"Over the last 20 years, research has demonstrated the
relationship between effective instructional practices of
teachers and appropriate on-task classroom behavior of
students (Carnine, 1976; Anderson, Evertson, & Brophy,
1979; Weeks & Gaylord-Ross, 1981; Brophy & Good,
1985; Gettinger, 1988; McKee & Witt, 1990; Christenson
& Ysseldyke, 1989). These investigations found that
teachers can prevent problem behaviors from occurring by
teaching in ways that promote high levels of academic
engagement and by assigning tasks that promote high rates of
accurate responses (Christenson & Ysseldyke, 1989;
Wehby, Symons, Canale, & Go, 1998). In other words, when
teachers implement specific instructional practices
effectively and match their tasks to the student's
individual needs, classroom instruction becomes a signal to
the student, or an antecedent, that something positive is
occurring. Under these instructional conditions, students
are more likely to remain engaged with the process of
learning, to complete academic tasks, and are less likely to
engage in off-task and problem behaviors (Martens &
Kelly, 1993)." p. 174
How Teachers Teach
Effective instructional presentations
Overview--Does the overview inform students of
-
1. What they will be learning?
2. How content is organized?
3. How they will be moving through content?
4. How they will be practicing with the information
and skills?
Sequenced format--Does the format -
1. Break down the objectives into smaller
components?
2. Present information in brief periods of
instruction?
3. Present components from concrete to increasingly
abstract?
4. Explicitly point out how the information relates to
previous information?
5. Use multiple types of examples?
6. Ensure redundancy through repetition of
examples?
Momentum--Is momentum maintained by -
1. Providing advanced organizers?
2. Referencing advanced organizers as presentation
proceeds?
3. Managing off-task behavior in non-verbal and
non-disruptive ways (e.g., eye contact, circulating
through the room, touching on the shoulder, verbal
praise)?
Teaching how to learn--Does the teacher teach the
student how to learn by -
1. Stating aloud the sequence of how to problem solve
(e.g., first, second, last) while going through
examples?
2. Modeling how to begin, proceed, and know when the
task is done?
3. Prompting the student who is confused or
unproductive to recite the steps needed to problem solve
or begin and finish a task?
Interspersed supervised practice--Are practice
opportunities characterized by -
1. Being interspersed with brief periods of
instruction?
2. The teacher circulating to check progress within
the first few minutes of assigning the task?
3. The teacher providing direct feedback to the
student individually?
4. The student achieving high rates of accurate
responses on practice activities?
What Teachers Teach
Monitoring skills and progress --Are monitoring
procedures characterized by -
1. The teacher interacting with the student daily to
quickly check understanding and progress?
2. The teacher's ability to detail what the student's
instructional levels are in reading and math? How the
information presented and assignments need to be designed
to meet the student's individual needs?
Matching to instructional level--Do assignments
match the student's instructional level?
1. Can the student successfully complete practice
activities and independent seatwork?
2. Can the student complete homework independently or
with minimal assistance?
3. Is reading material adapted to the student's
instructional reading level when working
independently?
Choice of tasks--Does the student have choices for
-
1. Completing one of two similar assignments?
2. Demonstrating mastery through various outputs
(e.g., writing, speaking, role-playing, project)?
3. Where in the room to work?
4. Working in pairs, a group, or sitting with peers,
working independently?
5. Completing assignments on the computer, dictating
to a peer, or recording responses?
