High school students are qualitatively different from younger students. Teachers and parents can significantly improve the learning of students at this age by understanding the cognitive and social characteristics of high school students. Using the right instructional strategies to maximize learning advantages and address learning challenges for high school students can make all the difference in their success.

Middle School Cognitive Development

By ages 12, 13, and 14, most students have begun to develop the ability to understand symbolic ideas and abstract concepts. According to Piaget’s classifications, the development of students will vary from the stage of concrete operational development to the stage of formal operational development. In fact, studies show that brain growth slows during these years, so students’ cognitive abilities may expand at a slower rate; however, the refinement of these skills can certainly be reinforced. Generally speaking, most students share the following characteristics:

1. Curious and willing to learn things that you find useful
2. Enjoy solving “real life” problems
3. Focused on themselves and how they are perceived by their peers.
4. Resists adult authority and asserts independence.
5. Start thinking critically

Middle School Social Development

Most high school students experience conflicting values ​​due to their changing roles within their family structure and the increasing influence of their peers. Generally speaking, most students share the following characteristics:

1. They need to feel part of a peer group, made up of boys and girls, and are influenced by peer pressure and conformity to their group.
2. They prefer active learning activities over passive ones that involve working with their peers
3. Needs physical activity and frequent movement
4. Needs support, guidance, and calm direction from an adult

Middle School Instructional Strategies

High school students are very concerned about the labeling that occurs when one identifies as a remedial reader. Labels and stereotypes are imposed both externally (by other students and sometimes their parents) and internally (by students themselves). Lack of reading ability causes more self-destructive damage to students’ self-esteem as students get older and the academic gap between them and good readers widens. Secondary teachers must be extremely aware of students’ self-perceptions and those of their peers. Some talking points may be helpful:

“All students need help in some areas.”
“This class is not for dumb students; it’s for students who just lost some reading skills.”
“Unfortunately, some of your previous reading instruction was poor; it’s not your fault you have some skills to work on.” aka “blame someone else”
“You will learn in this class. If you come to class willing to try every day, you will improve your reading significantly, I promise you.”
“You will be able to chart your own progress and see what you are learning in this class.”
“You’re not in this class forever. As soon as you master the skills you lack, you’re out.”