Fundamental 5

The Fundamental Five

When it comes to lesson delivery and classroom management, Cain & Laird (2011) identified “five critical practices that are at the core of highly effective

instruction” (p. 5). These practices are:

1. Framing the lesson;

2. Working in the power zone;

3. Frequent small group purposeful talk about the learning;

4. Recognizing and reinforcing;

5. Critical writing.

This is not a newly invented formula that is designed to improve instruction overnight. Every successful teacher is already engaged in these practices on a daily basis.

These five elements are not a list of recommendations that can be randomly or selectively implemented. Rather, according to Cain & Laird (2011), “they represent five individual practices that interact and interconnect in such a manner that their dramatic positive effect is dependent on their coordinated use [sic]” (p. 15).

Cain, S., Laird, M. (2011). The Fundamental 5. Sean Cain & Mike Laird.