The Concept Anchoring Routine

The Content Enhancement Series2002

The University of Kansas Center for Research on Learning

University of Kansas Center for Research on Learning

We believe no child or adolescent can be left behind in

the quest for literacy, equal opportunity, and a future

with promise.

We have worked to break the processes of learning

down into easy-to-remember steps to make learning

manageable for those students who lack the basic

literacy skills they need to succeed in school or

compete for jobs.

KU-CRL…

The result of our research is the Strategic

Instruction Model (SIM), a comprehensive

approach to adolescent literacy that addresses

the need of students to be able to read and

understand large volumes of complex materials

as well as to be able to express themselves

effectively in writing.

Content Enhancement

A way of teaching an academically diverse

group of students in which:

-The integrity of the content is maintained;

-Critical features of the content are selected and transformed in a manner that promotes student learning;

-Both group and individual needs are valued and met; and

-Instruction is carried out in a partnership with students.

Understanding the Challenge of Diversity

• Creating connections to background knowledge is required when introducing difficult but important concepts. Varying levels and types of student diversity impact background knowledge.

• Student need new ways of thinking about critical concepts. Teachers can take advantage of student diversity as they anchor new information to help students find and build learning on know information.

Content Enhancement Routines for Teaching Concepts

Three of the Content Enhancement Routines are

directly related to the teaching of concepts:

Concept Mastery Routine

Concept Comparison Routine

Concept Anchoring Routine

All three of the routines focus on teaching students about concepts, or groups or

categories that have the same characteristics.

The Concept Anchoring Routine

The Concept Anchoring Routine focuses on

two concepts. The teacher creates an analogy using a

concept with which students are familiar to help them

understand a new concept.

Teacher & students identify the characteristics of each

concept; with the teacher taking care to match up the

characteristics of the two concepts.

The Concept Anchoring Routine

Then, the teacher and the students create

names for the similar characteristics, that is

the characteristics that both concepts share.

The teacher and students work together to

create a statement of understanding about the

new concept, which often includes information

about the familiar concept and how the

two concepts are related.

The Concept Anchoring Routine helps students to:

-Focus on key concepts.

-Use prior knowledge to understand new concepts.

-Focus attention on similarities between concepts.

Responding to the Challenge

Responding to the ChallengeThe Concept Anchoring Routine helps students to:

-Remember a way to think about new concepts.

-Understand usefulness of analogies in understanding and learning.

-Interact with teacher and others to explore and understand new concepts.

-Record information for later use.

Supporting Research

• The routine was studied in academically diverse secondary content-area classes.

• Students in various groups gained an average of 7 to 27 percentage points on tests or assignments that required demonstration of understanding.

• Teachers learned the routine easily and continued using it regularly after the study was completed.

• Students learned how to participate in and use the routine.

Components ofThe Concept Anchoring Routine

The Anchoring Table

Teaching Device

The ANCHORS

Linking Steps

The

Cue-Do-ReviewSequence

The Anchoring Table Teaching Device

Is a visual device that:

-focuses attention on a New Concept and a

Known Concept;

-identifies critical features of each concept;

-prompts elaboration based on prior knowledge;

-helps make relationships between concepts clear.

University of Kansas Center for Research on Learning 2002

Anchoring Overhead # 14

3 CollectKnown Information

4 HighlightCharacteristics ofKnown Concept

5 ObserveCharacteristics

of New Concept

6 RevealCharacteristics

Shared

7 StateUnderstanding of

New Concept

KnownInformation

Name: Date:Anchoring Table

2 NameKnown Concept

6Characteristics of Known Concept Characteristics of New ConceptCharacteristics Shared

Known Concept New Concept

1 Announcethe New Concept

ANCHORSLinkingSteps:

Understanding of the New Concept:

Unit:

12

4 5

3

7

The ANCHORS Linking Steps

Guide the teacher in ways to:-present the Anchoring Table effectively;

-involve students in constructing and using the Anchoring Table;

-elicit and make connections to the prior knowledge of students; and

-focus student attention on learning.

The ANCHORS Linking Steps

• Announce the New Concept.• Name the Known Concept.• Collect Known Information.• Highlight Characteristics of the Known

Concept.• Observe Characteristics of the New Concept.• Reveal Characteristics Shared.• State Understanding of the New Concept.

University of Kansas Center for Research on Learning 2002

Anchoring Overhead # 17

3 CollectKnown Information

4 HighlightCharacteristics ofKnown Concept

5 ObserveCharacteristics

of New Concept

6 RevealCharacteristics

Shared

7 StateUnderstanding of

New Concept

KnownInformation

Name: Date:Anchoring Table

2 NameKnown Concept

6Characteristics of Known Concept Characteristics of New ConceptCharacteristics Shared

Known Concept New Concept

1 Announcethe New Concept

ANCHORSLinkingSteps:

Understanding of the New Concept:

Unit:

12

4 5

3

7

Federalism in the U.S.A.

Decision makingin your school

Federalism in the U.S.A. is a form of government in which decisions are made by both

state and national govts. Rules to decide how power is divided are based on the Constitution. Some powers (e.g., make

war, coin money) belong to the national govt. Other powers (e.g., education, marriage, gambling) belong to the states.

Some powers (e.g., tax, punish crimes) belong to both.

administra-tors

penalties

teachers make assignments

administra-tors expel

rules

teachers

not sure if powers are written down

Decisions are made by state & national govts.

Rules, based on Constitution, tell how power is divided.

Some powers belong to national govt (war, money).

Some powers belong to states (education, marriage, gambling).

Some powers belong to both (tax, punish crimes).

Decisions are made by administrators & teachers.

Rules, written or understood, tell how power is divided.

Some powers belong to administrators (expel).

Some powers belong to teachers (give assignments).

Some powers belong to both (make rules, set penalties).

2 groups are involved.

Rules tell how power is divided.

Some powers belong to both groups.

Some powers belong to the other group.

Some powers belong to one group.

The Teaching Device: The Anchoring Table

The Cue-Do-Review Sequence

CueThe teacher announces the Anchoring Table and explains its

use and expectations for student participation.

DoThe teacher and students construct the device together using ANCHORS Linking Steps that “connect” the content to the student needs.

ReviewInformation presented in the Anchoring Table is reviewed, and the process of developing the analogy is also reviewed.

“Get Ready!” (p.14)

• Decide when to use the routine.• Collect materials.• Construct a draft.

Identify major concepts you will be teaching.

Identify one concept for which you can create an analogy.

Plan how you will present the table to students.

Know what information you will expect students to know related to the table.

“Get Set!” (p. 19)

• Prepare to teach students about the Anchoring Table.

• Introduce the Anchoring Table.

• Describe how you will Cue the Anchoring Table.

• Describe and model how you will Do the routine.

• Explain how you will Review the information in the Anchoring Table.

“Go!” (p. 24)

• Use the routine explicitly.

• Build lessons abound Anchoring Tables.

• Review understanding of Anchoring Tables as needed.

• Beware of “pit” monsters.

• Evaluate your use of the routine.

“Win!”

Teachers who make the biggest difference

in education today are those who are committed

to a process of continual professional learning.

The Concept Anchoring Routine can be a highly

effective tool if you learn it and use it regularly.

Collaborate with someone to learn and use the routine.

Tell others how you are using it. Share your Anchoring

Tables and ask for ideas.