DESE Curriculum Development & Instructional Strategies 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A teacher uses 'think-alouds' during a lesson to model reading comprehension. Which instructional approach does this best represent?
- Direct instruction
- Metacognitive strategy instruction (Correct answer)
- Cooperative learning
- Discovery learning
Correct answer: Metacognitive strategy instruction
Think-alouds model metacognitive processes by making a teacher's internal thinking visible to students.
Question 2: When aligning curriculum to the Understanding by Design (UbD) framework, what is the FIRST stage a teacher should complete?
- Plan learning activities
- Select instructional materials
- Identify desired results and enduring understandings (Correct answer)
- Create formative assessments
Correct answer: Identify desired results and enduring understandings
UbD's 'backward design' begins with Stage 1: identifying desired results, including enduring understandings and essential questions.
Question 3: A 4th-grade teacher differentiates instruction by allowing students to choose how they demonstrate mastery—via essay, poster, or presentation. This is an example of differentiating by:
- Content
- Process
- Product (Correct answer)
- Learning environment
Correct answer: Product
Differentiating by product means varying the ways students demonstrate what they have learned.
Question 4: Which type of curriculum refers to what students actually learn as a result of instruction, as opposed to what was planned?
- Explicit curriculum
- Hidden curriculum
- Attained curriculum (Correct answer)
- Null curriculum
Correct answer: Attained curriculum
The attained (or experienced) curriculum is what students actually internalize and learn from instruction.
Question 5: A teacher groups students with different ability levels together to solve a real-world math problem, assigning each a specific role. This strategy is BEST described as:
- Peer tutoring
- Cooperative learning (Correct answer)
- Differentiated instruction
- Mastery learning
Correct answer: Cooperative learning
Cooperative learning involves structured heterogeneous groups working together with defined roles toward a shared goal.
Question 6: When developing a scope and sequence for a curriculum unit, 'scope' primarily refers to:
- The order in which content is taught
- The breadth and depth of content to be covered (Correct answer)
- The timeline for completing the unit
- The assessment methods used
Correct answer: The breadth and depth of content to be covered
Scope refers to the range, breadth, and depth of content and skills addressed in a curriculum.
Question 7: A teacher presents a new concept, provides guided practice with feedback, then releases students to independent practice. This follows which instructional model?
- Inquiry-based learning
- Gradual release of responsibility (Correct answer)
- Project-based learning
- Socratic seminar
Correct answer: Gradual release of responsibility
The gradual release of responsibility model moves from 'I do, we do, you do' to scaffold student independence.
DESE Curriculum Development & Instructional Strategies 2
A teacher uses 'think-alouds' during a lesson to model reading comprehension.
Which instructional approach does this best represent?