They are a way to get a 'quick read' of student understanding during a lesson. They are often known as formative assessment strategies. The idea is to get every student to have a response to question about their learning, thinking or needs.

They are also an engagement tool because they require students to think about and respond to a key idea or question connected to their learning.

You can also use them to build in 'brain breaks' and give students a moment to pause and reflect on where they are at with their learning.

The 'catch' in a lesson is a way of checking for student understanding - this is where universal response strategies come in.

The 'catch' is commonly known as formative assessment. However, what is important about the catch is that teachers gather immediate information about student understanding and respond to it in the moment of the learning.

A 'catch' strategy might be used to:

• Check that instructions have been understood, 

• Gauge confidence about a concept being explored, or 

• check student readiness to move onto independent work.

Information from a 'catch' can also be used to group students and provide support that addresses the identified needs. 

High Impact Teaching Strategies - Guide - Feedback - Pages 24-25

Doug Fisher Presentation - Dandenong High School - Skip to 4:35 for start of Doug's session.

Whole-Group Response Strategies to Promote Student Engagement in Inclusive Classrooms - Journal Article