Exerts from:
Classroom Instruction That Works: Research-Based Strategies for Increasing Student Achievement
By Marzano, Pickering, and Pollock

The following items have been proven by research to increase student learning and achievement. The items are ranked according from the most affective strategies to those which show less improvement. Even the items on the bottom of the list are worth considering since they do help achievement.

1. Identifying Similarities and Differences: This category includes compare/contrast, creating analogies, classifying, and creating metaphors. Venn diagrams and graphic organizers are useful tools.

2. Note taking and summarizing: For more information on note-taking, click here.

3. Reinforcing Effort and Providing Recognition: Rewarding, when done incorrectly, may have a negative impact on learning. Reward is most effective when it is contingent on the attainment of some standard of performance. Tell the student exactly what they did a “good job” on. Rewarding with tangible objects, like candy, can cause negative result, unless the desired objective has been met and the student knows what they were working toward. One good method of rewarding and recognition is Pause, Prompt, and Praise. Ask the question, pause to let the student think, prompt them if the answer is incorrect and then offer praise when they reach the desired answer.

4. Homework and Practice: Please be sure that the homework is appropriate practice that the student already understands to a certain degree. Asking a student to practice a skill they have not at least partially mastered only creates frustration. The student may then just give up.

5. Nonlinguistic Representations: Research shows that pictures and drawings help students understand and remember concepts. Examples are graphic organizers, time sequences, mental pictures, and drawings.

6. Cooperative Learning: Groups should be small, no more than four.

7. Setting Objectives and Providing Feedback: Create specific but flexible contracts. Feedback should be timely with explanations for why an item was incorrect.

8. Generating and Testing Hypothesis: Examples are problem solving, investigations, inventions, and experiments.

9. Cues, Questions and Advance Organizers: Higher level questioning produces deeper levels of learning. Wait for responses to give students time to think, Other examples are skimming, graphic organizers, tell stories to introduce topics.

Click here to visit www.parentingwithwisdom.com
Click here to visit www.healingwithwisdom.com These sites are linked for easy navigation.