Gradual Release of Responsibility (GRR)
The Gradual Release of Responsibility (GRR) is a teaching methodology focused on the shift of the learning responsibility from the teacher to the student. It prescribes a slow and steady progress from teacher-directed instruction to self-directed student work, thereby cultivating the ability to think critically and promoting learner autonomy in the process of learning.
The GRR model is a framework that includes four different phases: I Do It, We Do It, You Do It Together, and You Do It Alone. During the 'I Do It' phase, the teacher displays a concept or skill, modeling what is expected to be achieved. The phase 'We Do It' is when the teacher and the student work together in tandem as part of the collaborative practice. The 'You Do It Together' phase is a time when students work as pairs or in small groups to practice, and last but not least, the 'You Do It Alone' phase is when the students demonstrate their understanding on their own.
For instance, a teacher who is teaching a reading comprehension strategy can make it a point to first display the strategy ('I Do It'), then motivate students to practice it together ('We Do It'), followed by practicing it in a group ('You Do It Together'), and finally let the students use the strategy on their own during a reading assignment ('You Do It Alone'). Through frequent provision of assessment and feedback pertaining to this activity, the teacher gets to be aware of the progression of the student in the activity.
The GRR strategy, ansching responsibility for their learning, students develop a deeper comprehension and memory of the material. From the beginning, this system plants the seed of autonomy and self-control in learners, eventually growing into self-assured individuals who master the ability to apply their skills to different situations. Furthermore, it also gives room for different teaching methods, since instructors can adjust their assistance to the needs of different students in every stage.
Indeed, the GRR framework demonstrates a wide applicability across different subjects like math, science, and social studies. An example of this is a math class in which a teacher can first show how to solve a problem step-by-step ('I Do It'), then guide the students to work together on similar problems ('We Do It'), give them the chance to solve new problems in pairs ('You Do It Together') and finally check their understanding through a set of independent problem-solving tasks ('You Do It Alone'). The versatility of GRR as an instructional strategy is enhanced by this adaptability.