This monthly article will feature a different learning skill each month and instead of talking theory will ONLY give ideas for targeting/strengthening that learning skill for ages 2 to 102! Remember that you can find ALL the learning skills in a free interactive tool.
Identifying key ideas: determining the important components of the message
During reading time, read a page or paragraph and ask what was important. Tell a story about something that happened in your day and offer your ideas on what was important. Then ask them what seemed important to them (honoring different perspectives!). It’s important to use restating or rephrasing to show that you can focus on what is important when they communicate (modeling). Ask them to do the same!
Asking “What matters here and to who?” is critical. Depending on the kind of message (literature, historical record, poetry, biography, photo, painting, etc.), the audience(s) and author may have different priorities. Being able to appreciate what mattered to an author versus what might matter to a reader or viewer is an important aspect of this skill. Having students learn to analyze different types of messages (and to appreciate that messages can be found in various media) helps with this skill.
The first thing that comes to mind for many of us is word problems! And yes, that’s central here. Whether we’re talking about a simple mathematical “two trains leave their respective stations” problem or an advanced engineering modeling problem, being able to isolate messages and then determine which components are important is a critical skill. As in the arts, exposing learners to messages in a variety of forms will help hone this skill, as they will appreciate the idea of a message that transcends any single form or problem. When that skill is in place, having students create problems for others and then solve them can strengthen the ability to identify important information in a message (problem).
While watching a film or show, pause from time to time, especially after a character speaks for an extended period, and let everyone say what they found the important parts to be. This can be done with a “Tell us about your day” sharing period too, where each family member gets a few minutes to tell about their day. Then the others get to say what they found important about the day. The differences in perspective should be honored and appreciated…and will likely lead to some laughter, especially if family member ages and interests are very different.
What a great idea, Denna… an article featuring a different learning skill each month — instead of talking theory! While the PE literature amply covers the topic, ‘Identifying key ideas: determining the important components of the message,’ your boxed approach serves as a simple reminder involving several critical elements: telling a story, rephrasing, modeling, analyzing, contextualizing, problem-solving and reflecting, among many. Your tips for improving one’s quality of life at any stage/age of life resonated personally. Thanks for taking the lead in this meaningful effort!