Deliberate Acts of Teaching

It is a “given” that effective teacher:

1. actively teach skills, content & key competencies;
2. co-construct learning intentions with learners;
3. know what they are teaching & why;
4. understand the learning progressions;
5. plan relevant, interesting learning activities;
6. provide opportunities for learners to reinforce & practise new learning;
7. provide effective feedback & feed-forward;
8. are flexible & responsive;
9. are flexible, organised & collaborative;
10. use language the learner understands.
11. Prompting (encouraging)

Effective teachers:

1. ask another question;
2. remind;
3. rephrase the question;
4. give hints & clues;
5. provide thinking time/wait time;
6. encourage learners to use what they already know;
7. scaffold the next learning steps;
8. actively listen;
9. understand learning styles.
10. Feedback (how, why & next step)

Effective teachers:

1. provide specific feedback & feed-forward;
2. acknowledge the skills & processes learned;
3. make links to the learning intention;
4. understand learning progressions;
5. give immediate feedback;
6. provide an opportunity for learners to follow up & action the feedback / feed-forward.
7. Directing (giving a specific instruction)

Effective teachers:

1. clearly state the learning intention & displays clarity of purpose;
2. makes connections between prior & new learning;
3. directs learners to discuss, compare, understand & learn from others’ ideas;
4. directs learners to other resources.
5. Modelling (showing how)

Effective teachers:

1. use a variety of: approaches, appropriate language, question types, strategies / formats / technologies / structures, recording
2. formats, relevant contexts, grouping structures, …;
3. make displays of learners’ work to include strategies, recording, language & thinking used;
4. display exemplars of learning;
5. paraphrase, clarify, discuss & model what learners say;
6. model themselves as a learner;
7. model & articulate desired to learn attributes including thinking skills, repeated attempts, enjoyment, risk-taking, generalising,
8. connections to previous learning, listening, challenge.
9. Questioning (asking the right question)

Effective teachers:

1. ask a variety of questions;
2. allow for prediction, explanation & reflection;
3. challenge thinking & learning;
4. provide wait time;
5. question the learner to reveal & extend thinking processes & strategies;
6. encourage learners to ask questions;
7. create discussion opportunities;
8. expect response & commitment from the respondent.
9. Telling

Effective teachers:

1. supply, give or tell what the learner needs;
2. fills a gap so learning can progress;
3. gives information;
4. reminds the learner of prior knowledge;
5. provides language needed.
6. Explaining (give a reason why)

Effective teachers:

1. use “because” to justify their reasoning;
2. use a variety of ways to explain a learning opportunity;
3. use explicit, relevant explanations;
4. use language learners understand;
5. are alert to the teachable moment.

Based on research from: “The Effective Literacy Handbook Years 5 – 8″. Please contact us to find out more!