Teaching With the Instructional Cha-Chas: Four Steps to Make Learning Stick

With foreword by Rick Wormeli

Merging educational neuroscience with a formative assessment process and differentiated instruction, LeAnn Nickelsen and Melissa Dickson developed a four-step cycle of instruction -- (1) chunk, (2) chew, (3) check, and (4) change -- that has the power to double the speed of student learning. Compatible with any subject area, the book's brain-friendly teaching strategies and plentiful tools are designed to help transform students into active learners and independent thinkers.

Educational neuroscience- and research-based teaching strategies to improve student achievement:

• Combine brain science with a formative assessment process and differentiated instruction to maximize student learning.
• Examine effective teaching strategies and differentiation practices so you can bump it up or break it down according to student needs.
• Consider the four-step instructional cycle and understand the components of chunk, chew, check, and change.
• Explore how the formative assessment process can double the speed of learning.
• Learn how to plan instruction and preassess efficiently so that daily learning targets and formative assessments enable each student to meet standards.
• Receive templates and teaching strategies that can be easily differentiated and implemented in daily lesson plans.

Contents:
Introduction: Maneuver Your Footwork With Four Steps

Part I: Setting Up Your Classroom Dance Floor
Chapter 1: Choreograph Your Instruction With the Cha-Cha Steps
Chapter 2: Move Smoothly From Broad Ideas to Smaller Ideas
Chapter 3: Get to Know Your Dance Partners

Part II: Putting the Steps Together
Chapter 4: Take Step One: Chunk (Instruct)
Chapter 5: Take Step Two: Chew (Learn)
Chapter 6: Take Step Three: Check (Evaluate)
Chapter 7: Take Step Four: Change (Differentiate)
Chapter 8: Finesse the Chunk, Chew, Check, and Change Cycle

Epilogue: Swing Into Action With the Four Steps

Melissa Dickson, MEd, is an outstanding presenter and educator. She is passionate about providing teachers with research-based ideas and strategies that can be immediately implemented. In her decades as an educator, Melissa has been a literacy coach, staff developer, site-based team leader, mentor teacher, inclusion teacher, classroom teacher, and early-childhood teacher. She has a master's degree in reading and supports a balanced literacy classroom model. Her ability to provide relevant information with humor and enthusiasm makes her a very popular presenter at numerous district, state, and national conferences. Participants leave her sessions with a wealth of ideas to immediately implement in their classrooms. Melissa presents at conferences and seminars and provides custom training for schools and districts.

LeAnn Nickelsen, MEd, delivers presentations nationally on brain research topics, differentiation, reading and vocabulary strategies, and nutrition affecting cognition, all based on the latest research. She is known for delivering a wealth of information in an active, fun format with very specific, practical classroom examples. Participants leave with many ideas for maximizing learning for all students.

In addition to her trainings, LeAnn also models lessons within the classroom. She works with teachers one on one and in small groups to help them achieve their educational goals. She is a parent of school-age twins and applies the research to the hardest jobs out there, parenting and teaching. To learn more about LeAnn's work, visit maximizelearninginc.com or follow @lnickelsen1 on Twitter.