Effective Teaching Practices

Consolidation (After Teaching)

To achieve, students need to be fully engaged…

Students are engaged when they understand what they have to do and how to do it.

Explicit Instruction: These practices are only as useful as the explicit instruction that accompanies them.

Every time you use of these practices, please take the time to thoroughly introduce the strategy and explain it. Students will be more engaged if they know WHY they are doing what they are doing and more metacognitive about their own thinking if they understand the type of thinking they are channeling through various strategies.

Students need to know:a) The name of the strategy they are usingb) Why they are using this strategy (ie. the type of thinking it promotes, how it helps them learn)c) How to use the strategy, step by step

Instructional Practice How to Use When to Use Why to Use

Final Word Protocol

Final Word Protocol is a structured conversation that students can have in groups of 4 or 5. After reading a selection, each student picks out an important quote (something that stood out or resonated with the reader). The first person shares their quote with the rest of the group. Then each person responds to the quote chosen by the first person. After everyone has commented, the first speaker gets the final word. The cycle is

After reading a text selection, trying to solve a math equation, etc.

-Encourages students to verbalize their thoughts and ideas.

-Provides students with an opportunity to discuss and reflect on the reading.

-Allows students to personalize the reading material and make

repeated for everyone in the group. It is very important that students do not interrupt other speakers. You may need to implement a time limit.

connections.

Non Linguistic Representation

Non-Linguistic Representation is a strategy where students are asked to represent, in visuals, images, and symbols, some of the key concepts they have just learned.

This task is purposeful because students work in groups to determine the key ways to represent their understanding visually. The group work requires discussion around the learning concepts.

Typically students are grouped in small groups and they use large paper/chart paper and markers to prepare their representation. Afterwards, student groups may rotate in a “gallery walk” around the classroom to see how other groups represented the same concepts differently.

At the end of learning a key concept in a unit or course.

-Taps into some of the highest levels of thinking: analyzing and creating.

-Converting learning material to different forms reinforces students’ understanding.

-Working in groups to discuss what they have learned reinforces their understanding and helps students articulate what they have learned.

-Typically students will use metaphors and analogies to create their representations which gives them practice converting concrete and abstract ideas.

Cornell Notes and Summarizing

Summarizing and note-taking are two of themost important skills a student can develop. The ability to take and organize notes is asignificant predictor of student success (Ivey &Fisher, 2006). 

Summarizing and note-taking require students to make a determination as to what is most important and restate the information in their own words thus, developing critical thinking skills.

At the end of a reading selection.

Could also be done during a reading selection, video, etc.

-Students are able to identify main ideas and supporting details.

-Develops critical thinking skills.

Foldables Foldables are 3-dimensional graphic organizers. Students are cutting, folding and gluing colourful paper to create the organizer.  

The possibilities for higher level thinking and engagement are endless.  Students are asked to organize information, compare and contrast, discuss cause and effect, make observations, etc.

There are several uses for foldables:  note-taking, vocabulary development, journal writing, projects, etc. 

This can be done during and after.

-Student engagement increases.

-Develops critical thinking skills.

-Helps students organize key information.

-Appeals to kinesthetic and visual learners.

Pedagogy Panel Students are grouped into teams of four(random grouping or teacher choice) and theyare selected to sit at the front of theclassroom.

A question is given with four assigned parts.

After strategy that works well as a review. Students are chosen to answer review questions. May

-Builds comprehension and understanding of material.

-Teambuilding

-Improves oral communication.

Students have a few minutes to plan an answer and then they present.

New names are then chosen and the process repeats.

also be used to identify key concepts rather than answer questions.

-Research shows that students understand better when taught by their peers.

Ticket Out the Door

Teachers can create an “actual” ticket or students can write on a piece of paper. (Post-its work well).

Students do not leave the classroom until the ticket out the door is completed. Teachers can ask students to write 2-3 things they learned in class that day. Students may also include a concept they are still having difficulty with. Sometimes students will be asked 2-3 specific questions based on that day’s lesson.

Just before the class ends to check for understanding of material.

Can also be used to pose questions, answer review questions, etc.

-Allows students to reflect on their learning.

-Gives the teacher a clear indication of how well the students understood the lesson.

-It can guide future learning.

-Makes students accountable to reflect on their learning.

Plus / Delta Plus / Delta is used mostly as an assessmenttool for teachers to get feedback from studentsabout how well they are learning the materialthey are being taught and how effectively theteaching of that material is being delivered.

Students give a “plus” for things they liked,strategies that helped them understand,activities that were interesting, ideas that theyenjoyed etc.

At the end of an activity or lesson.

It only takes about five minutes to implement.

- Offers teachers a “quick check” to see if students are understanding what they are supposed to be learning.

- Helps teachers plan activities and lessons that are relevant and meaningful using feedback from the learner.

Students give a “delta” (which means change oradd) for things they didn’t like, didn’tunderstand, or wish to be taught differently, etc.

Teachers need to tell students that “deltas”must be things that can actually be changed,otherwise the feedback is meaningless.

- Supports planning for differentiated instruction and planning with student needs in mind.

-Allows students to have a critical voice so that they can advocate for their own learning needs.