Why Should Teachers Focus on Using Bite-sized Chunks in the Classroom?

When teacher uses bite-sized chunks to share informational content everyone wins.  Students enjoy learning when teachers break an activity down into digestible pieces.   It allows students to manage small pieces of content while making new subject matter easier to remember.  New content knowledge is stored in a student’s short term memory while fun extension activities can ultimately transfer that storage into their long term memory.

Start Chunking in Steps

When developing student assignments and lessons teacher must start by selecting the main points of a lesson.  It will make introducing a concept easier, while minimizing teacher talk.  Teachers are more likely to be successful if they find additional materials that will help students understand the concept.  Try to consider things that will allow push students to activate their senses.  What can you bring to class that students can taste, hear, and feel?  Timelines also work very well for chunking content.  Liner concept ideas and precise vocabulary help take students down a singular path.  Try to think of concepts having a beginning middle, and end; ask yourself, “how can I lead my students down this path while holding their hand to guarantee success.

What is the Hook?

Next, think of a hook that will engage and ignite students.  Try to make the concept or idea relatable to their lives.  If students can make a connection with what the teacher is saying, then they are more likely to use new information in diverse context.  Through every phase of this process it is necessary to be specific and use clarity.

Practice Chunking Makes Perfect Chunking

For teachers it takes a little practice; practicing is strongly encouraged.  Asking students to demonstrate the concept shows that students have an understanding of the new content.  Teacher need their students to practice with the new idea or concept and explore it in various ways.  So, now that we are familiar about chunking it’s your turn.  Start by asking your teachers these questions:

1. Can the concept/procedure/idea be explained in a song with gestures? Would you be able to summarize or express the concept/procedure/idea in <10 words? What is the hook that will grab a student’s attention?

2. How does the concept relate to students? What connections can be made? How can a quick demo help clarify their understanding?

3. When does this concept come about in a student’s life and why is this important to learn?

4. What Physical or Visual demonstration on how to use it or its process

5. How can Teachers provides examples and/or students provide examples

When teachers are developing assignments for students it takes some time to develop scaffolding techniques, so start small and research specific items.  Make sure you dig and do your research.  Many times you will find that you are not the first person that has taught this concept or developed this idea. Marzano created a scoring scale that may help teachers monitor their progress.  Are you chunking content?

• 4 Innovating

• 3 Applying

• 2 Developing

• 1 Beginning

• 0 Not Using

1. I adapt behaviors and create new strategies for unique student needs and situations.

2. I chunk content, and I monitor the extent to which my actions affect students

3. I chunk content, but I do not monitor the effect on students.

4. I use the strategies and behaviors associated with this element incorrectly or with parts missing.

5. I am unaware of strategies and behaviors associated with this element.

References:

Marzano Research- Chunking Content- file:///C:/Users/cw206/Downloads/ChunkingContent.pdf

Four tips about content chunking eLearning- https://elearningindustry.com/4-tips-for-content-chunking-in-e-learning

Facing History Chunking Stories- https://www.facinghistory.org/resource-library/teaching-strategies/chunking