ATSW Instructional Planning & Delivery Strategies 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A teacher wants to activate students' prior knowledge before introducing a new unit on ecosystems. Which strategy is MOST appropriate?
- Assign a chapter reading as homework the night before
- Conduct a KWL chart activity to surface what students already know (Correct answer)
- Give a formal pre-test graded for accuracy
- Lecture on the new content first, then ask what students knew beforehand
Correct answer: Conduct a KWL chart activity to surface what students already know
A KWL (Know-Want to Know-Learned) chart activates prior knowledge and sets a purpose for learning before instruction begins.
Question 2: When planning a lesson that addresses multiple learning modalities, a teacher should include activities that appeal to:
- Only auditory learners since lectures are most efficient
- Visual, auditory, and kinesthetic pathways to maximize engagement (Correct answer)
- The majority learning style in the class only
- Advanced students first, then remedial students
Correct answer: Visual, auditory, and kinesthetic pathways to maximize engagement
Effective instructional planning incorporates visual, auditory, and kinesthetic activities to address diverse learner needs.
Question 3: A teacher divides students into small groups to investigate different aspects of the American Revolution, then has groups share findings with the class. This is an example of:
- Direct instruction
- Jigsaw cooperative learning (Correct answer)
- Socratic seminar
- Mastery learning
Correct answer: Jigsaw cooperative learning
The jigsaw strategy has groups become 'experts' on subtopics and teach that content to their peers.
Question 4: Which type of objective best guides lesson planning by specifying what students will be able to DO at the end of instruction?
- Affective objective focused on attitudes
- Behavioral (performance) objective with observable, measurable outcomes (Correct answer)
- Cognitive objective focused on teacher delivery
- Broad goal statement covering the entire unit
Correct answer: Behavioral (performance) objective with observable, measurable outcomes
Behavioral objectives specify observable and measurable student actions, making them the clearest guide for lesson planning and assessment.
Question 5: A teacher notices that a planned activity is taking much longer than anticipated and students are losing focus. The BEST response is to:
- Continue until the activity is fully complete regardless of time
- Skip directly to assessment without completing the lesson
- Adjust pacing by modifying or truncating the activity to maintain engagement (Correct answer)
- Dismiss the lesson objective and show an educational video instead
Correct answer: Adjust pacing by modifying or truncating the activity to maintain engagement
Responsive teachers adjust pacing in real time to maintain student engagement while still working toward the lesson objective.
Question 6: Scaffolding in instructional delivery PRIMARILY means:
- Providing temporary support structures that are gradually removed as students gain independence (Correct answer)
- Building a permanent framework of rules students must always follow
- Assigning more difficult tasks to advanced learners from the start
- Offering extra credit opportunities for struggling students
Correct answer: Providing temporary support structures that are gradually removed as students gain independence
Scaffolding involves temporary instructional supports that decrease as students develop competence and independence.
Question 7: Which approach BEST describes backward design in lesson planning?
- Planning activities first, then deciding what students should learn
- Starting with desired outcomes and assessments, then designing instruction to achieve them (Correct answer)
- Teaching content in reverse chronological order
- Reviewing previous lessons before introducing new material
Correct answer: Starting with desired outcomes and assessments, then designing instruction to achieve them
Backward design (Wiggins & McTighe) begins with identifying desired results and evidence of learning before planning instructional activities.
ATSW Instructional Planning & Delivery Strategies 2
A teacher wants to activate students' prior knowledge before introducing a new unit on ecosystems.
Which strategy is MOST appropriate?