INSTRUCTIONAL “INSTRUCTIONAL COACHING IS CURRENTLY THE
BEST-EVIDENCED FORM OF PROFESSIONAL
COACHING DEVELOPMENT WE HAVE” DR SAM SIMS
WHAT IS INSTRUCTIONAL COACHING A directive coach tells a teacher
what to do next based on their
Instructional coaching involves a teacher
experience and expertise.
working with another teacher in an
individualised, classroom-based, observation- A facilitative coach focuses on
feedback-practice cycle. empowering the teacher to find their
The goal is not to judge the effectiveness of a own solutions by asking questions
teacher. but to support teachers by providing A mental model is the knowledge
precise feedback based on evidence based held by an individual and the way it
research to improve teaching and learning is organised to guide action
FUNDAMENTAL PROBLEMS IN TEACHING
Curriculum Attention Communicate Hard work
These five learning problems help a
coach to diagnose what to work on with a
teacher, if there are multiple problem's Feedback
the coach should focus on the one
closest to the beginning of the chain
DURING LESSON
During the observation gather critical evidence,
form a hypothesis then test it by talking to
pupils and looking at their work. This will allow a
conclusion to be formed and shared
CATALYSTS FOR CHANGE DIAGNOSTIC QUESTIONING
There are five key catalysts required to ensure Coaches should ask a question
there is a lasting effect change that aims to determine the
strength of the teachers mental
strengthen awareness by building mental
model
models around what to notice
This approach should be taken
each time a coach moves on to
Gain insight of effective models of teaching
the next change catalyst
that support students learning
Focus their professional development on a
goal that will have maximum benefit to both
them and their pupils
Establish steps to build knowledge around
Review 1
specific steps to helpthem achieve their goal
10 min
Build habits to ensure successful
implementation
SECURE DO YOU PROMOTE THE
BEHAVIOURS YOU EXPECT?
ATTENTION
ESTABLISHING ENTRY ROUTINES
Create silent low stakes quiz ready to go as pupils enter
Pupils write question if they do not know the answer so they ALL
have something to do
Be at classroom door and give clear entry expectations,
Silent on entry
Pencil case in hand
15 seconds to start the quiz
Be concise
Scan the room form the door and praise pupils who are showing
desired behaviours from within the classroom, positively narrate
expectations, “pens moving 10 more seconds, not ”stop staring out
the window”
ACTIVE LISTENING ROUTINES PRAISE POSITIVE BEHAVIOUR
Clear routine for student DURING TASKS
attention, “3,2,1”
Students adopt a posture of Communicate clear concise
attention expectations “all pens moving in
Position for visibility 10 seconds”
Publicly narrate desired Praise groups of pupils “front
behaviours table all have pens moving”
Use non verbal corrections Use board for praise,
Give anonymous public correction Circulate the room
concise public correction Position for scanning
RESPONDING TO BEHAVIOUR BUILD A SENSE OF PACE AND
MOTIVATION
Stand near a pupil who does not
immediately comply Specify time limit
Use non verbal ques Consistent start signal “3,2,1 go”
Positively praise a partner Narrate timing reminders
Pregnant pause when unclear ReviewMake
1 starting easy
who is talking communicate value of task to
Describe and direct - “X you are 10 min pupils
shouting out, hand up next time” Narrate delayed benefits
Provide take up time for
correction
COMMUNICATION
ARE YOU PLANNING FOR
NOVICE LEARNERS?
DIRECT INSTRUCTION
The best presentations have concise, appropriate, engaging explanations that are just right
for pupils: neither too short nor too long; neither too complex nor too simple.
PREREQUISITE VISUALISER
KNOWLEDGE To share a worked example -
GUIDED PRACTICE
Do pupils have the knowledge step-by-step' demonstration of
they need prior to introducing how to perform a task or how to
new knowledge to reduce solve a problem.
cognitive load
NON EXAMPLES
BUILD SCHEMA
I DO
To narrow down and refine
knowledge allows you to student understanding of any
accrue more knowledge; concept, show them something
which is not that concept
"Rosenshine argues that 'less
effective teachers' often do WE DO
WAGOLL
not 'provide enough worked
examples' which adds to A grade 'A' or level 9 answer is
cognitive load, leaves pupils shared with the class for them
unsure of procedures and how to see “what a good one looks
like” or students
14 examples can
to apply them." (Rosenshine)
be shared either verbally or YOU DO
using a visualiser
DUAL CODING GOOD TEACHING FOR PUPILS WITH
If the same SEND IS GOOD TEACHING FOR ALL
VISUAL VERBAL information is “EFF“
properly
offered to you Provide one instruction at a time
DUAL CODING
in two different Provide clear transitions between tasks
Review 1 ways, it enables
Check instructions have been understood
10 min you to access
more working Times & countdowns provided
memory Careful consideration of tier 2 and tier 3
capacity. (Paul vocabulary
A. Kirschner)
KNOWLEDGE Task management board
WORKING HARD ARE YOU PUSHING
STUDENTS TO THINK HARD?
QUESTIONING
COLD CALLING Asking a question, pausing and they giving the pupils name
THINK, PAIR, SHARE Setting a timeframe to think, then share in a pair before a whole-class discussion.
WHOLE CLASS RESPONSE The practice of receiving a response from all pupils at once.
PROBING Following up a question to provide deeper questioning.
NO OPT OUT Going back to a pupil to give an answer who had previously opted out.
PAIRED TALK Giving students a precise timeframe to discuss an answer in pairs
WAIT TIME
"The longer a teacher waits before insisting students answer a question, the more inference and
learning can be harnessed." (Rowe, 1972)
LOW-STAKES TESTING OF CORE KNOWLEDGE AND BUILDING SCHEMA
Embedding retrieval practice is key to ensuring "Retrieval practice involves recalling
pupils are able to work hard in lessons something you have learned in the past and
Build pupils knowledge into rich connecting
patterns bringing it back to mind; Retrieval practice
Support pupils to routinely activate their strengthens memory and makes it easier to
core knowledge retrieve the information later."
Model and practice the use of knowledge
(OFSTED inspection framework)
organisers.
INDEPENDENT PRACTICE
Independent practice should take place once you are sure guided practice has a high success rate.
Unlike guided practice independent practice should include the principles below to increase
challenge
MAGENTA PRINCIPLES
SPACED PRACTICE
KNOWING UNDERSTANDING
Leaving space to revisit core knowledge at a OCCUPIED LEARNING PROCESS ENGAGED
later time to aid memory recall PASSIVE ACTIVE
INTERLEAVING
MAGENTA PRINCIPLES
Mix the study or practice of different but
REDUCE SEQUENCE
related sets of ideas within a subject domain
THE CORE
CHANGE ASSEMBLE
ELABORATE INTEGRATION REPLACE CLASSIFY
This is where students explore their schema by ADD COMPARE
answering How and Why questions.
Why does this happen? How does it work? ARRANGE CONNECT
FEEDBACK
ARE YOU SURE YOU KNOW
WHAT STUDENTS KNOW?
WHAT IS ASSESSMENT FOR LEARNING
"Use evidence of student learning to adapt teaching and learning, or instruction, to meet student
needs." (Dylan Williams)
CHECK FOR UNDERSTANDING
Hinge questions can be used to diagnose students understand of knowledge and identify student
misconceptions.
MINI WHITEBOARDS PEER AND SELF ASSESSMENT
Whiteboards are often the amost efficienet way Is used to provide timely feedback to pupils,
to see whole-class responses. however a clear success criteria is required
SCAFFOLDING
Further scaffolding may be required to ensure
equity
CIRCULATING
Circulating is key during guided practice to help
identify success rate
EQUALITY EQUITY
Providing feedback successfully is a real challenge: Reteach
‘Get it wrong, and students give up, reject the
Re-teaching allows us to challenge
feedback, or choose an easier goal’ (Wiliam, 2011) common misconceptions or knowledge
gaps collectively and efficiently. We might
Recall reiterate definitions or we might offer
examples,
Knowing exactly where students are at is
important. It doesn’t mean we have to intervene Revisit
immediately: students may benefit from further
practice, This may be low stakes testing over a
Closing the gap between students’
sequence of lessons
performances may require more (or
Redraft clearer) knowledge or goals. Revisit
models we offered, or provide fresh ones;
Ensure that the actions you ask students to take students can now compare their efforts
are specific and clearly defined. Avoid asking them with the model and better understand
to improve without giving explicit guidance for where the gap lies. Taking a student’s
how this can be achieved. It’s vital that students answer, we could model rewriting a
understand how to improve before moving paragraph or solution on the board.
forward – copying old work is a waste of your time
and theirs.
I would be less worried about the quality
Make sure the scale of the task is manageable for of the feedback than what pupils do with
you and your students – you might not have time it, it should be more work for the pupils
to mark a long essay twice! Choose work to than the teacher. (Dylan Williams)(
redraft and redo strategically
