RELATIONSHIP OF
UNDERSTANDING
Andrea
Nielsen M.ED.
Supplimented by
Understanding by
Design Handbook
UNDERSTANDING UNDERSTANDING
 How can a teacher know that a student is understanding?
 Bloom (1956)
 For example, some teachers believe their students should “really
understand” others desire their students to “internalize knowledge,” still
others want their students to “grasp the core or essence.” Do they all
mean the same thing? Specifically, what does a student do who “really
understands,” Do they all mean the same thing? Specifically, what does
a student do who “really understands,” which he does not do when he
does not understand? Through reference to the taxonomy … teachers
should be able to define such nebulous terms (p.1). “
 What are the signs that show that students are understanding?
 A student can have a thorough understanding without knowing
why it is justified, what the knowledge means, or what can be
done with that knowledge.
SIX FACETS OF UNDERSTANDING
 These connotations of understanding demonstrate dif ferent
aspects of understanding. Ideally to have complete
understanding you must have parts of each of these six
facets.
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



Explain
Interpret
Apply
Perspective
Empathize
Self-knowledge
EXPLAIN
 Definition: Sophisticated and apt explanations and theories,
which provide knowledgeable and justified accounts of events,
actions, and ideas.
 Basically it explains how things work, what they mean, where they
connect, and why they happened.
 Examples:
 A cook explains why adding a little mustard to oil and vinegar enable
them to mix. The mustard acts as an emulsifier.
 A 10 th grade history student provides a well- supported view of the
causes of the American Revolution.
 A 10 th grade student knows the facts of the Boston Tea Party and the
Stamp Act but not why they happened and what they led to (12).
 Write down three examples, one that isn’t a good example and
two good examples for Spanish.
HOW CAN WE HELP OUR STUDENTS
EXPLAIN?
 You can use verbs like explain, justify, generalize, support, verify,
prove, and substantiate.
 Have them show their work
 Explain why the answer is right or wrong
 Give evidence and argue for a view point
 Defend a view
 Have them ask the 5 W questions of Journalism





Who
Why
What
When
Where
 Give an example in Spanish of helping our students explain a
concept.
INTERPRETATION
 Definition: Interpretations, narratives, and translations that
provide meaning
 Basically, providing a story that allows your student to
understand as they find meaning, maintain understanding,
and identify the morals.
 Examples
 A grandfather tells stories about the Depression to illustrate the
importance of saving for a rainy day.
 An 11 th Grade student shows how Gulliver’s Travels can be read as a
satire on British Intellectual life. The book is not just a fairy tale.
 A middle school student can translate all the words but does not
grasp the meaning of a Spanish sentence(15).
 Write down three examples, one that isn’t a good example and
two good examples for Spanish.
APPLICATION
 Definition: The ability to use knowledge ef fectively in new
situations and diverse contexts.
 In other words, using prior knowledge to understand new
concepts.
 Example:
 A young couple uses their knowledge of economics to develop an
effective financial plan for saving and investing.
 7 th Grade students use their knowledge of statistics to accurately
project next year’s costs and needs for the student -run candy and
supply store.
 A physics professor can’t diagnose and fix a broken lamp(18).
 Write down three examples, one that isn’t a good example and
two good examples for Spanish .
HOW CAN WE HELP OUR STUDENTS
APPLY?
 Lesson Plans should reflect real life situations
 Have them use it
 Adapt it
 Customize it
 Performance-based learning
 Authentic tasks
 Supported by the conventional tasks.
 Authentic materials
 Supports the tasks
 Give an example in Spanish of using Authentic Tasks
PERSPECTIVE
 Definition: Critical and insightful points of view
 Or to see things from another perspective.
 Not necessarily a students perspective but to help bring their perspective
to another level which brings is things that they




Take for granted
Assumed
Overlooked
Things glossed over
 Example:
 A 10-year old girl recognizes the fallacy in TV advertising of using
popular figures to promote products.
 A student explains the Israeli and Palestinian arguments for and against
new settlements on the Gaza Strip.
 A bright but rigid student refuses to consider that there is another way to
look at gun control(20-21).
 Write down three examples, one that isn’t a good example and
two good examples for Spanish.
HOW DO WE HELP OUR STUDENTS ADAPT
THEIR PERSPECTIVES?
 Confronting alternative theories
 Diverse points of view
 Have them answer questions
 What of it?
 What does it mean?
 What follows?
 Give an example of building perspectives in Spanish.
EMPATHY
 Definition: the ability to get inside another person’s feelings and
worldview.
 Or to walk in another’s shoes, to escape their own emotional
reaction to see another’s.
 Example:
 An Israeli adolescent empathizes with the restrictive and constrained life
of his Palestinian contemporaries.
 From a recent British national exam: “Romeo and Juliet, act 4. Imagine
you are Juliet. Write your thoughts and feelings explaining why you have
to take this desperate action.”
 An accomplished basketball player-turned-coach often berates his young
players because he cannot relate to their struggles in learning the
game(22).
 Write down three examples, one that isn’t a good example and
two good examples for Spanish .
SELF-KNOWLEDGE
 Definition: The wisdom to know one’s ignorance and how
one’s patterns of thought and action inform as well as
prejudice understanding.
 Or in other words, in understanding ourselves better we will
understand others.
 Examples:
 A mother realizes that her frustration with her daughter’s shyness is
rooted in issues from her own childhood.
 Mindful of the fact that many students are visual learners, a middle
school teacher includes visual organizers and images.
 When all you have is a hammer, every problem looks like a nail.
 Write down three examples, one that isn’t a good example and
two good examples for Spanish.
ASSIGNMENT