.
• The teacher provides videos of background information for students in case they lack
prior subject knowledge.
Examples of extension include:
• The teacher allows students to plan ways to increase their fluency, speed, and
accuracy in the design of their homework.
• The teacher provides less direction as to how to organize their thinking.
• The teacher adapts the homework to extend beyond the foundational content
allowing students to develop fluency with a skill, strategy, or process and provides
them with an opportunity to explain a technique they used to increase their fluency.
• The teacher provides independent projects that align with critical information in order
for students to extend their knowledge.
• The teacher allows for the option of using home-based technological resources to
deepen critical content knowledge.
© 2016 Learning Sciences International.
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