Teacher Toolbox - Instructional Playbook

An Instructional Playbook offers a structured framework that enables educators to implement research-based strategies effectively in the classroom. By emphasizing clarity, usability, and teacher ownership, the Instructional Playbook serves as a bridge between educational research and practical application. The Instructional Playbook enhances teacher effectiveness, foster professional autonomy, and establishes a shared language for instructional improvement. By integrating this approach, educators can ensure the consistent and impactful application of evidence based strategies, ultimately leading to sustained improvements in teaching and student learning.

John Hattie's research on Effect Size, in Visible Learning (2008) synthesizes over 1,600 meta-analyses to determine which factors have the greatest impact on student achievement. Hattie uses Effect Size to measure the influence of various instructional strategies, finding that strategies with an Effect Size of 0.40 or higher are most likely to accelerate student learning beyond typical progress.

The Instructional Playbook aligns with Hattie's finding by providing a structured way to implement high-effect strategies in the classroom. The Instructional Playbook ensures that researched methods are clearly defined, practical, and accessible to teachers, maximizing the impact on student learning. By incorporating an Instructional Playbook, educators can focus on evidence based practices with the greatest potential to improve teaching effectiveness and student outcomes.

Questioning

John Hattie's research on Visible Learning (2008) highlights the significant impact of questioning on student achievement. With an effect size of 0.48, questioning is a powerful instructional strategy that enhances learning by engaging students, making their thinking visible, and guiding them toward deeper scientific understanding.

The three specific forms of questions - Elicit, Probing, and Challenging. Educators should use each one at specific points of the lessen to engage students in higher order thinking and to take learning deeper.

Academic Discourse

Academic Discourse is a high impact instructional strategy that promotes Student Engagement, Critical Thinking, and Deeper Understanding. According to John Hattie’s research, classroom discussion has an effect size of 0.82, making it one of the most effective strategies for improving student achievement.

Explicit Vocabulary Instruction

The Frayer Model is a high impact instructional strategy that supports students deep processing through multiple exposure and active engagement with words. With a effect size of 0.62, John Hattie’s research indicates that students must engage with new words multiple times and in meaningful contexts to fully understand and retain.

Jigsaw Method

The Jigsaw Method is a high impact instructional strategy that supports student Collective Efficacy (1.57), Metacognition (0.55), and Reciprocal Teaching (0.74) in one effective engagement practice. The Jigsaw Method has a combined effect size of 1.23, indicating that students engaged in peer interactions, learning articulation, discussion, and reflective learning, deepen essential skill development.

Concept Mapping

Concept Mapping is a high impact instructional strategy that supports students organizing and connecting ideas, making comprehension points, and critical thinking skills in students-centered learning. With a Effect Size of 0.64, Concept Mapping has the highest impact of traditional instructional methods.

Direct Instruction

Direct Instruction is a high impact instructional strategy that provides a clear, research-based framework ensuring that students receive high quality instruction. John Hattie’s research indicates that Direct Instruction has an Effect Size of 0.59. Built on teacher efficacy, targeted learning goals, guided practice, real time feedback, and learning supports, direct instruction supports all learners.

Co-Teaching

Co-Teaching is a powerful instructional practice that promotes strong teacher-student relationships, clarity, feedback, and teacher collective efficacy. According to John Hattie’s research, Co-Teaching combines the elements of Teacher Efficacy (1.57) teacher clarity (0.84), and feedback (0.70), making it one of the most effective strategies for improving student achievement.