Cubing Technique, Research Paper Example

Cubing is a teaching strategy or technique employed by many professionals because it encourages critical thinking and in-depth analysis of a given topic. This strategy is used by teachers to write for purposes of brainstorming. Furthermore, it promotes deeper understanding of the main topic or story in content areas. Cubing uses a six-sided cube, which is a visual aid and gives students writing prompts. As such, a three-dimensional interpretation is addressed with varying topics and is done individually or in groups. Cubing has been able to help students think at different taxonomy levels (Gregory & Chapman, 2013). Additionally, this technique motivates students and has helped students to participate in school activities. Furthermore, cubing allows students look at an issue or topic from a variety of angles. As such, they develop multidimensional perspectives and a chance is offered in order to differentiate learning by multiple intelligence, student interest, and or readiness.

In the classroom, an inclusionary climate must be fostered. This is essential because students need to bond with one another plus the teacher since this forms a positive learning community. As such, students have been relieved from the stress impact through building supportive environments. Cubes have been able to add novelty element and fun in learning because it provides the lesson with uniqueness. For kinesthetic or tactile learners, cubing strategy reinforces understanding and demonstrates/extends learning. The multiple intelligences developed through cubing include spatial-visual intelligence, interpersonal intelligence, existential intelligence, and verbal-linguistic intelligence. These multiple intelligences are addressed in cubing and potentiality of students helps instructors to personalize their methods and assessment instructions. Teaching strategies like cubing are integrated in the learning process because they have useful and meaningful ways that better address students’ needs. For teachers, having customized values and goals is appropriate for teaching and meeting the needs of students.

Cubing is differentiated since not all students receive cubes of the same color or description. Therefore, tasks and cubes are differentiated according to the interest, readiness, or learning profile of the student. For one cubing activity, the group of students might have gifted learners for topics which are challenging and with higher-level activities. Moreover, another cubing activity might have a group of students with different levels of readiness in accordance with their interests (Adams & Pierce, 2006). Also another group might have learners in the same category of learning profile. On each face of the cube, a different activity is placed then students are needed to “roll” their cube in order to complete the activity displayed on the cube. This process is repeated more than one time to enable learners’ complete more than one activity.

When it comes to assessing the readiness level of students in cubing, teachers use cubes with different colors. Therefore, different color cubes have different activities and students need to be ready all the time in order to answer the questions. As a result, readiness-based groups prefer using the pre-assessments that help determine the readiness levels of students. In the classroom, appropriate cubes are given to students on an individual and group level. In these small and pair groups, each of the student is given the opportunity and turn to roll the cube. Thereafter, the activity that comes up the student is required to perform it. However, if the student(s) do not like the activity, they are given the chance to roll the cube again. Each of the students is required to roll the cube 2-4 times, but this is dependent on the assignments magnitude.

The cubes above are used to help a child understand the characters in a book. In addition, it helps the child in pronunciation aspects. This is a strategy mostly applied to children who are below age 4 years to enable them conceptualize the characters of the story book they are reading.

References

Adams, C. M. & Pierce, R. L. (2006). Differentiating instruction: A practical guide to tiered lessons in the elementary grades. Waco, TX: Prufrock Press, Inc.

Gregory, G. & Chapman, C. (2013). Differentiated instructional strategies: One size doesn’t fit all (3rd ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications, Ltd./Corwin Press.

Hearn, B. J. (2008). Pre-reading Strategies for English Language Learners. TNTESOL Journal, 48.