Gradual Release of Responsibility
providing support to empower students
What does this mean?
The main goal of the of the gradual release of responsibility model is to build a structure for instruction where teachers support students through purposeful and intentional instruction that leads to the gradual release or transfer responsibility of learning from the teacher to the students.
What does it look like?
Focus Lessons
- lasts 10-15 minutes
- establishes a purpose as to what is expected of the students & why they are learning it
- includes modeling that demonstates the "thinking behind the thinking" which allows the students to see the thinking of an expert which they can then model
Guided Instruction
- guiding students in their thinking
- can be whole class or small group
- great opportunity for the use of technology to accomplish this
- partnering with students where they are in the learning process and scaffolding instruction to increase student understanding
Collaborative Tasks
- tasks designed for groups of students the require interaction
- requires understanding of the discipline
- requires each member of the group to be accountable for their contributions
- teachers must be able to identify the students who have mastered the content and those in need of remediation
The End Goal = Independent Learning
This is the opportunity for students to put into practice what they have been taught and demonstrate their learning. This should take place with the support of the teacher present, and should not be assigned as homework. This is also another great opportunity for the use of technology. There are endless web 2.0 tools that provide a format for students to demonstate their mastery of a topic or skill.
Gradual Release Model in Action
Straub Middle School Gradual Release of Responsibility