General Introduction
This blog is part of my Differentiation and Adaptive Teaching Knowledge Base.
I use the terms differentiation and adaptive teaching synonymously. To me, they are the same, as genuine differentiation has always involved adapting your planning and your teaching to meet the needs of the learners in front of you.
For me, differentiation is all the practical strategies, activities and techniques teachers use to personalise learning.
For ease, we can break that down into my five categories of differentiation: Activities, Questioning, Words and Writing, Things the Teacher Can Do and Things You Can Ask Learners to Do or Use.
This blog falls into the category of words and writing.
Using Analogies to Support Recall
Analogies create contrasts.
And the human mind is set up to perceive contrasts.
We can use this fact to our advantage, to help learners remember and recall information and ideas.
An analogy is a piece of reasoning in which similarity between separate items is identified and then used to make claims about these items.
The contrast comes from the fact that two items are different yet similar.
Here’s an example, to illustrate.
- ‘Society is like the human body. It possesses many different parts but these all work in unison to ensure the wellbeing of the overall structure. If there is a problem with one part, it affects everything. For example, if you get a bladder infection, the whole body suffers; if the education system stops working, all of society suffers.’
This is a classical analogy from Sociology.
It is used by a group of thinkers called Functionalists to describe how society works.
It demonstrates the nature of analogies, their strengths and, also, their limitations.
We can see in the example that a contrast is set up.
Between society and the human body.
Two separate, contrasting items.
Similarity is then drawn out, showing a metaphorical connection between the two.
One of the major strengths of using analogies is that you can explain an item (A) with which the audience may not be familiar, or of which they may have limited knowledge, by referring to another item (B) with which they are familiar, or of which they have greater knowledge.
In the case above, an understanding of the human body (which most people possess) is used to help explain the Functionalist interpretation of society.
In a sense, analogies lay something new on top of existing understanding.
By creating a contrast and then pointing out similarities, they help the audience to understand that new item.
A major limitation of reasoning through similarity is that such an approach is likely to lead one to discount those things which do not fit the analogy.
So, for example, in the Functionalist case outlined above, no consideration is given to those aspects of society that appear to be in conflict.
These are ignored because they do not fit the analogy.
Therefore, the explanatory power of the analogy is limited – if it is pushed too far, then the claims it makes start to look tendentious.
Overall, analogies are a useful tool for the teacher but should not be pushed too far.
Because they can help learners to understand new items through reference to existing knowledge, they are excellent for differentiating.
In essence, they are a way of scaffolding thinking; a means by which to explain new, difficult or abstract concepts so that they can be grasped by learners.
A way to create contrast, and to then situate similarity within that contrast, shedding light on that which is new, and connecting it to a learner’s prior knowledge, aiding understanding.
How can using analogies help you to differentiate?
Analogies use the audience’s existing knowledge to explain something new.
Therefore, if analogies are carefully chosen, they can be used to help all learners develop understanding.
Analogies are a way of scaffolding thinking.
This means they lead learners from what they already know to an understanding of something new.
Analogies can use clear, vivid images to explain abstract concepts.
This helps learners to come to terms with such ideas and to remember them.
Using Antonyms to Support Assimilation of New Language
Antonyms are opposites.
- An antonym of big is small.
- An antonym of white is black.
- An antonym of fast is slow.
These are also contrasts.
- Big contrasts with small.
- White contrast with black.
- Fast contrasts with slow.
When you introduce learners to new words, talk to them about the antonyms of these words.
This will help learners to understand the meaning of the new terms.
It will make it clear what the words do not mean (and therefore what it is they do mean).
This is where contrast becomes so powerful.
If possible, use simple antonyms with which learners are already familiar.
Here is a logical explanation of how antonyms can help learners understand new words.
Imagine that a learner knows X, Y and Z.
You introduce them to new thing A.
Your introduction involves stating the word that signifies A, explaining the meaning of this word, and then giving examples.
In so doing, you have started to create some connections and context around A.
Next, you share a simple antonym for A.
Let us say that the learner is already familiar with the antonym.
In fact, it turns out that the antonym is X.
Immediately the learner can connect A to that which they already know. In so doing, they are identifying a relationship between A and X.
A relationship of contrast.
The learner incorporates A into their existing knowledge and understanding.
They also create relationships in their mind between A and Y and A and Z (A is an antonym of X, therefore it is not an antonym of Y or Z. These are negative, exclusionary relationships that help fix the meaning of A for the learner.).
From this example we can see that the provision of an antonym – one with which, as a word, learners are already familiar – can help learners to learn the meanings of new terms.
Here are five ways you might want to introduce antonyms.
- Present one or more key terms to your class. Explain and exemplify these and then provide some appropriate antonyms.
- Give learners a handout that contains a set of keywords appropriate to the topic complete with definitions and antonyms.
- Give learners a list of keywords and ask them to find out the antonyms of these (you might like to use ‘opposites’ as a non-technical term). Some dictionaries contain antonyms, or learners can research online.
- Give learners two lists: one of keywords and one of antonyms. They look up the meanings of the keywords using dictionaries and then match each keyword to the correct antonym.
- Display a keyword on the board next to three possible antonyms. Explain what the keyword means and then ask learners to work out which is the correct antonym. This task could also be done in groups, with learners receiving a handout containing a series of keywords next to definitions and multiple possible antonyms.
How can using antonyms help you to differentiate?
Antonyms help learners to understand words with which they are not familiar.
Using simple antonyms means calling on what learners already know.
This is a way of helping all learners to access the learning.
Antonyms provide an alternative path to understanding (or a supplementary path) compared to examples and explanations.
They therefore offer another means to engage learners, helping them to access the learning.
Antonyms provide scaffolding that takes learners some of the way towards a sound understanding of a word.
They can therefore be used to help all learners make progress.
Antonyms create contrast, which aids memorisation and recall.
Knowing what something is not, helps us confirm what it is.
To illustrate this point, consider how very young children learn to distinguish between different animals.
They learn that a cow is a cow, for example.
But they also learn that a cow is not a pig, or a goat.
While these aren’t antonyms, the wider point is that understanding is built on both positive and negative associations.
Positive in the sense that X connects to Y.
Negative in the sense that X does not connect to Z.
