Task, then Ask

As educators, we understand that effective teaching methods should be tailored to the developmental needs of our students. For elementary-age students, traditional lecture-based instruction and passive learning experiences like “taking notes” often fall short in promoting true engagement and understanding. In this blog post, we'll explore the concept of "Task Then Ask," an interactive learning approach that aligns with the unique learning style of young students.

Interactive learning, a version of hands-on learning, goes beyond just the use of tangible objects/manipulatives (which is also crucial!) and includes various approaches like drawing, building, making lists, grouping, and utilizing graphic organizers. The key here is that students should be doing the interactive parts, not just a teacher. And because we are talking about young concrete thinkers, interactive means more than just verbalizing (answering questions thrown out by a teacher). Students should be doing something (a task!). For elementary students, who are in the crucial stage of developing foundational skills and curiosity, interactive learning is a powerful tool that encourages active participation and deeper comprehension. When you are teaching a (short!) whole group lesson, students should have tasks to do every few minutes to keep them engaged with the learning and be sure they are learning conceptually. Interactive learning also gives everyone in the class something to do, insuring you’re not leaving big groups of kids behind because they “aren’t listening”.

Let's delve into an example to see how the "Task Then Ask" approach transforms a traditional lesson into an engaging learning experience.

Example 1: Exploring Area of Rectangles

Traditional Approach: You put slides up on the screen going over the steps of how to find the area of a rectangle. Students are in their seats and are expected to watch & listen. As you go through your slides, you occasionally ask students a question. (The same 2-3 students answer. The same 2-3 students are checked out.) After the slides, you pass out a practice sheet to students. You go through the first few with them and then ask them to silently finish at their seat.

During the lesson, students have no task. Their only direction is to listen, which is developmentally inappropriate and not an effective way to learn a new skill. The questions asked were not thought-provoking, and did not encourage students to do the more heavy-lifting (thinking). Independent practice is not differentiated. 

Interactive Approach: You put a Nearpod over area on the screen and students are logged in with their iPads (if you don’t have tech, you can use whiteboards!). Students are in a centralized location dedicated for short whole groups lessons (carpet, turned chairs, choice, etc.) The first slide has a large grid/graph paper. Students are tasked to draw a rectangle that uses up 10 squares. Give students time to draw, then pick some to share. Note how not everyone’s rectangle is the same. Task students to make another rectangle using 10 squares (different from their first). The next slide is blank and gives students a new task - draw a rectangular park. You draw one on your Nearpod and task students to draw theirs. You then call on a student to pick a number 0-9 to be the length of the park. The same for width. As you mark your side lengths, students mark on their screen. Then ask students, how many inch tiles (“grass”) they think they would need to cover the rectangle (turn & talk). You can use drag & drop blocks (this would also work on SeeSaw or Google Slides) or pass out actual inch tiles. You give students time to think/try. Share out what they discovered. The next slide introduces the word area. Students trace the word and can decorate it (set 1 minute timer). Then you will add what you learned about the area to the slide. The final slide has a few different rectangles to work on area together. As you look at each rectangle, you ask students questions about how you would discover the amount of inch squares needed to fill the space. After these slides, students are released to math stations where they work on individual practices. Students can move back to their seats or spots around the room. 

During the lesson, students are tasked constantly. They are not passive. After being tasked, they are asked questions that prompt them to think and grapple with the concept at hand. After the lesson, students are engaged in differentiated learning opportunities.

By involving students in active tasks, encouraging critical thinking, and promoting collaboration, we tap into their natural curiosity and desire to explore. This approach not only aligns with the developmental needs of young learners but also sets the stage for a lifelong love of learning. So, let's embrace interactive learning as we nurture the next generation of inquisitive minds.

How could you move away from passive learning and task-then-ask this year?

Task:
Draw…
Solve…
List…
Write a question…
Build…
Do…

Ask:
How did you do it?/Is there another way?
What did you think?
What happened when…?
What would happen if…?

Happy math-ing!