34th Annual Conference on Dyslexia

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34th Annual Conference on Dyslexia Related
Learning Disabilities The International Dyslexia
Association The New York Branch March 12-13,
2007 Getting Ready for Content Enhancement
SMARTER Planning Conn Thomas,
Ph.D Professor West Texas AM University The
University of Kansas Center for
Research on Learning 806.651.2612 cthomas_at_mail.wta
mu.edu
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The SMARTER Planning Process

• Shape the Critical Questions.
• Map the Critical Content.
• Analyze Difficulties
• Reach Enhancement Decisions.
• Teach Strategically
• Evaluate Mastery
• Reevaluate Critical Questions

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NAME
The Unit Organizer
BIGGER PICTURE
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DATE
LAST UNIT
/Experience
NEXT UNIT
/Experience
CURRENT UNIT
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1
2
CURRENT UNIT
UNIT SCHEDULE
UNIT MAP
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8
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UNIT SELF-TEST QUESTIONS
UNIT RELATIONSHIPS
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This unit would be hard because

• There is too much information
• Some students have the background knowledge.
• The text is poorly organized.
• Major concepts are very abstract.
• Students are required to frequently compare and
  conclude.
• Many students have poor question exploration
  skills.
• Many students are not independent readers.
• Some students have difficulty identifying
  important from unimportant information.

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Content Enhancement Teaching Routines
Planning and Leading Learning Course
Organizer Unit Organizer Lesson Organizer
Teaching Concepts Concept Mastery Routine Concept
Anchoring Routine Concept Comparison Routine
Exploring Text, Topics, and Details Framing
Routine Survey Routine Clarifying Routine
Increasing Performance Quality Assignment
Routine Question Exploration Routine Recall
Enhancement Routine The Order Routine
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SMARTER Planning

• Key Planning Principles
• Teach truly critical content.
• Know what makes the critical content difficult.
• Use Teaching Routines that make critical content
  accessible.
• Teach strategies that will help students learn
  critical content.
• Share plans about how you will teach critical
  content.
• Know the critical content.

Key Planning Principles