While inexperienced teachers often rely on rigid lesson plans, seasoned educators _____ their instruction based on student responses. They might...
GMAT Craft and Structure : (Structure) Questions
While inexperienced teachers often rely on rigid lesson plans, seasoned educators _____ their instruction based on student responses. They might slow down for confused learners, accelerate for quick graspers, or completely shift approaches when methods aren't working.
Which choice completes the text with the most logical and precise word or phrase?
restrict
adjust
memorize
schedule
Step 1: Decode and Map the Passage
Part A: Create Passage Analysis Table
| Text from Passage | Analysis |
|---|---|
| "While inexperienced teachers often rely on rigid lesson plans," |
|
| "seasoned educators ______ their instruction based on student responses." |
|
| "They might slow down for confused learners, accelerate for quick graspers, or completely shift approaches when methods aren't working." |
|
Part B: Provide Passage Architecture & Core Elements
Main Point: Experienced teachers modify their instruction based on how students respond, unlike inexperienced teachers who stick to rigid plans.
Argument Flow: The passage sets up a contrast between two teaching approaches—rigid versus responsive—then provides concrete examples of what the responsive approach looks like in practice.
Step 2: Interpret the Question Precisely
This is a fill-in-the-blank question asking us to choose the best logical connector. The answer must create the right relationship between what comes before and after the blank.
Step 3: Prethink the Answer
- The missing word needs to capture what seasoned educators do with their instruction when they receive student feedback
- The examples show that seasoned educators change their approach—they slow down, speed up, or completely shift methods based on what students need
- The word should convey flexibility and responsiveness to student needs
- So the right answer should mean "modify" or "change" their instruction to fit student responses
restrict
✗ Incorrect
- "Restrict" means to limit or constrain something
- This contradicts the examples, which show teachers expanding options
adjust
✓ Correct
- "Adjust" means to modify or adapt something to fit new circumstances
- Perfectly matches our prethinking—seasoned educators modify their instruction based on student feedback
- The examples directly support this: slowing down, accelerating, and shifting approaches are all forms of adjustment
memorize
✗ Incorrect
- "Memorize" means to commit something to memory
- This doesn't make logical sense—you can't memorize instruction "based on student responses"
schedule
✗ Incorrect
- "Schedule" means to arrange timing for something
- While teachers do schedule lessons, this doesn't connect to the idea of responding to student feedback