This webpage was prepared for you by Marley Perkins Education
www.marleyperkins.co.nz

WASP!

No, we're not talking about the insect, but a mnemonic for a teaching technique. It stands for:

  • WAIT
  • ASK
  • SHOW
  • PRACTISE

If you're a teacher or a parent who is trying to help someone learn, this is a great little technique for helping the learner pick up a specific process. Let's say the student is learning how to measure the length of a pencil. You notice that she has lined up the end of the ruler with the end of the pencil. But there is a gap between the end of the ruler and the zero mark, so the measuring will not be accurate.

Here's how you use the WASP technique to guide her in her learning.

  1. WAIT and see if she self-corrects. If she does, that's good because she is consolidating her understanding independently, helping to make the knowledge her own. She can also wholly own her success when you give her some positive feedback. If she has self-corrected, you don't have to go any further with WASP. But if she doesn't...
  2. ASK a guiding question. You could say, "Do you remember what you must always check when you measure with a ruler?" Or you could ask if she remembers the last time she tried to measure something and what went wrong, helping her learn from her past errors.  If she doesn't recall any helpful information, be more specific: "It has to do with the end of the rule." Or, even more specific: "Remember the zero mark?" You could also ask a cloze-style question, "Always line up the...." and let her finish the sentence.  If ASK doesn't work...
  3. SHOW her what to do. Model the process, explaining what you are doing as you go. Show her more than once if necessary, especially if she asks to see it again. Then it's time for her to...
  4. PRACTISE. As she tries the process out, you can ask more questions or offer guidance if necessary, but try to let her complete the task on her own if possible. You can even SHOW her again but sooner or later she will have to do it on her own to learn the process successfully.

Caution: too much guidance from a parent or teacher can have the opposite of the intended effect. It can lead to a feeling of helplessness in the learner, or could make them shut down and simply endure the process. In the long term, these reactions can become habits at home and in the classroom as the learner feels incapable of learning on their own. So, in short, use the SHOW step sparingly and with discretion.

Once the learner has successfully measured the pencil, she can try measuring other objects with you until she feels independent enough to do it alone. You might need to give her a nudge here - kids like having their parents' attention, so sometimes need encouragement to do things independently.

The above example involves a simple, early mathematical concept but this technique is useful for guiding students of all ages in all kinds of activities. It's a great guide for parents who feel a bit inadequate when it comes to helping their children learn.

If you live in Christchurch, NZ, and you would like to learn more about learning, visit www.marleyperkins.co.nz

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