One of the cornerstones of the program’s success is the gradual release of responsibility methodology:

“I do it"

"We do it together."

"You do it."

We use this strategy in our workshops with our teachers. And we hope that you will follow this methodology with your students, as well.

We start by modeling a finished product, so students have the end in mind and know the teacher’s expectations. As we model, we use the “Think Aloud” strategy. Students listen to our thought process and the language we use to achieve our goals.

Next, we transition to “We Do It.” This is collaborative writing with whole groups or small groups of students. The teacher still plays the role of the scribe while also asking for students’ input and continuing to provide instruction through questioning, prompting, giving cues, and redirecting.

Then, as teachers, we release our responsibility a little more by pairing the students and having them go through the process in the “You Do It” phase. We walk around the room, listening to their conversations, making sure they are using academic language, and assessing their understanding.

Finally, in the second part of the “You Do It” phase, we ask students to demonstrate their understanding of the process by having them work independently.

Having our workshop participants and having your students work through the gradual release of responsibility provides learners with time to practice and process new concepts and skills before they are required to work on their own.