Daily Assignment #61: Model of Teaching: Concept Attainment

To recap, Models of Teaching are defined as "a pattern of instruction that are recognizable and consistent" and teach a particular kind of thinking.

My last blog was on a Model of Teaching, created by Hilda Taba, called Inductive Reasoning/Thinking.

Tonight's blog will be on another Model of Teaching titled Concept Attainment.  This instructional strategy is based on Jerome Bruner's work.  In Concept Attainment students compare and contrast examples that contain attributes of a group with examples that do not contain those attributes and then form a concept definition of the group.  Concept Attainment can be used to teach almost any concept in any subject.

To do Concept Attainment the teacher selects a concept and develops positive and negative examples. 

The teacher then shows the students one positive example and one negative example.  The students then work to develop a concept definition.  The teacher gives additional examples.  With each additional example the students revisit their concept definition to see if it still fits.  Process the concept definition.  Evaluate their accuracy.


Math example taken from "Instructional Strategies Online"

• First the teacher chooses a concept to developed. (i.e. Math facts that equal 10)
• Begin by making list of both positive "yes" and negative " no" examples: The examples are put onto sheets of paper or flash cards.
• Positive Examples: (Positive examples contain attributes of the concept to be taught) i.e. 5+5, 11-1, 10X1, 3+4+4, 12-2, 15-5, (4X2)+2, 9+1
• Negative Examples: (for examples choose facts that do not have 10 as the answer) i.e. 6+6, 3+3, 12-4, 3X3, 4X4, 16-5, 6X2, 3+4+6, 2+(2X3), 16-10
• Designate one area of the chalkboard for the positive examples and one area for negative examples. A chart could be set up at the front of the room with two columns - one marked YES and the other marked NO.
• Present the first card by saying, "This is a YES." Place it under the appropriate column. i.e. 5+5 is a YES
• Present the next card and say, "This is a NO." Place it under the NO column. i.e. 6+6 is a NO
• Repeat this process until there are three examples under each column.
• Ask the class to look at the three examples under the YES column and discuss how they are alike. (i.e. 5+5, 11-1, 2X5) Ask "What do they have in common?"
• For the next tree examples under each column, ask the students to decide if the examples go under YES or NO.
• At this point, there are 6 examples under each column. Several students will have identified the concept but it is important that they not tell it out loud to the class. They can however show that they have caught on by giving an example of their own for each column. At this point, the examples are student-generated. Ask the class if anyone else has the concept in mind. Students who have not yet defined the concept are still busy trying to see the similarities of the YES examples. Place at least three more examples under each column that are student-generated.
• Discuss the process with the class. Once most students have caught on, they can define the concept. Once they have pointed out that everything under the YES column has an answer of 10, then print a new heading at the top of the column (10 Facts). The print a new heading for the NO column (Not 10 Facts).

 Math Example by Andrea Johnson: Polygons

• Using a overhead a T-chart is drawn on a transparency.
• Under one column are examples of polygons
• On the other are non-polygons
• Sticky notes cover all examples.
• One example from each column is shown
• Together the students design a concept definition.
• Another example is shown and the concept definition is evaluated.  Continue this process.
• Evaluate the final concept definition.  Does it whole true?

I hope you will take the opportunity to experiment with this strategy.
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Best Effort,
Linda103