In an update to its landmark reports on education research, the National Academies suggests schools can leverage students’ culture and experience to improve learning.
While the new report covers research on learning from birth through old age, its commission had some key conclusions for schools. It recommends teaching not just science or history content, but the specific language and practices of different disciplines.
To be effective, teachers must understand how students’ prior knowledge, experiences, motivations, interests, and language and cognitive skills interact with those of the teacher’s own experiences and culture and the characteristics and culture of the classroom, it found.
