You caught a beauty!!!
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Download PDF of scaffold here.
‘I knew I was going to fail when I didn’t even understand the instructions on the exam.’ So said one student after, indeed, failing an exam that she had studied faithfully for. Instructions on exams, worksheets, laboratory reports, etc., are more confusing and intimidating for our students than we might recognise, yet it’s an area we virtually never address when helping our students prepare for evaluations.* Exams are daunting enough for students. Added to this is the contrast in the words, phrases, terms and the structure of the sentences we use when we speak to them day-to-day, and what they will find on their tests – both on the ones we give them and on standardised exams.
This scaffold shows a simple and very effective way to help students to prepare for what they may see when they sit down for an exam. The activity includes kinesthetic learning combined with with cooperative work with an end results of students deciphering what can be challenging instructions. The example here is for a history exam. Because of how familiar we are with the language, the instructions may look benign at first; however, once we begin to look at them more closely, we’ll admit that they may hold large stumbling blocks that impede our students’ best efforts. (These instructions are dense, pedantic and ambiguous at times.) You’ll see how easy the scaffold is to adapt to your needs.
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Scaffoldingmagic.com is your entryway into DYNAMIC bilingual learning methodologies, such as Phenomenon-Based Learning, CLIL, EMI, and ESL. You’ll find ways to implement critical thinking tools (DOK) to promote higher level thinking, the growth mindset, instill an ethic of excellence, deep reflection on learning, and all through multi-cultural, interdisciplinary activities. We have the keys to turning competences into action and to creating collective efficacy in your school so you move ahead as a unified, enthusiastic team.