论文部分内容阅读
本文作者介绍了分层教学的背景，说明了分层教学的“层”的概念，并以具体的教学活动案例展示了如何设计分层教学的教学活动。在此基础上，作者还分享了另外几个和分层教学相类似的教学方法。
Background
The term “layered curriculum” is a registered trademark since 1998 owned by Dr. Kathie F. Nunley （a）. Dr. Nunley is an educational psychologist based in the USA. She says that one of the positive aspects of a “layered curriculum” is its “flexibility”. She has developed a model and in order to implement a Layered Curriculum classroom only three components are needed：
1） choice—which does not have to be in every learning objective， it could be homework or type of quiz a learner takes.
2） accountability—making the learner accountable by giving marks/points based on the learning objective. So the learner knows exactly what they are aiming for and what the teacher is looking for.
3） promoting higher and more complex thinking—this is where the layers come in. All the learners start at the bottom， low order thinking skills and works their way up to high order thinking skills. Each layer needs more complex though processes. The assignments do not have to be complex but the thought processes do. The grading or assessment marking scheme is aligned to the layers or increasingly complex processes.
Nunley’s method divides an instructional unit into 3 layers， called C， B and A. Each layer corresponds to the three components mentioned above：
Layer C = wide variety of assignment choices which teach basic facts， skills， vocabulary and techniques.
Layer B = an assortment of projects and other problem solving activities which enable the learners to show how they have applied the knowledge and skills they have acquired in layer C.
Layer A = necessitates the learners to“critically analyze” a real world problem which they have come across in their unit of study. The learner works through the layers and the pre-determined assessment criteria aligns to the grade of A， B or C.
Nunley says that “accountability”is critical to this model of learning as learners will only be awarded marks for evidence of learning and not for completing assignments. The learners have to complete an assignment with an “oral defense”or “small group” discussions for each assignment.
An example of how the “layered curriculum” translates into the classroom would be （Nunley b）：
Objectives：
Recognize/identify Aa.
Name the letter a.
Know the short a sound.
Rhyme using short a word families. Decode basic short cvc words.
Transfer knowledge of short a to journal and other writing.
Day 1 topic： -at family
1. Read“The Cat in the Hat”as a class . （c layer）
2. Generate the -at family word list. （c layer）
3. Have children record the words on a“Cat in the Hat” paper hat. （c layer）
Day 2 topic： -an family “Dan the Flying Man” by Joy Cowley
1. Generate some of the -an family. （c layer）
2. Have children generate rhyming words with a partner. （B layer）
3. Make an “-an fan”. （C layer）
Day 3 topic： -ag family
1. Generate some of the -an family. （C Layer）
2. Have children generate rhyming sounds. （A layer）
3. Make an “-ag flag”. （C Layer）
Day 4 topic： -short a review
1. Read The Paper Bag Princess as a class. （C Layer）
2. Make your own “paper bag princess”and then write short a words on the paper lunch bag. （C Layer）
Day 5 topic： short a party
1. Have students bring one or a combination of more than one of the following projects to school.
-A written list of short a words；
-Pictures of short a words they have drawn；
-Short a pictures from a magazine， newspaper...
-A collection of short a objects found around their house.
-Use your imagination to make a book or other project showing your knowledge of short a words.
2. Short a class bingo using Apple Jacks. （C layer）
C Layer
1. Complete letter Aa handwriting.
2. Short a worksheets.
3. Computer programs.
B Layer （ Select 2 or 3 activities）
1. Make a short collage.
2. Create a different short a word family other than the ones we’ve studied.
3. Word building using cards or magnetic letters.
4. Sorting pictures by short vowel sounds.
A Layer （Select 1 or 2 activities）
1. Generate/match rhyming words.
2. Find and correct errors in a short vowel sentence. （Example—The man will pat the cab.）
3. How many sentences can you generate using short vowel a words？
Discussion
The “layered curriculum” model is now nearly 20 years old！ It was designed by a high school teacher in the USA. She wanted to find a way to engage the learners in their science classes and help them to understand the aims of a lesson. However， the model is not unique and in ELT （English Language Teaching） similar models were being designed， such as： 1） Second language teaching and learning （Nunan 1998， 1999） which included“task-based language teaching” （TBLT）. Nunan had originally coined the approach and written about TBLT in 1989. The approach is using a series of tasks to further the learning aligned to communicative language， learner-centeredness， real-world issues， and negotiated curricula.
2） The Primary English Teacher’s Guide （Brewster， Ellis and Girard 1992） which identified learning how to learn， selecting materials and self-assessment， amongst other criteria.
3） Task-based learning （Willis 1996） which defined tasks and a TBL framework， starting with pre-task introduction to topic and task， task cycle with a series of tasks and finally a language focus. The aim is maximize opportunities for learners to put their limited language to “genuine use”.
4） Bloom’s taxonomy—3 models to classify educational learning objectives into levels of complexity， being the cognitive， affective and sensory. The cognitive has been the model most used in traditional education and is often used to design curriculum learning objectives， assessments and activities.
All of the above models and guides are based on the same education theories of Piaget （developmental stages）， Vygotsky（zone of proximal development） and Bruner（scaffolding）， as well as the classification of learning known as Bloom’s taxonomy， which dominated the 20th Century education systems （UNESCO）.
Conclusion
Surely we should be asking ourselves what learning and skills will be relevant in the 21st Century. UNESCO suggests “…One main learning method that supports the learning of such skills and knowledge is group learning or thematic projects， which involves an inquiry-based collaborative work that addresses real-world issues and questions…”. This sounds like we are going to repeat another cycle of the above！
The closest the writer has experienced of a model which may fulfil all the requirements needed for a 21st Century education foundation and developing towards an unknown future is in the International Baccalaureate Organisation framework （IBO） which caters for children from the age of 3 to starting a career.
References
Bloom’s taxonomy.https：//en. wikipedia.org/wiki/Bloom%27s_taxonomy. 2016-02-29.
Brewster， J， Ellis， G， Girard， D.1992. The Primary English Teacher’s Guide. UK：Penguin English.
IBO.http：//www.ibo.org/en/ programmes/. 2016-02-26.
Nunley， K. http：//www.help4teachers. com/articles.htm. 2016-02-29.
Nunley， K. http：//www.help4teachers. com/phonics1.htm. 2016-02-29.
Nunan， D.1998.Language Teaching Methodology. UK： Prentice Hall International.
Nunan， D.1999.Second Language Teaching & Learning. USA：Heinle & Heinle Publishers.
UNESCO.http：//www.unesco.org/ new/en/education/themes/strengtheningeducation-systems/quality-framework/ technical-notes/influential-theories-oflearning/. 2016-02-29.
Willis， J.1996. A Framework for TaskBased Learning. England：Pearson Education Limited.
Background
The term “layered curriculum” is a registered trademark since 1998 owned by Dr. Kathie F. Nunley （a）. Dr. Nunley is an educational psychologist based in the USA. She says that one of the positive aspects of a “layered curriculum” is its “flexibility”. She has developed a model and in order to implement a Layered Curriculum classroom only three components are needed：
1） choice—which does not have to be in every learning objective， it could be homework or type of quiz a learner takes.
2） accountability—making the learner accountable by giving marks/points based on the learning objective. So the learner knows exactly what they are aiming for and what the teacher is looking for.
3） promoting higher and more complex thinking—this is where the layers come in. All the learners start at the bottom， low order thinking skills and works their way up to high order thinking skills. Each layer needs more complex though processes. The assignments do not have to be complex but the thought processes do. The grading or assessment marking scheme is aligned to the layers or increasingly complex processes.
Nunley’s method divides an instructional unit into 3 layers， called C， B and A. Each layer corresponds to the three components mentioned above：
Layer C = wide variety of assignment choices which teach basic facts， skills， vocabulary and techniques.
Layer B = an assortment of projects and other problem solving activities which enable the learners to show how they have applied the knowledge and skills they have acquired in layer C.
Layer A = necessitates the learners to“critically analyze” a real world problem which they have come across in their unit of study. The learner works through the layers and the pre-determined assessment criteria aligns to the grade of A， B or C.
Nunley says that “accountability”is critical to this model of learning as learners will only be awarded marks for evidence of learning and not for completing assignments. The learners have to complete an assignment with an “oral defense”or “small group” discussions for each assignment.
An example of how the “layered curriculum” translates into the classroom would be （Nunley b）：
Objectives：
Recognize/identify Aa.
Name the letter a.
Know the short a sound.
Rhyme using short a word families. Decode basic short cvc words.
Transfer knowledge of short a to journal and other writing.
Day 1 topic： -at family
1. Read“The Cat in the Hat”as a class . （c layer）
2. Generate the -at family word list. （c layer）
3. Have children record the words on a“Cat in the Hat” paper hat. （c layer）
Day 2 topic： -an family “Dan the Flying Man” by Joy Cowley
1. Generate some of the -an family. （c layer）
2. Have children generate rhyming words with a partner. （B layer）
3. Make an “-an fan”. （C layer）
Day 3 topic： -ag family
1. Generate some of the -an family. （C Layer）
2. Have children generate rhyming sounds. （A layer）
3. Make an “-ag flag”. （C Layer）
Day 4 topic： -short a review
1. Read The Paper Bag Princess as a class. （C Layer）
2. Make your own “paper bag princess”and then write short a words on the paper lunch bag. （C Layer）
Day 5 topic： short a party
1. Have students bring one or a combination of more than one of the following projects to school.
-A written list of short a words；
-Pictures of short a words they have drawn；
-Short a pictures from a magazine， newspaper...
-A collection of short a objects found around their house.
-Use your imagination to make a book or other project showing your knowledge of short a words.
2. Short a class bingo using Apple Jacks. （C layer）
C Layer
1. Complete letter Aa handwriting.
2. Short a worksheets.
3. Computer programs.
B Layer （ Select 2 or 3 activities）
1. Make a short collage.
2. Create a different short a word family other than the ones we’ve studied.
3. Word building using cards or magnetic letters.
4. Sorting pictures by short vowel sounds.
A Layer （Select 1 or 2 activities）
1. Generate/match rhyming words.
2. Find and correct errors in a short vowel sentence. （Example—The man will pat the cab.）
3. How many sentences can you generate using short vowel a words？
Discussion
The “layered curriculum” model is now nearly 20 years old！ It was designed by a high school teacher in the USA. She wanted to find a way to engage the learners in their science classes and help them to understand the aims of a lesson. However， the model is not unique and in ELT （English Language Teaching） similar models were being designed， such as： 1） Second language teaching and learning （Nunan 1998， 1999） which included“task-based language teaching” （TBLT）. Nunan had originally coined the approach and written about TBLT in 1989. The approach is using a series of tasks to further the learning aligned to communicative language， learner-centeredness， real-world issues， and negotiated curricula.
2） The Primary English Teacher’s Guide （Brewster， Ellis and Girard 1992） which identified learning how to learn， selecting materials and self-assessment， amongst other criteria.
3） Task-based learning （Willis 1996） which defined tasks and a TBL framework， starting with pre-task introduction to topic and task， task cycle with a series of tasks and finally a language focus. The aim is maximize opportunities for learners to put their limited language to “genuine use”.
4） Bloom’s taxonomy—3 models to classify educational learning objectives into levels of complexity， being the cognitive， affective and sensory. The cognitive has been the model most used in traditional education and is often used to design curriculum learning objectives， assessments and activities.
All of the above models and guides are based on the same education theories of Piaget （developmental stages）， Vygotsky（zone of proximal development） and Bruner（scaffolding）， as well as the classification of learning known as Bloom’s taxonomy， which dominated the 20th Century education systems （UNESCO）.
Conclusion
Surely we should be asking ourselves what learning and skills will be relevant in the 21st Century. UNESCO suggests “…One main learning method that supports the learning of such skills and knowledge is group learning or thematic projects， which involves an inquiry-based collaborative work that addresses real-world issues and questions…”. This sounds like we are going to repeat another cycle of the above！
The closest the writer has experienced of a model which may fulfil all the requirements needed for a 21st Century education foundation and developing towards an unknown future is in the International Baccalaureate Organisation framework （IBO） which caters for children from the age of 3 to starting a career.
References
Bloom’s taxonomy.https：//en. wikipedia.org/wiki/Bloom%27s_taxonomy. 2016-02-29.
Brewster， J， Ellis， G， Girard， D.1992. The Primary English Teacher’s Guide. UK：Penguin English.
IBO.http：//www.ibo.org/en/ programmes/. 2016-02-26.
Nunley， K. http：//www.help4teachers. com/articles.htm. 2016-02-29.
Nunley， K. http：//www.help4teachers. com/phonics1.htm. 2016-02-29.
Nunan， D.1998.Language Teaching Methodology. UK： Prentice Hall International.
Nunan， D.1999.Second Language Teaching & Learning. USA：Heinle & Heinle Publishers.
UNESCO.http：//www.unesco.org/ new/en/education/themes/strengtheningeducation-systems/quality-framework/ technical-notes/influential-theories-oflearning/. 2016-02-29.
Willis， J.1996. A Framework for TaskBased Learning. England：Pearson Education Limited.