Basic Principles Article #8: Using TAGteach for Math and Science

By Joan Orr, M.Sc.

TAGteach™ (Teaching with Acoustical Guidance) is a new way of teaching using positive reinforcement with a click sound marker to identify successful performance. In past articles in this series we have talked about the tag point – the exact response, action or position that a teacher pinpoints with a tag (the click sound) to tell the learner “YES, that was right!”, how to associate the audible tag with a tangible reinforcer, how to harness the power of peer tagging and how to gain co-operation around the house. Here we talk about how TAGteach can be used to help reinforce math and science concepts.

Identify the Activity and Break it Down

Use TAGteach as a way to help solidify math and science concepts in a positive way that allows the learner to self-assess performance. The first step is to identify the activities that the learner needs to work on. The next step is to break each activity down into discrete parts that can be tackled one at a time.

A Math Example

Learning math facts provides a good opportunity to apply the concepts of TAGteach. Let’s take the common activity of learning times tables using flash cards as an example. The tag point is “state the correct answer”. If the learner hears a tag, he knows the answer is correct and he can put a bead in a jar, mark a tally on a chart or otherwise record the tag to be accumulated and exchanged for a tangible reinforcer later. If the learner does not hear the tag he knows to try again. The learner is now responsible for assessing his own performance without the need for the teacher (or partner) to say “no” or “wrong”. After two wrong answers to the same card, the partner could show the answer and put that card back in the pile, or even show it again right away so that the learner can be successful.

A Science Example

TAGteach can be used effectively with older learners as well and is particularly useful for teaching laboratory skills that require precision. Consider the activity of preparing a wet mount microscope slide. There are several steps involved, the most error prone of which is applying the cover slip so as not to introduce air bubbles. The key to doing this successfully is to introduce the cover slip at an angle, releasing it only once the liquid on the slide has become attracted to the edge of the cover slip where it contacts the slide. The instructions to the learner are: “hold the cover slip between thumb and forefinger, place it against the slide at a 45 degree angle, slide it along until it contacts the liquid and the liquid is attracted under the edge of the cover slip, then release the cover slip gently to trap the liquid under it”. The tag point is “cover slip at 45-degrees”. Once the learner hears the tag he can then proceed to slide the cover slip to the liquid droplet on the slide and then release it. Ideally the teacher would demonstrate the procedure and have the learner tag at the appropriate point so that it is clear that the learner understands the process and the tag point. If it becomes apparent that the learner is having difficulty with other steps in the procedure, these could be used as tag points in subsequent trials until the whole process is mastered. Older learners often do not need tangible reinforcers. They find that getting the precise and clear information without any negative feedback and seeing themselves improve is reinforcement enough.

Next time we will talk about using TAGteach to help teach language and music concepts.

We invite you to join the TAGteacher discussion group at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/TAGteach/ to meet others who are implementing TAGteach in various disciplines and to see the list of upcoming TAGteach seminars.