Reduce workloads and chunk instruction into smaller pieces to support diminished capacity and executive functioning¶

Strategy · All strategies
Evidence · no claims cited

Description¶

Under Reason, the brief advises educators to "Reduce workloads for yourself and your students," noting that with stress and change, "students' physical and mental capacities to handle an academic workload are diminished." Teachers should slim down normal lessons, for example reducing required reading or response length. They should also ensure instruction and materials are "chunked" so students focus on one new learning task at a time, give one or two instructions at a time, and allow plenty of time for processing and responding.

Design Implications¶

Context¶

Requirements¶

• Caregiver support to follow chunking and routines at home; schedules provided as customizable examples

Constraints¶

• The brief states effective and meaningful lessons may not happen immediately or all at once while families adjust to a new normal

Target Learners¶

• K-12 distance learning students, especially those facing adversity or trauma

Target Learning Goals¶

• Executive functioning and self-management
• academic engagement under stress

Affordances¶

• Perry 3 Rs Regulate Relate Reason

Related Strategies¶

• Break Tasks Into Pieces
• Balancing Homework with Physical Activity
• Create structure and consistency through schedules, regular communication, and clear instructions in distance learning
• Stress Management Routines
• Screen lessons, texts, activities, and videos in advance to ensure they are not activating for students and families

Examples¶

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Key Sources¶

• Pate, C. (2020). Strategies for trauma-informed distance learning. Center to Improve Social and Emotional Learning and School Safety at WestEd. https://eric.ed.gov/?id=ED606091