Systematic Concept Teaching (CT)
Teaching Basic Conceptual Systems (BCSs) and related concepts using the Concept Teaching Model – an educational approach developed in Norway.
CONCEPT TEACHING DOWNLOADS
Download a compulsory curriculum for the teaching of Basic Conceptual Systems (The BCS-Curriculum) and related concepts in Kindergartens and Primary Schools in the Muncipality of Balsfjord, Norway, 2008.
Dr. Andreas Hansen was one of the keynoter speakers at the IACESA Conference in Cape Town, South-Africa, February 2009.
Dr. Hansen is currently employed by the National Support System for Special Education in Northern Norway. He previously worked as a teacher and as an educational psychologist in the educational-psychological services. He is an expert in Systematic Concept Teaching (CT) and well experienced in dynamic assessment. He has worked on numerous concept teaching projects for children with and without learning problems of different kinds (CT as a preventive measure, language problems, problems with reading and writing, including dyslexia, problems with mathematics, etc.). He has written several articles and booklets on concept teaching, and is the main author of a book on the prevention of reading problems through concept teaching (in Norwegian, 2006).
Qualifications:
Teacher certificate
Cand Paed Spec/Educational Psychologist
Dr Polit (Education)
Email Addresses: andreas.hansen@statped.no and andhanse@online.no
What is Concept Teaching (CT)?
CT as an educational strategy refers to the systematic Teaching of Basic Conceptual Systems (BCS - colour, shape, size, position, place, direction, pattern, number, time, etc.) and related concepts, which are made verbally conscious by means of oral language (Hansen, 2009). The teaching is done by means of the principles of the Concept Teaching Model.CT also refers to the training of children in performing analytic coding of objects and events, as well as the teacher’s application of analytic coding as a strategy and the use of Basic Conceptual Systems as a tool for the teaching of school subjects and skills of different kinds.
Rationale
CT is based on the idea that language is an important tool used by human beings, serving as the basis for thought processes and the acquisition of communications skills. CT was primarily developed as a way to improve teaching in order that the general ability of the learner could be enhanced.
Background
Magne Nyborg (1927-1996), the ‘father’ of CT, was a pedagogue and professor at Oslo University in Norway. Dr. Andreas Hansen (1947-) has made contributions to the practice of CT and has recently developed a Curriculum for teaching Basic Conceptual Systems and related concepts to children in Norway.
The Concept Teaching Model
The CT-model is divided into 3 different phases that are named according to the processes that are represented in each phase:-Phase 1: Selective Association otherwise referred to as learning associations
Phase 2: Selective Discrimination or learning differences
Phase 3: Selective Generalization or discovering similarities
However a fourth and basic process named analytic coding underlies the learning in all of the three phases. Analytic coding involves the child performing analyses of and comparing different objects that are presented in the light of his/her knowledge about basic conceptual systems. The child thus facilitates his/her discovery of the actual partial similarities and partial differences (What colour, shape, size, position, number etc. do the different objects in question have, and how are the presented and perceived objects similar or different based on these questions?). Analyses and comparisons like these are presumed to take place in an intuitive way initially. As children learn conceptual systems and related concepts in a verbally conscious way, analyses and comparisons might be performed on a more conscious level.
Who would benefit from Concept Teaching (CT)?
• “Normally” developing children within pre-school settings and in the early grades of elementary school,
• Children and young people with specific disabilities (e.g. language disorders)
• Children and young people with general learning difficulties, and
• Children and young people with behavioural and psychological disorders
Concept Teaching (CT) in Relation to The Norwegian National Curriculum
One central theme addressed in the Norwegian National Curriculum for the Development of Knowledge (2006) is a focus on developing basic skills:
i) being able to read, ii) being able to express oneself orally, iii) being able to express oneself in writing, iv) being able to develop numeracy, and v) being able to use digital tools. The focus on basic skills is founded on the realization that learning and the ability to gain knowledge, independent of subject matter, is closely related to the mastery of the basic skills.The municipality of Balsfjord has recognized the importance of Concept Teaching (CT) and Basic Conceptual Systems (BCS) as important prerequisites for the development of the above-mentioned five skills as well as for the teaching of school subjects. The municipality has, in close collaboration with Dr. Andreas Hansen, introduced a joint supplementary teacher training program for all kindergartens and schools (6 days spanning over ¾ of a year), focussing on how to utilize CT on a regular basis. The BCS-curriculum is constructed as a guide for teachers to implement the CT approach with different age groups.
The Main Objectives of the BCS-Curriculum
• To be used as a tool for the application of CT with the objective of helping children develop pre-requisites for learning in terms of oral language skills
• To prevent learning difficulties due to inadequately developed language skills
• To increase children’s mastery of basic skills
• To promote cooperation between schools and kindergartens and thus promote continuity with regard to language development
• To reduce differences related to language development and learning among children and to promote the development of social skills
Concept Teaching (CT) in the Town of Harstad
In 2008-2009 a supplementary training course on Concept Teaching in combination with teaching beginners’ reading, writing and mathematics was held in Harstad (see the BCS- Curriculum at the top of the page). The course consisted of 6 days spanning over ¾ of a year. The main lecturer was Dr. Hansen, in collaboration with speech therapist Anne Svendsen (Educational-psychological services in Harstad) and assistant professor Olav Lunde (Sørlandet Competence Center). The course was arranged by the school authorities of Harstad in collaboration with The National Support System for Special Education in Northern Norway. 45 kindergarten teachers and 45 primary school teachers (Grade 1 and Grade 2) participated in the training. The teachers who participated in the training were encouraged by the school authorities to implement and apply Concept Teaching in kindergarten and primary school.The evaluation of the course was very positive. As a result another course of CT in combination with reading/writing and mathematics will be held in Harstad from 2009-2010.
Concept Teaching in some European projects
• THE INSIDE PROJECT
• THE INCLUES PROJECT
• THE DAFFODIL PROJECT
