Chapter 24: Principled Pluralism for Adaptive Flexibility in Teaching and Learning to Read

Author: Rand J. Spiro

Rand J. Spiro’s article is written from the perspective of Cognitive Flexibility Theory (CFT). CFT followed schema theories and investigates the most effective way of basing individual student instruction regardless of the domain that is being taught. CFT feels that a single approach to teaching is limiting-sometimes one approach is successful and sometimes it is not. CFT supports the use of teacher flexibility and the expertise of the teacher when guiding and developing instruction for individuals.

CFT is best described as an idea of principled pluralism. Cognitive flexibility theorists feel that when a teacher encounters a student, they must assess the prior knowledge the student brings to the table. After this assessment of prior knowledge; or assessments of strengths and weaknesses of the student, the teacher then designs individual instruction to meet the student’s needs via the multiple methodologies and expertise the teacher brings to the table. The instruction of each student needs to be tailored to meet their individual needs not through one approach or program, but through the integration of many approaches or programs. Instruction is not presented in random order. Instruction should be presented in such a way as to hit the desired elements, but instruction should also weave in elements that are related to each other for greater effect.

One of the key questions for those following CFT addresses which approach, theories, methods, and content schemas are most appropriate for the new situation, and then how is the teacher to combine, coordinate and align the various methodologies to fit the student’s needs. CFT theorists feel that a skilled teacher will have a rich repertoire of instructional practices to draw from. The skilled teacher will also look at each teaching situation critically to determine which instructional approaches will best be utilized to meet the instructional objective of the lessons to be taught. The skilled teacher may rely on one approach initially, and then weave in another approach as needed. For instance, the skilled teacher may begin explicitly teaching phonics, and then weave in the whole-word approach, followed by utilizing the student’s prior knowledge to assist with the objective of the lesson. Strategies may be combined during instruction rather than being taught in isolation, again the skilled teacher assess what approach best suits the individual student’s needs and the teaching objective at hand.

Spiro would like future researchers to address two questions when looking at the manner of operation of principled pluralisms. One is how situation-adaptive assembly of knowledge and experience occur; the second is how should assembly of knowledge and experience be fostered by both the teacher and the student to be most effective? The use of new technologies to assist students with assembly of knowledge in situation-adaptive ways is one avenue that Spiro feels future researchers should investigate. Another avenue future researchers need to investigate is the role of changing students’ and teachers’ habits of mind. To assist with changing habits of mind, colleges and universities need to provide future teachers with the expertise in multiple methodologies and practices so that future teachers can apply principled pluralism when guiding and developing instructional objectives once they have their own classrooms. Overall, CFT supports the use of teacher flexibility and the expertise of the teacher when guiding and developing instruction for individuals.

Submitted by: Debbie Shanks