Concept Attainment Strategy: A Comprehensive Guide with Examples

Concept Attainment is an instructional strategy that promotes deep understanding through inductive reasoning. Instead of directly presenting information, this method encourages learners to discover concepts by analyzing examples and non-examples. This approach, rooted in the work of psychologist Jerome Bruner, fosters active engagement, critical thinking, and collaborative learning.

Introduction to Concept Attainment

Concept Attainment is a "backward conceptualizing" approach to understanding new ideas. It reverses the typical process of introducing an idea by narrowly defining it. Instead, new ideas are introduced-and defined by students-inductively through the "act(s) of categorization". This strategy aligns with how people naturally learn by organizing information into categories based on common attributes.

The Theoretical Basis

Jerome Bruner, a psychologist with an interest in cognitive processing, developed Concept Attainment in 1956. Bruner’s work, detailed in “A Study of Thinking,” explored how people think and how these tendencies could inform teaching and learning processes. The strategy leverages the way human beings instinctively learn. As we experience the world, we naturally organize things into categories based on common attributes.

Concept Attainment also aligns with research on effective classroom practices. In their 2001 book, "Classroom Instruction That Works," Marzano, Pickering, and Pollock identified nine classroom practices that produced the most significant gains in student learning. Concept Attainment incorporates two of these: identifying similarities and differences, and generating and testing hypotheses.

How Concept Attainment Works

The Concept Attainment strategy can be thought of as a game of 'find the rule.' The teacher selects a concept to be learned and prepares examples and non-examples that illustrate the attributes of the concept. The process involves several key steps:

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Selection of a Concept: The teacher first chooses a concept to be developed.
Creating Examples and Non-Examples: The instructor determines several examples and non-examples of the concept. Prepare at least 10 examples and 10 non-examples, increasing the level of complexity.
Presentation of Examples: The teacher presents the examples and non-examples to students. These examples are put onto sheets of paper or flashcards. A chart could be set up at the front of the room with two columns - one marked YES and the other marked NO. Designate one area of the chalkboard for the positive examples and one area for negative examples.
Student Analysis and Hypothesis Formation: As they study the examples, students work to develop a definition, or a list of characteristics common to all the Yes examples. Students are encouraged to develop the reasoning which supports why an example is a “Yes” or a “No.”
Testing and Refining Hypotheses: Once students have a hypothesis, they test it against new examples and non-examples. Show students a non-example that challenges their definition. Provide students with more examples and non-examples based on the refined criteria. Have them refine their definition based on the new evidence.
Sharing and Discussion: The groups then share their definitions and the teacher provides clarification and correction if necessary. Ask a group to share their definition. Ask the class to respond. Are there questions they have about the definition? Are there opportunities to tighten it up? Are there “holes”? (i.e. Did they miss a critical attribute?) Is anything worded in such a way that it could be misinterpreted? As a class, come to consensus on a final definition.
Application: Once the definition is developed, students apply this definition to new examples.

Examples of Concept Attainment in Different Subjects

Concept Attainment could be used in just about any subject area and at any grade level.

Art Education: Impressionism

Suppose you’re an art teacher. This week, you want to introduce your students to Impressionism, the style of painting used by artists like Monet and Renoir. Using Concept Attainment, you could reverse that order. Instead of providing any terminology or any kind of definition, you could simply tell students that you’re going to study a new style. To learn the style, you’ll show them paintings that use that style, and paintings that don’t - Yes and No examples. As they study the examples, students work to develop a definition, or a list of characteristics common to all the Yes examples. Once they’ve done this, you give them more Yes examples to test and refine their list.

Mathematics: Math Facts That Equal 10

First the teacher chooses a concept to developed. (i.e. Math facts that equal 10)Begin by making list of both positive “yes” and negative ” no” examples: The examples are put onto sheets of paper or flashcards.

Positive Examples: (Positive examples contain attributes of the concept to be taught) i.e. 5+5, 11-1, 10X1, 3+4+4, 12-2, 15-5, (4X2)+2, 9+1
Negative Examples: (for examples choose facts that do not have 10 as the answer) i.e. 6+6, 3+3, 12-4, 3X3, 4X4, 16-5, 6X2, 3+4+6, 2+(2X3), 16-10

Designate one area of the chalkboard for the positive examples and one area for negative examples. A chart could be set up at the front of the room with two columns - one marked YES and the other marked NO.

Present the first card by saying, “This is a YES.” Place it under the appropriate column. i.e. 5+5 is a YES

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Present the next card and say, “This is a NO.” Place it under the NO column. i.e. 6+6 is a NO

Repeat this process until there are three examples under each column.

Ask the class to look at the three examples under the YES column and discuss how they are alike. (i.e. 5+5, 11-1, 2X5) Ask “What do they have in common?”

For the next tree examples under each column, ask the students to decide if the examples go under YES or NO.

At this point, there are 6 examples under each column. Several students will have identified the concept but it is important that they not tell it out loud to the class. They can however show that they have caught on by giving an example of their own for each column about how to teach. At this point, the examples are student-generated.

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Ask the class if anyone else has the concept in mind. Students who have not yet defined the concept are still busy trying to see the similarities of the YES examples.

Place at least three more examples under each column that are student-generated.

Discuss the process with the class. Once most students have caught on, they can define the concept. Once they have pointed out that everything under the YES column has an answer of 10, then print a new heading at the top of the column (10 Facts).

Geometry: Identifying Triangles

Prepare at least 10 examples of triangles and 10 non-examples of triangles. Make sure to increase the level of complexity.

Explain to students that you are going to play a guessing game. We have a “yes” and “no” section. You are going to take an example and place it in either the yes or no section. The students’ job is to see if they can figure out what the concept is…what the big idea is.

If you put it in the “yes” section, that means it is an example of the concept. Keep coming back to the “yes” section. If you put it in the “no” section, that means the item is not an example of the concept. Look for connections in the “yes” section. The “no” section contains all of the non-examples. Anything put in the “no” section is missing something important.

You will not be discussing the examples and non-examples. After you have placed several in the “yes” and “no” sections, you will give students time to talk. Students should not call out any guesses while you are showing the examples.

Example, show students an image of an equilateral triangle. Place it in the “Yes” section. Say, “This is a strong yes example. Let’s put this in the yes.”
Show an isosceles triangle. Place it in the yes, telling students it is a strong yes.
Example, show students a four sided image. Place it in the “No” section. Say, “This is a strong no example.
Hold up an example and ask students to think about where it belongs. Give them some time to process individually.
Place the example in the “yes” section. Give students time with a partner to discuss their thinking around the examples and non-examples.
After they have had some time, provide them with either an example or non-example to discuss placement.
Once students have had time to decide, place the example/non-example correctly.
Ask students to create a beginning definition or description.
Show students a non-example that challenges their definition. For example, show them a three sided shape where one of the sides is a curve rather than a straight line. Give them time to decide where it belongs. Place it in the non-examples.

Grammar and Writing Instruction

Concept Attainment is a great way to teach multiple elements of writing including sentence structure, grammar, development, and organization. This first example, which includes all examples of student writing (that’s one of the keys to success of this strategy) is focused on teaching when to use “is” and when to use “are.” The paper is put on the overhead, with all sentences except for the first one under “yes” covered. The teacher then uncovers the first “no” example, asks students to think for a minute, talk to a partner, and see if students can figure out why one is under “Yes” and the other under “No.” We can continue this process until students have come to a conclusion. Lastly, I shared even more sophisticated examples of using Concept Attainment to teach the “PQC” - Point, Quote, Comment and “ABC”- Answer the Question, Back it up, make a Connection.

In Sentence Study, the examples are mentor sentences from the novels we have read in class or others that are popular at the time. Each sentence targets the same grammatical concept (such as placement of commas in direct address). We then write an explanation of the rule being studied, and they go back and write or find their own examples. I also do these where each sentence has the exact same error such as in subject-verb agreement.

Teaching English Language Learners (ELLs)

Another form of inductive learning we use with ELLs to improve their writing is the use of examples and non-examples, known as Concept Attainment. This strategy, originally developed by Jerome Bruner and his colleagues, involves the teacher identifying both “good” or “Yes” and “bad” or “No” examples of the intended learning objective. As the teacher shares the “Yes” and “No” examples with students, they are encouraged to develop the reasoning which supports why an example is a “Yes” or a “No.”

Benefits of Using Concept Attainment

Active Learning: Concept Attainment actively involves students in their own learning. Instead of just delivering the information to them, you’re helping them discover it on their own. The majority of the instruction in the classroom is informed by knowledge of and fondness for constructivist learning strategies.
Engagement: It’s captivating - a mystery to solve! - which is far more likely to engage students than straightforward delivery of information. Most importantly for middle school-this is FUN. It’s like a puzzle or a mystery to solve.
Deeper Understanding: The reason this strategy results in deep understanding is because it works with the way human beings instinctively learn.
Collaborative Learning: This strategy encourages collaboration. Group students with another student to share, discuss and refine their definition. They must come to consensus. Once they do, that group merges with another group, repeating the process.
Inclusivity: I have never seen this strategy be one in which a certain student is always correct or incorrect. All are successful at some point. If you have not tried a lesson like this, I highly encourage you to give it a go.

Tips for Implementing Concept Attainment

Refrain from Being "Helpful": The hardest part of this process will be the lack of speaking on your part. Your role will be to show an example and state whether it belongs in the “yes” or “no” section. It is imperative that you refrain from being “helpful”. Don’t give hints. Don’t offer suggestions. Let the students be wrong. Let them work through the process.
Student-Generated Examples: Students who catch onto the idea before others are able to resolve the concept and then are invited to suggest their own examples, while other students are still trying to form the concept. At this point, the examples are student-generated.
Lack of Speaking: The hardest part of this process will be the lack of speaking on your part. Your role will be to show an example and state whether it belongs in the “yes” or “no” section.
Group Work: I prefer that my students use this strategy in groups, so I often give all groups the same examples and let them work in small teams. The groups (or whole class) then discuss the examples given and attempt to write a definition of the concept. I don’t give hints or provide affirmation during this work time.

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