Why Google Docs is perfect for adaptive teaching

Adaptive teaching is one of the most powerful things we can do in our classroom. Having a clear understanding of what our students know and can do, and pushing them to know and do just that little bit more, is what teaching is all about. When this is working well the dialogue between the teacher and student is at its highest point. Adaptive and responsive teachers use the information they have about their classes, groups and the individuals within them, in order to change the course of the learning sequence, adding detail and support where needed and adjusting the pace and emphasis to really suit the needs of their students. But how can you use a free tool such as Google Docs in order to enhance this?

Google Docs is a simple mechanism which allows immediate access to our students’ work. By sharing a document, we are able to virtually ‘peer over their shoulder’ and see the progress they are making, errors they may be making, or indeed when they are completely stuck. Within a few moments it is possible to dip into a range of or all students’ work, seeing who may or may not be working. It allows us to target those who we know may be struggling, just as we would when circulating or even virtually group students together to explore a concept.

It is also effective in allowing us to add scaffolding as needed. Writing questions and prompts, or even overlaying students’ work with our own examples, will allow them to move on or for us to redirect them. Sentence starters can be a simple, yet powerful, way to get students to begin a response or avoid the issues of the ‘blank page’, but the real beauty of doing this with Google Docs is you can tailor these to the individual student, gradually adding or removing scaffolding as need be. You can also decide the time when you want to give them this prompt, allowing for a certain degree of struggle and desirable difficulties, as opposed to giving them these at the outset.

Using Google Docs live can also be effective in challenging ideas and providing opportunities for deeper thinking about work, and so is a way in which we can adapt to the needs of a whole range of learners in our classrooms.

So, to take an example from English Literature: If I had students writing an essay on Macbeth, I would be able to quickly ascertain if they had a strong thesis statement to open their piece by dipping into their documents, quickly scanning to see if they had what was needed. I could then share some strong examples across the class in order to prompt those struggling or redirect those who may need to strengthen their opening. 

Whilst some students adapt or to move on to the next part of the plan, something which we could also have constructed together on Docs, I am free to virtually sit with a student or group who might need to have a greater degree of guidance.

This is exactly what I would do as I circulated a classroom, pausing as need be and intervening where necessary, but the benefit we get from the technology is firstly the speed at which I can see what all students have written, taking moments to gauge how they are doing, and how quickly I can step in where students need that extra help.

Having a few additional pre-prepared scaffolds or examples to hand which can then be pasted into their document, will allow students to move on immediately with the learning. These can be used in addition to where students live in order to guide their writing, adding phrases and quotes where they need the prompt or again questioning them to reflect on their own work.

In a world where remote learning continues to be a staple of the education system, this could be a tool which really empowers us to ensure we are adapting to the needs of our students as quickly as possible. Being adaptive is most certainly the key to getting the best from our students in any situation.

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Zoe Enser
Zoe is the Lead Specialist English Adviser for The Education People. Prior to this she was a Senior Leader for Teaching, Learning and CPD and Head of English in a school in the South East. Her new book, Fiorella and Mayer’s Generative Learning in Action, is available for purchase now.
@greeborunner