Running head: VIDEO ANALYSIS TOOL LONG TERM RETENTION 1
Video Analysis Tool: Long-Term Retention
Learning strategies are often used in the classroom by teachers, as an effective means of helping
student retain information. In the video, the teach used several strategies to help her students
learn how to write a summary. One of the main strategies she used was giving direct
instructions. She started by telling the students what they would be doing and gave clear
explanations. She used other key components of direct instruction including, conducting probes,
presenting new material and assessing performances (Slavin & Schuck, 2017). She also used
lesson emphasis by making it clear to the students what the most important parts of the lesson
were. Another strategy that was used by the teacher in the video was worked examples. She had
the students explain it to a partner and came around to them to make sure they understood by
asking questions.
In a second grade science class, I would teach the students the life cycle of a plant. The lesson
would include the life cycle from a seed to an adult plant with flowers and fruit. The students
would be introduced to new vocabulary such as germination, sproutling, and pollination. At the
end of the lesson the students would also get to plant their own seeds that they would take care
of, using what we learned, during the rest of the quarter. I would use embedded videos that show
a time- lapse video on the life cycle of a plant. “Research on embedded video finds that it helps
children learn and retain information to the degree that is easy to understand and clearly linked to
the main content” (as cited in Slavin & Schunk, 2017, pp 333-334). I would also conduct
learning probes to check for understanding. Introducing a new topic with new vocabulary may
be a challenge for some students. Learning probes would give me an idea of the students’ level
of understanding (Slavin & Schunk, 2017). Another strategy I would use to facilitate learning is
modeling and illustrating what I want them to do. Before each step of planting their own seeds I
LONG-TERM RETENTION 2
would demonstrate what they should do, for example, getting the soil into the cup, planting the
seed, etc. “Visuals presentations are maintained in long-term memory far more readily then
information that is only heard” (as cited in Slavin & Schunk, 2017, p. 333).
“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
gentleness and self- control. Against such things there is no law,” (Galatians 9:22-23, New
International Version). The fruit of the Spirit that reminds teachers to apply different strategies
for learning retention is forbearance. Patience is a character trait that not only students should
have when it comes to their work, but teachers should practice this also. It is necessary for
teachers to be patient when planning lessons so that they are effective in achieving the learning
outcomes. It may be easy for a teacher to just stand in front of the class and teach a lesson
without taking the time to implement strategies that would facilitate learning for each topic being
presented to the class. It should be the job of every teacher to create lessons that keep students
engaged, assess if the students knows the informations and use different techniques to reach the
various learning styles present in the class. “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as
working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an
inheritsance from the Lord as a reward,” (Colossians 3:23-24, NIV).
