The document discusses nine research-based instructional strategies that can be used in the classroom to enhance student learning: 1. Identifying similarities and differences helps students process and recall new information by looking for patterns. 2. Using nonlinguistic representations like mental images and physical models enhances students' ability to understand and recall knowledge. 3. Summarizing and note-taking leads to better retention when students analyze information to capture main ideas in their own words. 4. Reinforcing effort and providing recognition improves achievement when teachers link effort to success and provide symbolic rather than tangible rewards. 5. Setting objectives and providing feedback establishes a direction for learning and helps students understand where they stand relative to goals.

1. Differentiation in the Classroom Marzano's Research Based Strategies

3. Helps the brain process and recall new information and learn by overlaying a known pattern onto an unknown one .

4. Looking for similarities and differences prompts the learner to consider, "What do I already know that will help me learn this new idea?” This fosters relationships and connections to new understanding.

6. Using these strategies can help to boost student achievement from 31 - 46 percentile points (Stone, 1983; Stahl & Fairbanks, 1986; Ross, 1988).

7. Combining this strategy with the method of using nonlinguistic representation enhances student achievement significantly (Chen, 1999; Cole & McLeod, 1999; Glynn & Takahashi, 1998; Lin, 1996).

9. Classifying

10. Metaphors “this AIG stuff is the frosting on the cake of what I call my job” or “this presentation is a slow train to nowhere”

11. Analogies

13. When students elaborate on knowledge, they are able to understand it in greater depth and be more successful at recalling it.

15. Thinking maps and brainstorming improve students' reading, writing, and thinking skills (Hyerle, 1996).

16. Finding patterns helps students organize ideas so they recall and apply what they have learned. When students learn to represent and visual 3-D forms, their understanding of geometry increases. (Bransford et al., 1999; Lehrer & Chazen, 1998). T

18. Mental Pictures

19. Kinesthetic Activities/Dramatizations

20. Thinking Maps

22. Effective summarizing leads to synthesis of information – includes analyzing info, identification of key concepts and determining extraneous info.

23. Students must be able to analyze information and organize it in a way that captures the main ideas and supporting details that is stated in their own words.

25. Notes become more meaningful when students review and revise their own notes (Anderson & Armbruster, 1986; Denner, 1986; Einstein, Morris, & Smith, 1985) .

26. When asked to summarize, students must analyze information at a deep level; They decide what information to omit, what to substitute, and what to keep (Anderson, V., & Hidi, 1988/1989; Hidi & Anderson, 1987).

28. Students personalize their own notes

29. Use notes as study aids

30. Work in small groups to compare and discuss notes for review and test prep.

31. 4. Reinforcing Effort and Providing Recognition Most students are not aware of the importance of believing that their level of effort is related to their achievement. Rewards and praise for achieving specific goals -> higher level of achievement.

33. When rewards are directly linked to successfully understanding a performance standard, teacher rewards for accomplishment can improve achievement (Cameron & Pierce, 1994; Wiersma, 1992).

34. Teachers must decide how to provide recognition. Abstract or symbolic recognition has more impact than tangible things, such as prizes (Cameron & Pierce, 1994). >

36. Reinforce effort

37. Effort Log

38. Class effort rubric

39. Clear Goals

41. Once students understand the parameters of an objective, they should brainstorm to determine what they know and what they want to learn.

42. Learning is enhanced with regular, timely, and specific feedback.

43. Help students understand where they stand relative to a specific target of knowledge or skill (Aimsweb!)

45. Learning increases if students are encouraged to personalize the teacher's goals. Student ownership enhances learning focus. Studies show the benefits of students setting sub-goals derived from the larger teacher-defined goals (Bandura & Schunk, 1981; Morgan, 1985).

46. Learning "contracts" are effective in developing student ownership and completion of goals. A contract is an agreement between student and teacher. If the students meet the criteria laid out in the contract, they get the corresponding grade. (Kahle & Kelly, 1994; Miller & Kelley, 1994; Vollmer, 1995) .

48. Student designed learning contracts

49. Focus goals on understanding, not so much on accomplishing tasks.

50. 6. Generating and Testing Hypotheses Students should be asked "what if?" as they plan and conduct simple investigations (e.g., formulate a testable question, make systematic observations, and develop logical conclusions)

52. An interactive approach to teaching physics concepts provides a better environment for student learning than traditional textbook-based instruction (Hake, 1998) . (But, of course!)

53. When students explain the scientific principles they are working from and the hypotheses they generate, their understanding increases (Lavoie, 1999; Lavoie & Good, 1988; Lawson, 1988).

55. Ask for explanations

56. Watch for and mediate misconceptions

57. Problem Solving

58. Decision making

59. Experimental Inquiry

60. Invention

61. Role Play

63. Questions should focus on what is central and most important.

64. Advance organizers are most useful for information that is not easily presented in a well-organized manner.

66. Advance organizers , including graphic ones, help students learn new concepts and vocabulary (Stone, 1983). Presenting information graphically as well as symbolically in an advance organizer reinforces vocabulary learning and supports reading skills. (Brookbank Grover, Kullberg, & Strawser, 1999; Moore & Readence 1984).

67. By increasing the amount of "wait time" after asking a question, teachers foster increased student discourse and more student-to-student interactio n (Fowler, 1975).

69. Wait time (after questioning) matters!

70. Present information in multiple ways

71. Ask questions at the beginning and the end of a learning experience.

73. Understand : Summarize what the Goldilocks story was about.

74. Apply: Construct a theory as to why Goldilocks went into the house.

75. Analyze : Differentiate between how Goldilocks reacted and how you would react in each story event.

76. Evaluate: Assess whether or not you think this really happened to Goldilocks.

77. Create: Compose a song, skit, poem, or rap to convey the Goldilocks story in a new form

79. Vary criteria for grouping.

80. Teachers should monitor learning group size.

82. Low-ability students perform worse when grouped in homogeneous ability groups (Kulik & Kulik, 1991, 1997; Lou et al, 1996).

83. Effective cooperative learning occurs when students work together to accomplish shared goals and when positive structures are in place to support that proces s (Johnson & Johnson, 1999)

85. Keep groups small

86. Use ability grouping sparingly

87. Don’t over use cooperative learning.

88. Use a variety of strategies to form groups. e.g. hair color

90. Enhance a student's ability to reach a level of expected proficiency for a skill or concept.

92. In the U.S. teachers tend to compress many skills into practice sessions, however students learn more when allowed to practice fewer skills or concepts, but at a deeper level (Healy, 1990).

93. Mastery requires focused practice over days or weeks. After only four practice sessions students reach a halfway point to mastery. It takes more than 24 more practice sessions before students reach 80 percent mastery. This practice must occur over a span of days or weeks, and cannot be rushed (Anderson, 1995; Newell & Rosenbloom, 1981).

94. Homework assignments provide the time and experience students need to develop study habits that support learning. They experience the results of their effort as well as the ability to cope with mistakes and difficulty (Bempechat, 2004).

96. Apply consistent consequences:

97. Homework completion -> positive recognition;

98. Lack of completion -> appropriate consequences.

99. Recognize uniqueness among students. As they practice, given time , they will adapt and shape their learning and eventually incorporate the new skill into a knowledge base of their own, deepening understanding .