Instructional Strategies and Cognitive Learning Theory

This week, I read about the following strategies from Using Technology with Classroom Instruction that Works:  Cues, Questions, Advance Organizers, Summarizing, and Note Taking.   Below is how I apply these strategies into my classroom and how they relate to the Cognitive Learning Theories.  The main idea of Cognitive Learning Theories is using multiple senses to improve learning (Laureate Education, Inc., 2010). 

Every day in my classroom, I have a question of the day.  Each day of the week focuses on a different WH prompt (who, what, where, when, why) and is a question that relates to the theme of the week.  For example, on Monday, I might ask "What kind of insect would you like to be?"  On Tuesday, I might ask "If you were an insect, where would you like to live?"  To help students with answers, I always review the vocabulary words of the week.  These vocabulary words tie in to any question and can help assist students.  The vocabulary words are made on sentence strips and have text and image.  This incorporates the idea of Palvlo's Dual Codes of Information where students learn better with images and text (Laureate Education, Inc., 2010). 

This week I created a concept map with my students.  At first, I was really concerned about doing this, because they are only preschoolers and I was not sure how well they would understand.  After completing the activity, I found my students were extremely knowledgeable and with assistance could figure out where the arrows would go on the concept map.  For a first time experience, it went very well.  Next time I do this activity, I would really like to incorporate pictures with the words.  This relates back to Palvlo's Dual Codes of Information where students learn better with images and text (Laureate Education, Inc., 2010). 

Laureate Education, Inc. (Executive Producer). (2010). Program five. Cognitive learning theory [Webcast]. Bridging learning theory, instruction and technology. Baltimore, MD: Author.