Effective Teaching Strategies
That Work with All Students
Session 2
Handout for PD Session at WMS on January 24, 2007
Developed by Jane Cook
EASTCONN Staff Development Specialist
Mill #1, 3rd Floor
322 Main Street
Willimantic, CT 06226
(860) 455-0707
jcook@eastconn.org
Table of Contents
Agenda ........................................................................................................................................... 1
OWL (Observed/Wondered/Learned) Reflection ...................................................................... 2
What?/ So What?/ Now What? Strategy Frame ........................................................................ 3
Sample Nonlinguistic Representations ........................................................................................ 4
Descriptive Patterns/Webs .......................................................................................................... 4
Concept Maps ............................................................................................................................. 4
Character Map ............................................................................................................................. 5
Vocabulary Development Template ........................................................................................... 5
5 Elements of Cooperative Learning ........................................................................................... 6
Some Class Activities & Strategies that Use Cooperative Learning ........................................ 8
WMS Lesson Plan ....................................................................................................................... 11
Windham Public Schools: SIOP Lesson Plan ........................................................................ 122
Effective Teaching Strategies Matrix ........................................................................................ 13
Reflection Sheet on Effective Teaching Strategies ................................................................... 14
Excerpt: 'Teach Like Your Hair's On Fire' ............................................................................. 15
Effective Teaching Strategies
That Work with All Students
Agenda
Time
Agenda topics
1:00 - 1:30 PM
Welcome!
 Overview of the Training
 Warm-up: Individually write a brief reflection of the
lesson that you did as your homework assignment
using the O\W\L Reflection on page 2. Share your
reflections with a partner. Discuss how the strategy
you chose supported your students’ learning.
 Debrief and Burning Questions
Cooperative Learning Activity on 3 Strategies Nonlinguistic Representations, Cooperative Learning &
Setting Objectives and Providing Feedback
 Work in a small group to discuss your assigned
strategy. Choose a repporter for your group.
 Summarize your strategy using a What?/So
What?/Now What? Summary Frame on page 3. Be
prepared to share your summary with the whole group.
Meet and greet. Discuss
what is planned for the
training and participate in
a warm-up activity to
activate your schema.
2:30 - 3:00 PM
Closure and Next Steps
 Share your summary with the whole group (5
minutes per group). Fill in applications of each
strategy in your content area/s in the Effective
Teaching Strategies Matrix on page 13.
 Debrief and share questions, comments, insights
 Homework assignment
 Give feedback on today’s session
Share your summary with
the group. Debrief the
session. Discuss
homework assignment.
Give feedback on the
session.
Objectives:
As a result of participating in this PD session, participants will be able to:
1. Explain three of the “Top Nine” effective teaching strategies.
2. Apply the strategy of Summarizing using a Summary Frame.
Special notes:
Please bring your good will and good humor and share them liberally.
Homework:
1. Develop a lesson using one of the research-based teaching strategies that you
researched today. After the lesson is completed, reflect on the lesson using the
Reflection Sheet on Effective Teaching Strategies on page 3. Bring those
reflections to the next session.
2. Read the excerpt from Rafe Esquith’s book, Teach Like Your Hair’s On Fire, on
pages 15-17 in this handout. Bring comments to the next session.
1:30 - 2:30 PM
Effective Teaching Strategies Handout developed by Jane Cook – Page 1
Outcomes
Work with one or more
colleagues to learn about
an effective teaching
strategy. Apply a
strategy to summarize
what you’ve learned.
OWL (Observed/Wondered/Learned) Reflection
Strategy & Lesson: ___________________________
What I
What I
Observed
Wondered
What I Learned
Effective Teaching Strategies Handout developed by Jane Cook – Page 2
What?/ So What?/ Now What? Strategy Frame
Strategy
What:
(What is the
strategy? What
are its key
components or
characteristics?
What does the
research say
about the
strategy?)
So what:
(Why is this
important? What
does it mean to
me? How does
knowing about
this research
change my
thinking? What
other ideas do I
have or
connections can I
make?)
Now what:
(What are the
implications for
my work with
students? How
am I going to
apply this
strategy in my
teaching and
with my
students?)
Effective Teaching Strategies Handout developed by Jane Cook – Page 3
Sample Nonlinguistic Representations
Descriptive Patterns/Webs
FACT
FACT
TOPIC
FACT
FACT
FACT
Source: http://faculty.salisbury.edu/%7Etrgorrow/F01%20304%20Presentations/7
Concept Maps
Example
CHARACTERISTIC
CONCEPT
CHARACTERISTIC
CHARACTERISTIC
Example
Example
Example
Example
Example
Example
Source: http://faculty.salisbury.edu/%7Etrgorrow/F01%20304%20Presentations/17
Effective Teaching Strategies Handout developed by Jane Cook – Page 4
Character Map
Source: Character Web Template from Inspiration®
Vocabulary Development Template
Source: Vocabulary Word Template from Inspiration®
Effective Teaching Strategies Handout developed by Jane Cook – Page 5
5 Elements of Cooperative Learning
Source: http://edtech.kennesaw.edu/intech/activities
It is only under certain conditions that cooperative efforts may be expected to be more
productive than competitive and individualistic efforts. Those conditions are:
1. Positive Interdependence
(sink or swim together)


Each group member's efforts are
required and indispensable for
group success
Each group member has a unique
contribution to make to the joint
effort because of his or her
resources and/or role and task
responsibilities
2. Face-to-Face Interaction
(promote each other's success)





Orally explaining how to solve
problems
Teaching one's knowledge to
other
Checking for understanding
Discussing concepts being learned
Connecting present with past
learning
3. Individual
&
Group Accountability
( no hitchhiking! no social loafing)




Keeping the size of the group
small. The smaller the size of the
group, the greater the individual
accountability may be.
Giving an individual test to each
student.
Randomly examining students
orally by calling on one student to
present his or her group's work to
the teacher (in the presence of
the group) or to the entire class.
Observing each group and
recording the frequency with
Effective Teaching Strategies Handout developed by Jane Cook – Page 6


which each member-contributes
to the group's work.
Assigning one student in each
group the role of checker. The
checker asks other group
members to explain the reasoning
and rationale underlying group
answers.
Having students teach what they
learned to someone else.
4. Interpersonal &
Small-Group Skills

Social
o
o
o
o
o
skills must be taught:
Leadership
Decision-making
Trust-building
Communication
Conflict-management skills
5. Group Processing



Group members discuss how well
they are achieving their goals and
maintaining effective working
relationships
Describe what member actions are
helpful and not helpful
Make decisions about what
behaviors to continue or change
Effective Teaching Strategies Handout developed by Jane Cook – Page 7
Some Class Activities & Strategies that Use Cooperative Learning
Source: http://edtech.kennesaw.edu/intech/cooperativelearning.htm#activities
1. Jigsaw - Groups with five students are set up. Each group member is
assigned some unique material to learn and then to teach to his group
members. To help in the learning students across the class working on the
same sub-section get together to decide what is important and how to teach it.
After practice in these "expert" groups the original groups re-form and students
teach each other. (Wood, p. 17) Tests or assessment follows. For more
information about the Jigsaw strategy, go to Jigsaw Classroom at
http://www.jigsaw.org
2. Think-Pair-Share - Involves a three step cooperative structure. During the
first step individuals think silently about a question posed by the instructor.
Individuals pair up during the second step and exchange thoughts. In the third
step, the pairs share their responses with other pairs, other teams, or the entire
group.
3. Three-Step Interview - Each member of a team chooses another member
to be a partner. During the first step individuals interview their partners by
asking clarifying questions. During the second step partners reverse the roles.
For the final step, members share their partner's response with the team.
Effective Teaching Strategies Handout developed by Jane Cook – Page 8
4. Round Robin Brainstorming - Class is divided into small groups (4 to 6)
with one person appointed as the recorder. A question is posed with many
answers and students are given time to think about answers. After the "think
time," members of the team share responses with one another round robin
style. The recorder writes down the answers of the group members. The person
next to the recorder starts and each person in the group in order gives an
answer until time is called.
5. Three-minute review - Teachers stop any time during a lecture or
discussion and give teams three minutes to review what has been said, ask
clarifying questions or answer questions.
6. Numbered Heads - A team of four is established. Each member is given
numbers of 1, 2, 3, 4. Questions are asked of the group. Groups work together
to answer the question so that all can verbally answer the question. Teacher
calls out a number (two) and each two is asked to give the answer.
7. Team Pair Solo - Students do problems first as a team, then with a partner,
and finally on their own. It is designed to motivate students to tackle and
succeed at problems which initially are beyond their ability. It is based on a
simple notion of mediated learning. Students can do more things with help
(mediation) than they can do alone. By allowing them to work on problems they
could not do alone, first as a team and then with a partner, they progress to a
point they can do alone that which at first they could do only with help.
Effective Teaching Strategies Handout developed by Jane Cook – Page 9
8. Circle the Sage - First the teacher polls the class to see which students
have a special knowledge to share. For example the teacher may ask who in the
class was able to solve a difficult math homework question, who had visited
Mexico, who knows the chemical reactions involved in how salting the streets
help dissipate snow. Those students (the sages) stand and spread out in the
room. The teacher then has the rest of the classmates each surround a sage,
with no two members of the same team going to the same sage. The sage
explains what they know while the classmates listen, ask questions, and take
notes. All students then return to their teams. Each in turn, explains what they
learned. Because each one has gone to a different sage, they compare notes. If
there is disagreement, they stand up as a team. Finally, the disagreements are
aired and resolved.
9. Partners - The class is divided into teams of four. Partners move to one side
of the room. Half of each team is given an assignment to master to be able to
teach the other half. Partners work to learn and can consult with other partners
working on the same material. Teams go back together with each set of
partners teaching the other set. Partners quiz and tutor teammates. Team
reviews how well they learned and taught and how they might improve the
process.
Credits:
David and Roger Johnson. "Cooperative Learning." [Online] 15 October 2001.
http://www.clcrc.com/pages/cl.html.
David and Roger Johnson. "An Overview of Cooperative Learning." [Online] 15 October
2001. http://www.clcrc.com/pages/overviewpaper.html.
Howard Community College's Teaching Resources. "Ideas on Cooperative Learning and the
use of Small Groups." [Online] 15 October 2001.
http://www.howardcc.edu/profdev/resources/learning/groups1.htm.
Kagan, Spencer. "Kagan Structures for Emotional Intelligence." [Online] 15 October 2001.
"http://www.kagancooplearn.com/Newsletter/1001/index.html
Effective Teaching Strategies Handout developed by Jane Cook – Page 10
WMS Lesson Plan
Teacher: ________________________________________________________________
Date: ________________
Unit/Theme: __________
Grade/Class/Subject: _________________________
Standard/s:
_____________________________________________________
Content Objective(s):
Language:
Key Vocabulary
What Materials Will I Use?
How Will I Differentiate?
SIOP Features
Preparation
___ Adaptation of Content
___ Links to Background
___ Links to Past Learning
___ Strategies incorporated
Scaffolding
___ Modeling
___ Guided practice
___ Independent practice
___ Comprehensible input
Grouping Options
___ Whole class
___ Small groups
___ Partners
___ Independent
Integration of Processes
___ Reading
___ Writing
___ Speaking
___ Listening
Application
___ Hands-on
___ Meaningful
___ Linked to objectives
___ Promotes engagement
Assessment
___ Individual
___ Group
___ Written
___ Oral
Lesson Sequence:
Reflections:
Effective Teaching Strategies Handout developed by Jane Cook – Page 11
Windham Public Schools: SIOP Lesson
Plan
Interaction:
Unit:
Date:
Practice/Application:
Objectives:
Content:
Language:
Learning Strategies:
Background Knowledge:
Adapted from: Making Content Comprehensible for English
Language Learners, Echevarria,Vogt, Short (2000)
Windham Public Schools District, Willimantic, CT
Effective Teaching Strategies Handout developed by Jane Cook – Page 12
Assessment:
Effective Teaching Strategies Matrix
Below is a sample matrix that teachers can use to develop applications of the effective teaching
strategies within the context of their particular content area/s:
Teaching Strategies
Identifying
Similarities &
Differences
English
 Similes &
metaphors
Math

Venn
diagrams

Summarizing and
Note Taking
Reinforcing Effort &
Providing
Recognition
Homework &
Practice
Nonlinguistic
Representations
Cooperative
Learning
Setting Objectives &
Providing Feedback
Generating &
Testing Hypotheses
Questions, Cues &
Advance Organizers
Non-fiction Writing
Effective Teaching Strategies Handout developed by Jane Cook – Page 13
Science
Social Studies
Double
bubble

Comparison
matrix grid
Reflection Sheet on Effective Teaching Strategies
After you have completed a lesson in which you applied one of the research-based
effective teaching strategies, please reflect on the lesson and write a response to the questions
below. Please feel free to add other comments on the back of this sheet.
1. What strategy did you apply? Why did you choose that strategy?
2. How did the students respond?
3. What happened that you expected?
4. What happened that you didn't expect?
5. What would you do differently next time?
6. What questions do you have?
Name __________________________ Content Area ___________________ Date _______
Effective Teaching Strategies Handout developed by Jane Cook – Page 14
Excerpt: 'Teach Like Your Hair's On Fire'
by
Rafe Esquith
Source: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=6939776
To hear a short interview with Rafe Esquith, that was aired on All Things Considered on
NPR on January 22, 2007, click on the Listen button just below the title of the story on this
Web site.
Courtesy of Viking © 2007
Prologue: Fire in the Classroom
It is a strange feeling to write this book. I am painfully aware that I am not superhuman.
I do the same job as thousands of other dedicated teachers who try to make a difference.
Like all real teachers, I fail constantly. I don't get enough sleep. I lie awake in the earlymorning hours, agonizing over a kid I was unable to reach. Being a teacher can be
painful.
For almost a quarter of a century, I have spent the majority of my time in a tiny, leaky
classroom in central Los Angeles. Because of a little talent and a lot of luck, I have been
fortunate to receive some recognition for my work. Not a day goes by when I do not feel
overwhelmed by the attention.
I doubt that any book can truly capture the Hobart Shakespeareans. However, it is
certainly possible to share some of the things I've learned over the years that have
helped me grow as a teacher, parent, and person. For almost twelve hours a day, six days
Effective Teaching Strategies Handout developed by Jane Cook – Page 15
a week, forty-eight weeks a year, my fifth-graders and I are crowded into our woefully
insufficient space, immersed in a world of Shakespeare, algebra, and rock 'n' roll. For
the rest of the year, the kids and I are on the road. While my wife believes me to be
eccentric, good friends of mine have not been so gentle, going as far as to label me
quixotic at best and certifiable at worst.
I don't claim to have all the answers; at times it doesn't feel as if I'm reaching as many
students as I succeed with. I'm here only to share some of the ideas I have found useful.
Some of them are just plain common sense, and others touch on insanity. But there is a
method to this madness. It is my hope that some parents and teachers out there will
agree with me that our culture is a disaster. In a world that considers athletes and pop
stars more important than research scientists and firefighters, it has become practically
impossible to develop kind and brilliant individuals. And yet we've created a different
world in Room 56. It's a world where character matters, hard work is respected,
humility is valued, and support for one another is unconditional. Perhaps when parents
and teachers see this, and realize that my students and I are nothing special, they will
get a few ideas and take heart.
I am sad when I see so many good teachers and parents surrender to forces that sap
their potential excellence. The demons are everywhere. Those who care deeply often feel
outgunned by apathetic or incompetent administrators and politicians. Expectations for
children are often ridiculously low. Racism, poverty, and ignorance often reign supreme
on campus. Add to this mix ungrateful students, and even mean-spirited people in the
teaching profession itself, and the hardiest of souls can be crushed. Each defeat usually
means that a child's true potential will not be developed.
I was fortunate to have a ridiculous moment in the classroom that literally lit my way
out of the darkness. Years ago, feeling tired and frustrated, I spent a few weeks
searching my soul and did something I rarely do—I questioned whether teaching was
worth it anymore. A combination of the aforementioned demons had beaten me down,
and I was practically down for the count.
But for some reason, when I was guilty of feeling sorry for myself, I spent a day paying
extra attention to a kid in class whom I liked very much. She was one of those kids who
always seem to be the last one picked for the team, a quiet girl who appeared to have
accepted the idea that she could never be special. I was determined to convince her that
she was wrong.
I was teaching a chemistry lesson, and the students were excited about working with
alcohol lamps. But the girl couldn't get her wick to burn. The rest of the class wanted to
move on with their projects, but I told everyone to wait. I was not going to leave her
behind, even after she told me to continue with the others and not worry about her.
Effective Teaching Strategies Handout developed by Jane Cook – Page 16
Normally I do not interfere with science projects, because failure can be part of the
learning process. Yet this was simply a matter of faulty equipment; it had nothing to do
with the chemical principle we were exploring that morning. I needed to step in. The girl
had tears in her eyes, and I felt ashamed of myself for ever having felt like giving up.
Suddenly her sadness was all that mattered.
Athletes often refer to getting "into the zone" when they forget about the crowd and the
pressure and see only the ball. It can happen in other fields too. For that one moment,
the only thing that mattered to me was that this girl should have a successful
experiment. She was going to go home that day with a smile on her face. I bent closely
over the wick of her alcohol lamp. For some reason the wick was not as long as it should
have been—I could barely see it. I leaned as close as I could, and with a long kitchen
match tried to reach it. I was so close to the match that I could feel the flame as I tried to
ignite the lamp. I was determined to get the lamp working. And it started working! The
wick caught fire, and I looked up triumphantly to see the smile I expected on the girl's
face.
Instead, she took one look at me and began screaming in fear. Other kids started yelling
as well. I did not understand why they were all pointing at me, until I realized that while
I was lighting the lamp, the flame had touched my hair; it was now smoldering and
scaring the hell out of the children. Several of them ran to me and swiped at my head.
Talk about a dream come true—they got to hit their teacher on the head and say they
were trying to help him.
A few minutes later, all was well and the experiment proceeded. I felt (and looked) like
an idiot. And yet for the first time in weeks, I felt great about being a teacher. I had been
able to ignore the crap that all teachers on the front lines face. I had done everything I
could to help someone. I didn't do it particularly well, but the effort was there. I thought
to myself that if I could care so much about teaching that I didn't even realize my hair
was burning, I was moving in the right direction. From that moment, I resolved to
always teach like my hair was on fire.
There are so many charlatans in the world of education. They teach for a couple of years,
come up with a few clever slogans, build their Web sites, and hit the lecture circuit. In
this fast-food society, simple solutions to complex problems are embraced far too often.
We can do better. I hope that people who read this book realize that true excellence
takes sacrifice, mistakes, and enormous amounts of effort. After all, there are no
shortcuts.
Reprinted by arrangement with Viking, a member of Penguin Group (USA) Inc., from
Teach Like Your Hair's on Fire Copyright © Rafe Esquith, 2007
Effective Teaching Strategies Handout developed by Jane Cook – Page 17