HILDA TABA
TEACHING STRATEGIES
Trinette Atri, Secondary Specialist
Sheena Miracle, Compliance and Testing Coordinator
Today’s Agenda
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8:30-8:45 – Overview/Introduction to Taba
8:45-9:30 – Concept Development
9:30-10:15 – Interpretation of Data
10:15-10:30 – Break
10:30-11:30 – Application of Generalizations and
Resolution of Conflict
Who is Hilda Taba?
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Curriculum theorist and teacher educator
Developed theory of Inductive Thinking
Believed higher-order thinking is built on a strong
foundation of quality information
Thinking skills are combined with facts to lead
students to abstract generalizations through
questioning strategies
Studies on children’s thinking over 15 years form the
basis of these strategies
Strategies
Concept Development
 Interpretation of Data
 Application of Generalizations
 Resolution of Conflict
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All strategies grounded in the theories of Tyler,
Piaget, Vygotsky, and Ausubel
Assumptions About Learning
“…[thinking] skills will arise from dynamic
interaction between the students and the
stimulation he receives from well-phrased
and carefully sequenced questions, from
interesting and socially significant content,
and from the kind of classroom climate
which encourages free-ranging and
uninhibited responses.”
(Taba, Durkin, Frankel, & McNaughton, 1971, p.65)
Assumptions About Learning (cont.)
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Students can reach higher levels of thinking using a small
quantity of quality information.
Meaningful generalizations are formed by working with
information in depth.
Thought processes evolve in a natural sequence.
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Facts  Abstract Generalizations
Higher-order thinking is achieved through structured
question sequences.
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Open-ended
Focusing
Draw into deeper levels of thinking
Cognitive Map and discussion analysis
Benefits
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Empowers both students and teachers as discussions
evolve and shift with the questions
Allows for more sophisticated instruction
Flexibility in the topics you can use, selection of
questions and specific ideas you pursue in depth
Encourages students to think at higher levels to produce
generalizations
Helps students develop greater openness and flexibility
in thinking and better processes for developing and
organizing data
Can be used across disciplines
Concept Development
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Step 1: List Data
Gather a list of about
25 items that can be
placed under one
category
 Students can work in
groups to generate
data and share out
their top 5
What is an
example of
______?
What do you think
of when you hear
__________?
Concept Development (cont.)
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Step 2: Grouping and
Labeling
Group items together
that have something in
common and assign a
label to each group.
Students should be able
to explain their
reasoning for grouping.
Cannot use a word in
the category as the
label for the category
Which items on our list
can we group together
based on an important
shared characteristic?
Why do these items go
together? What 1-2
word label would best
describe this group?
Concept Development (cont.)
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Step 3:
Subsuming
One group
might fit into
another group
Which of the
items in one
group could
also go under
another group?
Concept Development (cont.)
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Step 4: Regrouping
and Labeling
Think of new ways
that the data could
be grouped
What completely new ways
can you find to group the
items on our list?
If you shift your aspects of
thinking away from
______________ and
towards other aspects of
__________, what new
groups do you see?
Concept Development (cont.)
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Step 5:
Generalizing
Looking at your
groups, create
generalizations
about the data.
Based on our original
list, the groups we’ve
created and the way
we’ve subsumed the
groups, what would
you conclude about
______________?
Now let’s try it!!!
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Step 1: List Data: What is an example of food that
comes from nature?
Step 2: Group and Label: Which items could go
together because they are alike in some way?
Step 3: Subsuming: Which items under one group could
also go under another group?
Step 4: Regrouping and Labeling: Let’s go back to our
original list – how else could you group and label the
data?
Step 5: Generalizing: Based on the data, our groups
and our conversations, what statements can you make
about the food we get from nature?
Interpretation of Data
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Should be done during or after a unit, not as a preassessment!
Select a concept and think about the relationships
you want to focus on within that concept. Write your
questions based on the relationships you want to
focus on.
Interpretation of Data (cont.)
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Step 1: Enumerate Data
Gather data based on your focusing question.
Step 2: List Causes
Why is the data the way it is? What leads to those
things?
Step 3: Prior Causes
Why do you think those causes are the way they are?
Step 4: Causes Conclusions
Based on our discussion, what are the main reasons for
_________? Why?
Interpretation of Data (cont.)
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Step 5: Effects (go back to original data)
What happens because of _______?
Step 6: Subsequent Effects
What happens because of those effects?
Step 7: Effects Conclusions
From our discussion, what happens because of
___________? Why?
Step 8: Generalizations
Relate back to your concept: What statement
can you make about ______? Why does
___________ exist and what happens
because of it? Why?
Concept: Propaganda
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Step 1: What aspects of being part of
the Jungvolk would be enticing to
German youth?
Step 2: Why are those aspects so
appealing?
Step 3: Why would German youth feel
drawn to those aspects?
Step 4: What conclusions can you draw
about why the Nazi party tried to
entice youth to join them?
Concept: Propaganda
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Step 5: What would you say happens
as a result of the tactics used to entice
youth to join the Nazi party?
Step 6: What happens because of
those effects?
Step 7: What happened as a results of
the youth joining the Nazi regime?
Step 8: Overall, what would you say
about the use of propaganda in Nazi
Germany?
Application of Generalizations
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Objective: Apply previously learned
generalizations and facts to new situations
Students will use previously learned generalizations
to “explain unfamiliar events and to make
predictions about what will happen in hypothetical
or proposed situations” (Baker & Nielson, 1995,
p.240).
Encourages divergent thinking in making predictions
Allows students to make connections between cause
and effects and connect conditions to predictions
Application of Generalizations
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Step 1: Predictions: Use creativity in brainstorming possible results of
hypothetical situation (If ________, then __________). Student must explain
reasoning behind their prediction.
Step 2: Inferring Conditions: Students must build a logical, justifiable chain
of relationships. What factors must be present in order for _____________
to occur?
Step 3: Inferring Consequences and Conditions: Extend steps 1 and 2
further
Step 4: Conclusions: Students should consider all the information discussed
and make a judgment about which conditions they think are likely to prevail
and lead to a specific prediction happening.
Step 5: Examining a Generalization: Students form generalizations and
critique one another’s statements/generalizations
http://www.teachertube.com/viewVideo.php?video_id=67839
Resolution of Conflict
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Also called interpretation of feelings, attitudes and
values
Human behavior is the focus of the data to be
interpreted
Helps students deal with conflict rationally and
effectively by exploring feelings, attitudes and values
behind the behaviors
Encouraged to take multiple viewpoints
Generate many alternatives and their consequences
Make generalizations about how people usually handle
conflicts of a specific nature
Resolution of Conflict (cont.)
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Step 1: Listing: Students list the facts of the situation
Step 2: Inferring Reasons and Feelings: Students examine the
motivations and feelings of all individuals involved in the situation.
Step 3: Generating Alternatives and Their Consequences:
Students carefully consider all courses of action and their
potential consequences.
Step 4: Evaluation: Students must decide on the most
appropriate course of action.
Steps 5-8: Transfer to Real-Life: Students apply the first 4 steps
to a real-life situation that one of them may be experiencing.
Step 9: Generalizing: Students form an abstract statement about
how people usually handle those types of situations.
Application of Taba’s Strategies
At your table or with a small group,
brainstorm situations where some
of these strategies would be most
appropriate to use.
Contact Information
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Trinette Atri:
Trinettej.atri@cms.k12.nc.us, (980) 343-2644
Sheena Miracle
Sheenal.miracle@cms.k12.nc.us, (980) 343-2700
References
Gallagher, S.A. (2012). Concept development: A Hilda Taba teaching strategy. Unionville, NY: Royal
Fireworks Press.
Maker, C.J. & Nielson, A.B. (1982). Curriculum development and teaching strategies for gifted
learners. 2nd ed. Austin, TX: ProEd, Inc.
Maker, C.J. & Nielson, A.B. (1995). Teaching models in education of the gifted. 2nd ed. Austin, TX:
ProEd, Inc.
Stokes, A., Weed, K., Kollar, K. & Huber, C. “Hilda Taba Teaching Strategies: Concept
Development and Interpretation of Data.” PowerPoint presentation. Charlotte, NC.10 July
2013.