Marzano's Nine Essential Instructional Strategies

All teachers should remember these teaching strategies to implement in the classroom because they are proven tactics to engage students in higher-level thinking and learning.

New teachers should also make it a priority to incorporate these essential strategies.

1. Identifying Similarities and Differences: assists students in understanding complex concepts by comparing and contrasting them in a simpler way.

2. Summarizing and Note-taking: fosters high-level understanding because students must examine what is essential using their own words.

3. Reinforcing Effort and Providing Recognition: bridge the gap in understanding for students to see the connection between effort and achievement.

4. Homework and Practice: make it clear and obvious the purpose of homework. Provide opportunities outside the classroom to demonstrate mastery.

5. Nonlinguistic Representations: has been proven to help with cognitive skill development.

6. Cooperative Learning: small group activities can be effective if they are consistent and systematic.

7. Setting Objectives and Providing Feedback: guide students with direction. Objectives should be general enough to allow student adaptations.

8. Generating and Testing Hypotheses: Apply scientific approaches to other content (not just science!).

9. Cues, Questions, and Advanced Organizers: assist students with effective organizational skills that are effective in teaching students what they know and what they will learn.

Information taken from http://www.middleweb.com/MWLresources/marzchat1.html

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Here is a list of examples of how to implement these strategies in each content-area classroom.

Mathematics

• Use Venn diagrams to compare all types of numbers (real, imaginary, rational, etc.)

• Provide a base outline for the three types of Geometry proofs (two-column, flow chart, and paragraph).

• Establish a daily homework routine.

Social Studies

• During group discussions, vary the feedback to students to encourage involvement.

• Use a chart to compare and contrast the causes of the civil war.

• Group students with specific viewpoints on historical events and then share perspectives.

Science

• Ask students to make predictions on what would happen with chemical reactions.

• Use an organizer to tell a story of mitosis.

• Incorporate words and images using symbols to drive home important scientific learning objectives.

English

• Have students tell a story given a list of characters and a setting.

• Group students with similar viewpoints on a book. Set up a debate.

• Share stories of people who succeed by not giving up.

Physical Education

• Provide rules for students for a new game. They have to figure out the best strategy for winning the game.

• Vary feedback to students who are performing well.

• Use physical models to show effective stretches and workout routines.