*Like the Exit Ticket strategy, Call and Response has not been mentioned in any of my previous posts. However, this is a wonderful technique not only for review, but for building a sense of togetherness in the classroom. Keep reading to learn more!!
Tell me about it!
-Call and Response is the technique of asking an entire class unplanned questions throughout the school day and having the students answer those questions out loud together.
There are five different types of Call and Response practises that a teacher can use effectively. Repeat is when students simply repeat information that teachers have said, or complete sentences using contextual information given previously by the teacher. Report allows for students to complete questions individually, and then coming together to answer the questions out loud in unison. Reinforce is when students repeat or back up an answer that a classmate has given. A review has students answering questions from former material and connecting that information to current information being taught. This allows them to remember past material, but also be able to connect it with current information. Solve is simply when students calculate answers and respond with the answer in unison.
For this technique to really work though, a teacher must have in-cues for the class to know when to speak out loud together. This could be a word, a noise, a phrase or even a hand motion. Students need to be classically conditioned and formed at the beginning of the year to know what each particular in-cue means, and what is supposed to happen when each in-cue is given by the teacher.
There is another version called Call and Response 2.0. With this, the Call and Response technique is used in four different settings.
1. Stretching the Response:
This is when the traditional Call and Response technique is used, but the answer process is prolonged, ensuring that the students thoroughly understand the material.
2. Call and Response with Vocabulary:
With this particular version of the strategy, vocabulary is able to be properly studied and understood, rather than just memorizing terms. To use this, the students can be asked a term to give the definition, or they could be asked the definition to respond with the term.
3.Call and Response with Reading:
When pieces of literature are read out loud, this strategy is used. If a teacher is reading a passage of an article and wants to ensure that the students are following along, that teacher can pause next to a word and give an in-cue for the students to then read that next word together out loud. This is used to make sure that all the students are following along with the teacher as the piece of literature is being read.
4. Call and Response Culture Building:
This technique is used to build a student's confidence in correct answers. If a student gives a correct answer in front of the class, a teacher can enforce positive reinforcement. In doing this, the teacher can rephrase the answer that the student gave in a question to the rest of the class, in-cuing them to finish the statement.
Why does this work, and what are the benefits?
-This is a fairly easy technique to use when teaching a classroom full of little ones (or a class of older ones, too). Although it is a straightforward technique, there are many things it can achieve. First of all, it measures how well students understand the material as a whole class. This would not be the best option for gauging how well individuals understand the material. However, if there are number of students who do not give an answer, or who do not give the correct answer, the teacher can use that lack of response to know that some students need more explanation. Not only that, but it can also be used as a behavioral check and reinforcement. If group contingencies are integrated with the Call and Response technique, positive peer pressure can build among the students. For example, if students are aware that a reward is being offered at the end of repeating a Call and Response practice, they will encourage each other to do what is asked of them. Finally, this technique can be exciting and enjoyable to the students. Kids love to be loud, so when they can be loud together, they generally have a blast with what is being asked of them. This will make the lesson that is taught more memorable to the students, increasing their chances of remembering the material. Instead of using rote learning with a pencil and paper to learn vocabulary words, shouting the words over and over together as a class can get the information passed their short term memory into their long term memory more easily.
How do I use this for my students?
-First and foremost, I would need to establish an in-cue so that my students know when I want responses to be in unison and when I want them to raise their hands individually. Personally, I love the idea of silently counting to three with my fingers. For this, I would teach the students to look for my fingers after I have asked a question. If my fingers count to three, they are to yell the response together once the third finger is up. However, if my fingers do not start counting to three after a question has been asked, the students will know to raise their hand in order to respond. Continuing with the idea of teaching the water cycle, I plan to use Call and Response frequently throughout my lessons because there will be a great deal of information for my students to know. If I were to say to the students "The water cycle is continuous because it is a cycle." I would then say "Okay, why is the water cycle continuous?" After silently counting to three on with my fingers, I would expect the students to yell, in unison, "It's a cycle!" This would act as repeating in Call and Response. Then, using a visual aid, I will show the students examples of the four main stages of the water cycle. After going over what each stage looks like, I will ask individual students to point out each stage of the water cycle. After each student, I will ask the class "Is this correct, yes or no?" Proceeding this, I will immediately start counting to three with my fingers. When my fingers reach three, I will expect the students to yell either "yes" or "no" together in unison. This exercise would serve as reinforcement in Call and Response. At the end of the lesson, I will have my students complete a four question assignment, differentiating between the four stages of the water cycle. Once they are complete, I will go over each question with the students, in-cuing them when I am ready for them to answer together. For this, the students are reporting their answers as a class. For a review, the students would connect the water cycle to the plant cycle. When I give them the in-cue, they will answer questions I have for them that relate to the plant cycle. For example, "How do plants grow? Where do plants get water?"
With these different types of Call and Response questions and review styles, students are able to ensure that they fully understand the material!
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