Module 8: Research-Based Instructional Strategies

GUIDING QUESTIONS FOR MODULE 8

1. What are research-based teaching strategies?

2. How do effective teachers think about teaching strategies?
3. How do effective teachers maximize the use of research-based teaching strategies?

INTRODUCTION

The act of teaching is a performing art. Like musicians or actors, teachers are always focused on
their audience. We aim to engage, inspire, and inform. Like other performers, we know some of
our techniques are more effective than others, and we consistently seek to hone our craft. A
master violinist practices scales every day to improve her performance. In a similar way, a
master teacher attempts to think of more interesting questions, meaningful examples, and useful
feedback. The act of teaching is both art and science, imagination and skill.
 THE UNIVERSE OF EFFECTIVE TEACHING STRATEGIES

Scores of variations and combinations of teaching strategies exist from which teachers may
choose. The best teachers are aware of the universe of teaching strategies and carefully select the
right combination while teaching a particular subject to a particular group of students. Again,
there is no “magic bullet” or perfect strategy, and all require a skillful, competent, artistic teacher
to breath life into them. The first step, however, is understanding something about the universe
that is available to you–the article below does just that.

Read: Beck, Charles R. “A Taxonomy for Identifying, Classifying and Interrelating Teaching
Strategies.” The Journal of General Education JGE. 47, no. 1 (1998): 37-62.

Research-based Teaching Strategies

Researchers have studied teaching strategies for decades and we now have
evidence of those strategies that seem to have greatest influence on academic
achievement. Robert Marzano (2017) conducted a meta-analyses of education
research on teaching strategies to see which strategies seemed most related to
student academic achievement—at all levels and across all subjects. Interesting
ideas.
Here are Marzano’s top nine teaching strategies in order of effect size (i.e., actual
effect on student achievement):

1. Comparing, contrasting, classifying, analogies, and metaphors. (Effect

size=1.61 or 45 percentile points)
2. Summarizing and note-taking. (Effect size=1.0 or 34 percentile points)
3. Reinforcing effort and giving praise. (Effect size=0.8 or 29 percentile
points
4. Homework and practice. (Effect size=0.77 or 28 percentile points)
5. Nonlinguistic representation. (Effect size=0.75 or 27 percentile points)
6. Cooperative learning. (Effect size=0.74 or 27 percentile points)
7. Setting objectives and providing feedback. (Effect size=0.61 or 23
percentile points)
8. Generating and testing hypotheses. (Effect size=0.61 or 23 percentile
points)
9. Cues, questions, and advanced organizers. (Effect size=0.59 or 22
percentile points)

32 Research-Based Instructional Strategies For Teachers

1. Setting Objectives

2. Reinforcing Effort/Providing Recognition

3. Cooperative Learning

4. Cues, Questions & Advance Organizers

5. Nonlinguistic Representations (see Teaching With Analogies)

6. Summarizing & Note Taking

7. Identifying Similarities and Differences

8. Generating & Testing Hypotheses

9. Instructional Planning Using the Nine Categories of Strategies

10. Rewards based on a specific performance standard (Wiersma 1992)

11. Homework for later grades (Ross 1998) with minimal parental involvement (Balli 1998) with a
clear purpose (Foyle 1985)

12. Direct Instruction

13. Scaffolding Instruction

14. Provide opportunities for student practice

15. Individualized Instruction

16. Inquiry-Based Teaching (see 20 Questions To Guide Inquiry-Based Learning)

See also The 40 Best Classroom Management Apps & Tools

17. Concept Mapping

18. Reciprocal Teaching

19. Promoting student metacognition (see 5o Questions That Promote Metacognition In Students)

20. Developing high expectations for each student

21. Providing clear and effective learning feedback (see 13 Concrete Examples Of Effective
Learning Feedback)

22. Teacher clarity (learning goals, expectations, content delivery, assessment results, etc.)

23. Setting goals or objectives (Lipset & Wilson 1993)

24. Consistent, ‘low-threat’ assessment (Bangert-Drowns, Kulik, & Kulik 1991; Fuchs & Fuchs
1986)

25. Higher-level questioning (Redfield & Rousseau 1981) (see Questions Stems For Higher Level
Discussion)

26. Learning feedback that is detailed and specific (Hattie & Temperly 2007)
27. The Directed Reading-Thinking Activity (Stauffer 1969)

28. Question-Answer Relationship (QAR) (Raphael 1982)

29. KWL Chart (Ogle 1986)

30. Comparison Matrix (Marzano 2001)

31. Anticipation Guides (Buehl 2001)

32. Response Notebooks (Readence, Moore, Rickelman, 2002)