There are several words in this example that detract from the lesson on how to solve word problems. Some students may focus on the fact that they don't know what phlebotomist, beaker, plasma, dispensed, equivalent, and quantity mean. Others might choose to ignore these words and then not be able to understand what the problem is asking. A better example would be:
A scientist has 4 small jars and a larger jar holding 20 ounces of water. How much should be poured into each small jar so that each small jar holds the same amount?
The wording is much simpler and now the student can focus on what the problem is asking instead of wondering what the unfamiliar words mean. The objective in this case is instructing in word problems not reading. Instructing in reading so that students can improve their reading level is taught in a lesson specific to that objective and not done within other lessons.
The last factor to consider is the curriculum goals. These are goals that are created for each grade level that dictates what students should know before moving onto the next grade level. These are usually set by the school district but it is up to the teacher to make sure her program and lessons support them. This should be the starting point when creating new programs or lessons. The teacher will choose a goal that has been defined and then carefully outline a program and design lessons that will support that goal. These decisions will be affected by the other four factors as she creates her instruction.
In a fourth grade class, the teacher has decided to start instruction on the curriculum goal of investigating plant anatomy and life processes (Virginia Department of Education [VDE], 2003). She reviews the standard objectives outlined in her curriculum guide and starts creating her own program of goals and objectives based on the resources and materials she has researched. Once she has her overall program set, she can focus on creating the individual lessons for her objectives. As she creates each lesson she will consider the factors that influence how she can teach each lesson. Are the students at the correct instructional level to understand and utilize the new information? Are the students at a developmental level that they can perform activities she's designed? Are there any students with disabilities that may need accommodations or modifications to the lessons? And lastly, is the reading level of the materials appropriate for all students in her class? Once a lesson has cleared this checklist, she should have a lesson that is appropriate for her students and one that will extend their learning experience to meet the curriculum goal.
Using all these factors when creating programs and lessons will help the students achieve success. They will be actively engaged in the lesson, feel comfortable with the learning environment, and increase their knowledge base for future learning. Not conforming programs and lessons to these factors could prove to hinder student progress and lead to other problems such as student lack of confidence, failure, or behavioral issues.
