Aim-Anchor-Release-Reset a strategy for literacy instruction

Today, my twins are competing in the state archery competition, and as a proud mama and forever teacher (☺️) their team saying is one that I feel connects to the current state of reading instruction as well. One of their team sayings is: Draw, Aim, Anchor, Release. 

It got me thinking of sayings we can use with our students in reading instruction and what I do in my dyslexia therapy lessons. So this is my little twist on the archery saying: Aim, Anchor, Release, Reset.

A Strategy for Literacy Instruction

This message is great for my children and their archery, but also for my students and myself as I look at our reading instruction and lessons. This got me thinking of how we teach our students, and ways to bring students into this cycle of metacognitive practices to develop their knowledge, awareness, engagement, motivation, and ownership of their learning.  

Aim - Focus on our goal or task at hand and aim for those intentions. 

How wonderful is this concept for not only our students but us as teachers? Setting our goals and determining what our focus or target will be for the lesson. What are we learning? What is the objective?

Anchor - Anchor our learning with explicit instruction.

Anchoring our instruction is key for reaching students with dyslexia or those struggling in reading and writing acquisition. The use of explicit instruction within our lessons and the linkages we establish for our students to build knowledge anchors our learning. This anchored instruction solidifies understanding for our students as we build our reading knowledge. What do we know? How can we link or connect this knowledge to the new learning? 

Release - Application and practice, practice, practice of taught concept.

In archery, this is when you let the arrow fly. In our reading instruction, this is when the application of the concept occurs. The practice of the skill or concept explicitly taught as we anchored the lesson is then released to the student for practice. Practice can be done in the “I do - We do - You do” model as we move through our learning. 

Reset - Reflective and metacognitive processes to aid learning, and begin the process of learning again while moving up in our level of practice and application.

This is the connection of metacognitive knowledge and processes in connection to learning. Did the student learn the objective? What areas did the student need assistance with? Were scaffolds needed? Extensions? The student also engages in these metacognitive processes and asks, Do I understand this? Can I do this on my own? Is there something I need help with? What worked or didn’t work? What will I do differently next time?  

Connections to our work in reading instruction

Isn’t it just lovely? Maybe it’s just me, but I see connections to our work in reading instruction far beyond that of the classroom. The lessons we can use to connect with students and bring awareness of learning, motivation, and success into our work with students, the more we can release the learning to them - which is our ultimate goal. To have our students transfer their knowledge of literacy and self beyond the classroom walls. 

Happy archery day! Let’s aim-anchor-release-reset within our lessons.

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