2. Concept Formation
is a classification activity that leads the students
to use item characteristics for classification.
It develops their abilities to observe items
thoroughly and to make useful observations.
It also helps them to discover methods of
classification.
3. Purpose:
Concept formation as a teaching strategy is
to have the students examine carefully some
objects/actions/processes, and to think
about a method for classifying them.
Aim:
Concept formation helps us to disregard
what is inessential by creating idealized
structures that focus on what is essential.
4. Process:
1. Divide the students into small groups.
2. Provide the students with a number of items to
classify. These items could be real objects, ideas, or
words. Students will find it easiest to work with real
objects.
3. Ask the students to organize the items into groups
according to characteristics of their choice. Make it
clear to the students that they will have to explain their
grouping rationale. (Note: if you want your students to
group according to certain criteria, identify the criteria
for them.
5. 4. When classification is complete, have each
group explain their grouping rationale to the
class and show which groups contain which
items.
5. In order to have the students evaluate the
general usefulness of their grouping
rationale, provide them with other items to
see if they can be fit into the established
groups.
6. Example
Identify a concept that you plan to teach (e.g. civic
responsibility)
Create 4 examples of the concept using a plus sign (+) or a
smiley face to indicate that it is an example of the concept.
o Obeying laws
o Paying taxes
o Casting vote
o Taking care of public property.
Create three non examples of the concept using a negative
sign (-) or a frowning face to indicate that it is a non-
example.
o Acting as an anti social element
o Speaking freely against everyone
o Polluting our surroundings.
7. Present examples and non-examples one at a time in
alternating progression. Have the students guess what
the concept is as each example or non-example is
presented.
Do not reveal the concept until all examples and non-
examples have been presented.
Use the positive examples to flesh out the qualities or
definition of the concept.
8. Difference between Concept Attainment and
Concept Formation
• In a CONCEPT ATTAINMENT, the teacher gives
the students examples of objects/actions/processes
already classified the way she/he wants them to
classify them.
• In CONCEPT FORMATION, the teacher gives
the students a lot of objects/actions/processes, and
the students choose how to classify them.
9. Instructional Strategies for Concept Formation
I. INDEPENDENT STUDY
Independent learning involves "planned independent study by students
under the guidance or supervision of a classroom teacher". It may involve
one or more of the following strategies:
o Assigned questions
o Computer assisted
instruction
o Correspondence lessons
o Essays
o Homework
o Learning activity
packages
o Learning centres
o Learning contracts
o Research projects
II.DIRECT INSTRUCTION
Direct instruction is a teacher-centred approach. While
often overused, it is an effective instructional strategy when
the teacher's goal is to:
10. o Provide information
o Teach standard procedures
o Develop step-by-step skills
It involves the following strategies:
• Demonstrations: A demonstration refers to a "teacher
activity and talk that shows students "how".
• Didactic Questions: used to effectively diagnose recall and
comprehension and to draw on prior learning experiences.
• Drill and practice: Drill and practice "refers to the
structured, repetitive review of previously learned
predetermined level of mastery.“
11. • Explicit teaching: Explicit teaching involves "six teaching
functions:
o presenting new material
o conducting guided practice
o provide feedback and corrective
o conduct independent practice
o daily, weekly and monthly review.
• Mastery Lecture: Mastery lecture is a type of direct
instruction. A significant amount of information can be
relatively short period of time. The quality of a lecture
and visual aids are incorporated and if interaction between
the students is facilitated.
12. • Guides for reading, listening, and viewing: Guides for
reading, listening, and viewing refer to "providing leading
diagrams, or statements to assist students in focusing on
ideas within text, lecture, media, or other presentations.“
• Structured overview: A structured overview "refers to
organizing and arranging topics or concepts to make them
students."
13. III. INTERACTIVE INSTRUCTION
1. Brainstorming : Brainstorming is a strategy for generating creative
creative ideas and solutions. It is thinking that is definitely "outside the
box." Because its focus is the generating, not the evaluating, of ideas,
brainstorming works especially well in groups. An idea offered by one
individual may inspire ideas in others in the group, which in turn inspires
more ideas.To brainstorm effectively, a number of guidelines should be
followed:
o Clearly define the topic of the brainstorm.
o Make the rules clear i.e ( every idea is welcome, no matter how unusual
or improbable, every idea is recorded, being inspired by others’ ideas is
desired.)
o Have a volunteer write down the ideas for all to see.
14. 2. Circle of Knowledge: A circle of knowledge "involves each
student in thinking and discussing with a peer before
large group.“
3. Cooperative learning groups: Cooperative learning groups
"are heterogeneous with respect to student characteristics
six members sharing the various roles. Group members are
achieving the group learning goal.“
4. Debate: Debate is an oral exchange of ideas through a
specified structure.
15. 5. Discussion: Discussion begins with the selection of a
problem or issue. This issue may or may not have a
problem or issue being discussed should be "based on
students and should conclude with consensus, a solution,
insights gained, or a summary.“
6. Interviewing: Interviewing, a meeting during which
information is obtained by one person from another, is an
for students to gain an insight into another's worldview.
interviewing, like face-to-face interviewing, begins with
basic skills and thorough preparation. Students may be
the interviewee, depending upon the skill set being
information sought.
16. 6. Lab groups: Lab groups are "cooperative learning groups
in an experimental setting.“
7. Panels: Panels are "small groups that individually discuss
an issue in front of the rest of the class under the
moderator.“
8. Peer Practice: Peer practice "involves each student
rehearsing skills or conceptual information with a peer.“
9. Problem solving: Problem-solving, or problem-based
learning, is a constructivist approach that promotes
and active learning. This instructional strategy uses real-
the organizational focus of student learning. In problem-
are self-directed learners while the teacher acts as
17. 10. Role play: Taking on roles and interacting in groups actively
involves students in learning opportunities. By taking on a
their own, students begin to appreciate the beliefs, wants and
of others while trying to find creative and effective solutions to
11. Tutorial Groups: "Tutorial groups are set up to help students who
need remediation or additional practice, or for students who can
enrichment. A tutorial group is usually led by the teacher.
greater attention to individual needs and allow students to
18. IV. INDIRECT INSTRUCTION
Indirect instruction is a learning-centred teaching strategy. It
involvement in the learning process and, in doing so, fosters
understanding. It includes the following among its strategies:
A. Case study: A case study is a story, told with a wealth of
accurate, detailed information, which offers students the
o evaluate the information provided for importance and
o identify the problem situation and recognize the particulars
the problem,
o formulate possible solutions for the problem,
o evaluate the possible solutions, selecting one solution,
o create a plan of action for implementing the chosen solution,
o anticipate obstacles to the successful implementation of the
19. B. Cloze procedure: Cloze procedure originated as a
diagnostic reading assessment technique. In a cloze
word is deleted from a selected reading. Students are then
passage, inserting a word into each blank to create a
C. Concept attainment: Concept attainment is an indirect
instructional strategy that compels students to identify
characteristics of a given item or concept.
D. Concept Mapping: It is said that a picture is worth a
thousand words. A concept map is a graphic
concepts with links revealing patterns and relationships
concepts.
20. E. Inquiry: Inquiry method is a process of asking and
answering some key questions. It is a method in which
generate their own knowledge. Inquiry is an Indirect
Strategy that promotes active, self-directed learning.
the student learns to think critically and to problem-
discovering course content.
F. Problem Solving: Problem-solving, or problem-based
learning, is a constructivist approach that promotes
and active learning. This instructional strategy uses real-
as the organizational focus of student learning. In
students are self-directed learners while the teacher
21. F. Reading for meaning: Reading for meaning is an indirect
instructional method in which the reader reads with the
understanding the information presented; that is, the reader
material to construct meaning within the context of the text.
this process is making connections between what is already
is new.
G. Reflective study: While reflective study may take many
forms(reflective writing or reflective discussion) , the
for the student to learn more about himself or herself.
