Rosenshine’s Principles Part 2
Two weeks ago, I explained five of Rosenshine’s principles for effective teaching. This week, I will finish the process by explaining the remaining five.
To kick off, it is crucial to check for understanding: Checking for understanding is an important part of the teaching process, as it allows teachers to assess whether students are learning and adjust their instruction accordingly. This should happen in lessons in quick and formative ways. It is not enough to say, ‘who doesn’t understand?’ or ‘does anyone have any questions?’ Rarely, will you get a response to either of those questions. Teachers should activate students to check for understanding with each other. Most teachers make the mistake of dominating the talk in lessons. Recent research shows that 89% of time is spent with teachers talking in lessons. This needs to change.
The next principle emphasises the importance of setting students up for success by providing them with tasks that they are capable of completing. This is the Goldilocks theory, neither too hard nor too easy. I have mentioned this concept before in previous articles. Activities should challenge students and teachers should scaffold instruction and gradually increase the level of difficulty as students demonstrate mastery.
Scaffolds are supports that help students to complete difficult tasks. This principle suggests that teachers should provide scaffolds, such as graphic organisers, sentence frames, or step-by-step instructions, to help students tackle challenging material, to both support and challenge. Also students helping students to co-construct their knowledge, skills and understanding is crucial for really embedding what is required.
Next, independent practice is an important part of the learning process, as it allows students to reinforce their learning. It is important to see students use new knowledge, skills or understanding in new and different contexts. It’s not what you know, it’s what you do with what you know. This principle suggests that teachers should require and monitor independent practice, providing feedback and support as needed.
Finally, it is important to engage students in weekly and monthly review. This principle emphasises the importance of regular review to reinforce learning and keep it fresh in students’ minds. Teachers should engage students in weekly and monthly review activities to help them retain and apply what they have learned. There are different ways to do this, including spaced practice and interleaving. This helps overcome the Ebbinghaus effects of primacy and recency. In other words, we remember the start and the end of the movie but not so much in between!
Overall, Rosenshine’s principles provide a valuable framework for effective teaching and learning. By applying these principles in the classroom, teachers can help students to develop a deep understanding of the material, build their confidence and competence, and achieve greater success in their academic pursuits.
