{"id":35791,"date":"2024-09-27T18:40:00","date_gmt":"2024-09-27T22:40:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/nearpod.com\/blog\/?p=35791"},"modified":"2024-09-27T18:41:09","modified_gmt":"2024-09-27T22:41:09","slug":"whole-group-instruction","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/nearpod.com\/blog\/whole-group-instruction\/","title":{"rendered":"Whole group instruction strategies using technology"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

What should whole group instruction look like in the classroom?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Whole group instruction is designed to present a skill or concept to the full class at the same time. Since it is often taught directly from the provided curriculum, this makes it relatively easy to plan for. When the material is shared in an engaging way where the majority of learners can be successful, then there is less need for reteaching or small group instruction. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, often the ideal is not what happens in the classroom. Because of this, whole group instruction can have a negative reputation. So, how do we aim for the ideal within the realities of an actual classroom?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Let\u2019s jump into a whole group instructional experience where everyone is connected and interacting, and teaching and learning become a shared journey. Imagine using whole group instruction to provide opportunities for student leadership and where a community is built based on taking turns, negotiating meaning, and finding consensus all through student interactions. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Whole group instruction strategies using technology<\/strong><\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Whole group instruction has been the norm since the introduction of compulsory education in the industrial age. But what is whole group instruction, exactly?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In Transforming Education from Industrial Might to Information Bytes<\/a>, Richard Carter provides this definition: “…universal education can be characterized as using a teacher-centered rather than student-centered approach. In the teacher-centered classroom, teachers are the primary source for the dissemination of knowledge, an approach suited to industrial age education.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

What are the benefits of whole group instruction? It enables students to learn the same lesson at the same time, hopefully helping them be successful in learning the same skill. It also enables a single teacher to instruct many students at once\u2014this is why whole group instruction is important. For example, a math teacher can efficiently teach math skills and use classroom math games to the entire group. However, if we want to suit the needs of students in the information age, we need to adjust to \u201cstudent-centered education [that] strongly encourages active learning.\u201d This type of learning experience \u201cboosts learner autonomy, confidence, self-directedness and personal responsibility for learning.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So, what does effective whole group instruction look like? Nearpod supports this approach in multiple ways, providing every student with a voice and offering valuable insights into their learning. While presenting to the whole group is the most traditional way Nearpod supports instruction in the classroom, it can be used to support learning in small ability groups or individual environments as well.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Let\u2019s explore seven whole group instruction examples and whole group classroom management methods using technology.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Foster a love of learning in every student with <\/strong>Nearpod<\/strong><\/a>.<\/strong>Teachers can sign up for free below to access and create interactive lessons. Administrators can schedule a call with an expert to unlock the full power of Nearpod for schools and districts.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Teachers: Sign up for free<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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Administrators: Schedule a call<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

1. Turn, talk, repeat<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

No matter how instruction is being delivered, whether as a whole group, small group, or individually, learning is a social event\u2014students need the opportunity to talk to one another and the teacher. Sara De Felice, of the Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, wrote<\/a> that  \u201cEvidence from a variety of studies shows that social interaction supports learning more generally across different domains.\u201d  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, in a large group setting, it can be challenging for all students to have their voices heard. Maintaining positive behavior in such settings is crucial to ensure that everyone stays engaged. However, with Nearpod, this can be much more easily accomplished. In the traditional turn and talk exercise, students get the opportunity to support their learning with dialogue. By adding Nearpod to this strategy, students are held accountable for staying on task, and the teacher hears from every student.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To increase opportunities to talk about learning, place an Open-Ended Question (OEQ) activity in a Nearpod lesson. Students have the option to write or record their responses in an OEQ. Include the same OEQ three times in a Student-Paced lesson<\/a>. Provide students with the structure and process on how and when to select three different learning partners in a set time. Each partner records the audible conversation. After each extended conversation, they use what they learned from the discussion to document their own conclusion as a written response in Nearpod. Not only does this provide structure for the conversation, but it also gives students the opportunity to practice academic and nonacademic vocabulary through repetition and work on writing higher-level sentence structures.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Open-Ended<\/a><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

2. Traverse Talk<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Engage students in a dynamic and interactive whole-group discussion with Traverse Talk (also known as a conga line). This strategy provides multiple opportunities for students in a whole group lesson to have multiple discussions about the same topic at the same time, exposing them to a range of diverse perspectives while promoting a positive classroom culture.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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