Maximizing Learning: 53 Ways to Check for Understanding
Learning is a lifelong process, and teachers play a critical role in ensuring their students comprehend the subject matter. However, it’s not enough to just present information and hope that it sticks. To truly maximize learning, it’s essential to check for understanding regularly. This blog post will explore 53 ways to do just that.
Why Check for Understanding?
Checking for understanding can provide several benefits. Firstly, it allows teachers to assess whether students are comprehending the material and tailor their instruction accordingly to help those who may be struggling. Secondly, it allows students to reflect on their learning, identify their strengths, and pinpoint areas that require more attention. Finally, checking for understanding provides valuable feedback, both for teacher and student, that helps them adjust and refine their learning strategies.
The Difference Between Assessment and Check for Understanding
While assessment is often used interchangeably with the phrase ‘checking for understanding,’ there is a difference between the two. Assessment typically occurs at the end of instruction or a unit, whereas checking for understanding is an ongoing process. Checking for understanding doesn’t have to take long; it can be as simple as a one-minute quick write, an exit ticket, or asking a student to explain something.
53 Ways to Check for Understanding
Here are some different methods to check for understanding.
1. Think-Pair-Share
This is a great way to engage students and encourage collaboration. In this activity, students think about a question on their own, discuss their thoughts with a partner, and then share their answers with the whole class.
2. Exit Tickets
Exit tickets are a quick and efficient way to assess student learning. They can be as simple as writing a summary of what was learned, or what students still have questions about.
3. Quick Writes
Quick writes are another simple way to determine whether students are understanding the material. These can be timed or untimed and could be a reflection on the lesson or an answer to a prompt related to the subject being learned.
4. Conferencing
Conferencing with students provides an opportunity to have one-on-one conversations to check understanding, identify strengths and weaknesses, and set goals for future learning.
5. One on One Check-ins
This is a way to check on students who may be struggling and ensure they feel supported and confident in the material.
6. Collaborative Group Work
Group work can be an excellent way to check for understanding as teachers can observe interactions and discussions between students to see if they are grasping the material.
7. Whiteboards
Whiteboards provide a chance for students to explain concepts to one another, helping students to solidify their own understanding while also helping others.
8. Quizzing and Testing
While it may not be the most fun way to check for understanding, this method can provide useful feedback on what students have learned, where they are struggling, and what they need to focus on moving forward.
9. Rubrics
Rubrics can be useful for more extended projects or assessments. They provide clear expectations for what good work looks like and can help students understand the criteria necessary for success.
10. Conversation Starters
Starting a conversation can be an effective way to gauge understanding. This could be a question posed to the entire class or smaller groups and can encourage critical thinking.
Examples of Checking for Understanding in Action
Here are some examples of how different methods of checking for understanding have been put into practice:
Example 1: Think-Pair-Share
After a lesson on the civil rights movement, students were given the prompt: “What would you do if you saw someone being discriminated against?” Students thought about their responses individually, discussed with a partner, and then shared with the class. Through this exercise, the teacher was able to determine what the class understood about the lesson, as well as the level of empathy the students had towards the subject matter.
Example 2: Whiteboards
During a math lesson, students were given a problem to solve using the order of operations. The teacher asked students to show their work on individual whiteboards. Through this exercise, the teacher could see which students were understanding the concept and which areas they were struggling with by observing their work.
Example 3: Rubrics
During a project on endangered species, the teacher provided a rubric that outlined the necessary criteria for a project. This method helped students understand the expectations for a successful project and allowed the teacher to grade more objectively.
Conclusion
Checking for understanding doesn’t have to be time-consuming or complicated. With numerous methods available, teachers can choose what works best for them and their students. Regardless of the method chosen, checking for understanding is essential to help students reach their potential, and ensure that learning objectives are being met.
