Strategy

Strengths

Tabas Concept Development

Developed by Hilda Taba, this
instructional model allows
students to explore broad
concepts by categorizing,
organizing, and connecting
ideas. Ultimately students are
guided to make conclusions and
discover essential
understandings about the
concept.
Socratic Method
Inspired by Socrates, this
model is a student-centered
approach that allows students
to think critically and question
through discussion.

Questioning (levels of inquiry

Guided by the philosophies of
Blooms Taxonomy and Costas
Levels of Questioning, this
model emphasizes more
deliberate and rigorous
questioning of students that
leads to higher order thinking.

Problem-Based Learning

Instructional model where

students learn about a
concept through the
experience of solving an
open-ended real world
problem.
Bruners Structure of the

Limitations
-

Challenges students in
higher-level thinking.
Student centered, teacher
facilitates.
Students develop
knowledge that is
applicable across subjects
and in real life.

Students come together to

help each other arrive at a
deeper meaning of the
concepts/ideas of a text.
This can be low stakes and
comfortable for students,
since there are no wrong
answers.
Guided by student inquiry,
so engagement is likely.
Empowers students
Promotes collaboration

Rigorous questioning
challenges students to
delve deeper into content.
Questioning is naturally
incorporated across content areas.

Requires students to reason through and justify answers

It is free and requires no

additional resources.
Guided by student inquiry,
so engagement is likely.
Students learn to
collaborate and make
decisions.
Students engage in
authentic, real world
problems.
Students get to delve

Classroom must have a

cooperative learning
environment.
Planning is necessary and
will require deliberate
questioning to facilitate.
Teachers must be
comfortable letting
students take the lead.
(Facilitator vs. direct
instructor)
Classroom must be a safe
environment where
students feel safe to openly
discuss an issue in class.
Students & teachers both
may struggle with the shift
from teacher led
discussions to student led
discussions.
This method takes a lot of
planning and establishment
of procedures.
Some students who are
more introverted may find
this method especially
challenging.
A variety of Questions
need to be planned out
deliberately in order to be
effective.
Teacher needs to be
familiar with the different
levels of questioning.

Thorough planning is
required for this method.
Teachers need to make sure
they incorporate state
standards within the unit.
Groups need to be planned
carefully, as collaboration
is required.
This model may require a

Intellect

Developed by Jerome
Bruner, this model focuses
understanding the
organization of a subject
area and discipline rather
than factual information.

Visual Thinking Strategies

This model is a teacherfacilitated discussion of art
images.

Kohlbergs Moral Dilemmas

Created by Lawrence
Kohlberg, this instructional
method presents students with
a moral dilemma and requires
them to use their reasoning
skills to make a decision.

Simulations
This instructional model has
students assume a different role
and make decisions based on
the assumed role.

deeper into the workings of

a discipline.
This model makes learning
more comprehensible and
transferable to new
situations.
Students get to be experts.
This model is very hands
on and can be tailored to
kinesthetic learners.
Requires critical thinking
skills and inferences from
students.
This method is easily
transferrable across all
content areas.
This method utilizes
students problem solving
skills and forces them to
support their ideas with
evidence from the text.
Useful for ESL students.
This method is usually
engaging, as it requires
students to choose between
two difficult choices.
Higher-level thinking
occurs because students are
required to evaluate their
own reasoning and logic
for making certain
decisions.
This instructional model is
very engaging. (Students
may even forget they are
learning)
Higher-level thinking,
collaboration, and
discussion occur within
this model.
Students practice
transferrable skills through
the simulation.
Students gain confidence
and speaking skills.

lot of planning up front.

Teachers may have to
come up with a way to
assess learning, as there
may not be a product.
May require prior
knowledge of the
discipline ( Front loading
may be necessary)
Certain subject areas will
have harder times finding
art that is relatable to
their content area.
Some students may
struggle at first with such
abstract thinking.
Discussion based, so
students who are more
introverted may be
uncomfortable.

Discussions may get

intense and result in
arguments.

Extensive planning is
required on the part of the
teacher.

Service Learning
Students are charged with the
task of identifying a problem in
their society or community,
creating a plan, putting it in
action and then reflecting upon
the process

Students engage in real

world problem solving.
Students see how they can
make a difference in their
communities.
Students get a chance to
collaborate with one
another.

Resources to implement
plans may be hard to come
by.
This model will require a
lot of initial planning on
the part of teacher.
Teachers must be
comfortable with serving
as the role of advisor and
letting students take the
lead.