An Overview of Effective Teaching Strategies

Developed by: Jane CookEASTCONN Staff Dev/Literacy & Ed Tech SpecialistAdapted from materials from The Leadership and Learning Center and the CT State Department of

Education

Objectives for Our PD Session

As a result of participating today, teachers will be able to:

Explain the Effective Teaching Strategies (ETS) that are supported by Marzano and his colleagues meta-analysis of research studies

Describe how Effective Teaching Strategies fit into the “Big Picture” of the CT Accountability for Learning Initiative (CALI)

CT Accountability for Learning Initiative (CALI) The Big Picture in Connecticut

Putting the Pieces of the Puzzle Together: What Every Learning Team Must Know and DoKNOW

What must be learned – Power Standards

DOMonitor learning, Provide feedback - Common Formative Assessments

DOMeet individual student needs – Differentiated Instruction

KNOWHow to teach – Effective Teaching Strategies

What Does “Effective” Mean?

“The reflective process is at the very heart of accountability. It is through reflection that we distinguish between the popularity of teaching techniques and their effectiveness. The question is not ‘Did I like it?’ but rather ‘Was it effective?’… and…..’How do you know?’”

(Reeves, D. B., Accountability for Learning, 2004, p. 52)

What are Effective Teaching Strategies? EFFECTIVE STRATEGIES are: Actions of the

teacher that elevate or lift cognition of learners

The simple question is, “Is it working for you and your students as evidenced by learning outcomes?”

This is the heart of Data Driven Decision Making (DDDM) – Analyzing data from student learning outcomes and using that data to inform planning, instruction and assessment so that students are successful

Effective teaching strategies can be used to teach: Concepts – Building blocks of knowledge or

“Big Ideas” found in every content area, e.g., Culture is transmitted across generations is a concept taught in Social Studies.

Skills – Abilities and proficiencies acquired or developed through training or experience, e.g., Two column addition is a skill taught in Math.

Strategies – Methods used to teach or learn skills, e.g., Re-reading is a comprehension strategy taught when students are learning to read.

Applying Effective Teaching Yields a Reflective Practitioner…

“The reflective practitioner consistently approaches the problems of teaching in a thoughtful, curious manner and believes that one of teaching’s main outcomes is a greater understanding of the teaching-learning act.”

John Dewey (1933)

What DOES Work?“Top Ten” Categories of Effective Teaching Strategies

1) Similarities and differences *

2) Summarizing and note taking

3) Reinforcing effort and recognition *

4) Homework and practice

5) Nonlinguistic representation

6) Cooperative learning

7) Objectives and feedback *

8) Generate and test hypotheses

9) Questions, cues, advance organizers

10) Nonfiction writing

* = District-wide focus in Windham for 2008-09

1) Similarities and Differences Helping students identify similarities and

differences activates students' schema (background knowledge).

Having students independently identify similarities and differences helps them connect their schema with new knowledge.

Having students represent similarities and differences in graphic or symbolic form (non-linguistic representation) helps them understand and apply new knowledge.

Identifying similarities and differences can be accomplished in a variety of ways: comparing, classifying, creating metaphors, and creating analogies.

2) Summarizing and Note taking

Requires higher order thinking Ability to analyze information Decisions to keep, delete, substitute

Structure of information linked to structure of notes

Many approaches to taking notes Two-column, Cornell, mixed, outline

3) Reinforcing Effort and Recognition

Teachers need to teach and model the Teachers need to teach and model the connection between effort and connection between effort and achievementachievement

By keeping track of their effort and By keeping track of their effort and achievement, students can see the achievement, students can see the relationship.relationship.

Make recognition as personal to the Make recognition as personal to the individual student as possibleindividual student as possible

School Climate to Support Effort

Teacher responsibilities…. Demonstrate enthusiasm for youth and

learning Build personal, social, and academic

relationships between self and among youth Respect power-authority relationships Ensure students have hope Teach and reinforce effort

Mendler, Motivating Students Who Don’t Care

Turn and Talk

Compare your ETS Bingo card with a partner. Which terms do you have checked off? What do those terms mean?

4) Homework and Practice

Positive Effects Immediate achievement and

learning Long-term academic and non-

academic benefits Allows practice, preparation,

extension, and integration with/links to other content areas

4) Practice

Massed practice—skill, process: frequent repetitions

Distributive practice—concepts: develop understanding over time

Mastering a skill requires a fair amount of focused practice

24 repetitions = 80% competency

5) Nonlinguistic Representations

Visual imagery Kinesthetic or whole-body Visual representations help students

recognize how related topics connect (NCTM, 2000)

Thinking Maps (Concept Maps) help students organize key concepts in a visual way (Hyerle, 1996)

There may be no other instructional strategy that simultaneously achieves such diverse outcomes as cooperative grouping including achievement, time on task, motivation, and transfer of learning (Cohen, 1994a; Johnson, 1970; Johnson & Johnson, 1974, 1978, 1989, 1999a, 2000; Kohn, 1992; Sharan, 1980; Slavin, 1977, 1991)

"Positive interdependence" includes mutual goals, joint rewards, resource interdependence and role interdependence

Membership in a learning group means that students either succeed or fail—together. (Deutsch, 1962)

6) Cooperative Learning and Flexible Grouping

7) Objectives and Feedback

What will I do to establish and communicate learning goals, create a positive learning environment, track student progress, and celebrate success?

7) Research on Objectives

Narrow the focus (Marzano) Not too specific (Marzano) High expectations (TESA) Aligned with standards (CSDE) Know and be able to do (Marzano)

In examining 1500 K-12 classrooms, 24-7 consultants found that clear learning objectives were established in ____________ which is ____% of the total.

7) Objectives and High Expectations

460 classrooms

7) Feedback should be…

“Corrective in nature” Timely Specific to a criterion

________________________________And….. Students can effectively provide some

of their own feedback.

Marzano, Classroom Instruction That Works, p 96

8) Generate and Testing Hypotheses

By generating and testing a hypothesis, students are applying their conceptual understanding (Marzano, Pickering, & Pollock, 2001)

This strategy is not just for Science class; it can be used in all content areas

Teachers use this strategy when they are going through the DDDM process

9) Questions, Cues, and Advance Organizers

Research/Foundation Preview activities Help students to access what they already

know about a topic Activation of prior knowledge is critical to

learning Background knowledge influences what

we perceive and learn

10) Nonfiction Writing“Generous amounts of close, purposeful

reading, rereading, writing, and talking are the essence of authentic literacy.

These simple activities are the foundation for a trained, powerful mind

—and a promising future.”

Source: Mike Schmoker, Results Now (2006), p. 53

Benefits of Nonfiction Writing

Writing is thinking while connecting the dots

Writing is reflection Writing and revision result in complex

thinking, the making of connections, the interpretation of patterns, the production of thought

Meier: “Children are driven into dumbness by our failure to challenge their curiosity.”

Applying the Non-fiction Writing Strategy – Not Just in English/LA

Writing to assess prior knowledge Writing to connect new learning to

current knowledge – relevance Writing to learn – clarify thoughts Writing to expand, enhance Writing to demonstrate, show thinking

Now it’s your turn to participate in a Cooperative Learning activity…

Your Grade Level Team will be the “Expert Team”. You will research one or more effective teaching strategies and complete the What-So What-Now What Frame.

You will then move to your Vertical Team which will be your “Home Team” where you will present your research on your assigned strategy/ies.