The Science of Learning and Student Engagement

The science of learning is a fascinating field that explores how individuals learn as well as the teaching methods and tasks that elevate learning across subjects and grade levels. Student engagement is one focus within this sphere. To foster and support engagement, educators can emphasize three main strategies: building inclusive classrooms, using dynamic engagement techniques, and providing varied methods and opportunities for student participation (Darling-Hammond et al., 2020; Hattie et al., 2024). 

Planning for Engagement

Every teacher needs a toolbox of engagement strategies to keep learning meaningful, on task, productive, and enjoyable. Engagement doesn’t just happen; it requires careful planning and execution. Teachers can incorporate strategies at every stage of instruction—before, during, and after lessons. Pre-instruction activities like anticipation guides and knowledge rating scales help students connect with new material. During lessons, interactive techniques such as whip arounds (see instructions below), voting, and response cards promote equitable and high levels of participation. Research supports the value of collaborative learning for students, which can be incorporated into any classroom through methods like jigsaw, partner reading, and A-B activities (Hattie, 2023). Changing strategies keeps the classroom experience novel, boosts motivation and excitement, and encourages students to reflect on their learning processes (Archer & Hughes, 2011; Meltzer, 2010; National Center on Intensive Intervention, 2018).

Whip Around

1. Teacher poses an open-ended prompt to students.
2. Students respond to prompt within their own notebooks or on whiteboards.
3. The teacher then “whips” around the classroom, asking one student at a time to share a response.
4. Previous responses cannot be repeated.
5. Students share their response or say “Pass” if they do not have anything new to add.
6. In the end, a discussion can provide more opportunities to highlight the themes and commonalities that emerged.

Oral Responding

Educators can vary techniques for integrating student responses into lessons. Rather than relying on a single response system, try mixing it up. Ask for volunteers, use name cards or popsicle sticks for random selection, and provide advance notice (Hattie et al., 2024). Whip around offers flexibility and can be easily adapted and scaffolded (National Center on Intensive Intervention, 2018). To support students’ oral responses, educators can provide sentence starters, direct students to classroom word banks, or write key vocabulary on the board.

Non-Verbal Responses

Interactive action response methods include thumbs up/ thumbs down, fist to five (see instructions below), cued retells, whiteboard writing, response cards, turn-and-talks, stop and jots, quick writes, and exit tickets. Response cards enhance student learning and give all students, even reluctant participants, a chance to contribute. Cued retells and turn-and-talks encourage student involvement, improve communication skills, and foster listening and response capabilities by encouraging students to exchange ideas and pose questions.

Fist to Five

Students show comfort level with the material raising a fist (0, meaning no understanding and needing support) to five fingers (fully comfortable and able to teach peers).  Holding up three fingers suggests some understanding but a desire to discuss with a peer.

Checklists and Self-Reflection

Checklists act as scaffolds and boost student independence. They are highly adaptable and can be tailored to meet each student’s specific needs. Task-specific checklists help establish routines and strengthen organizational skills, while also giving teachers a quick way to track progress. Including self-reflection throughout the year helps students become more self-aware as learners.

When planning for instruction, remember to prioritize strategies that foster student engagement. Even small changes can make a big difference, leading to improved learning outcomes. 

References

Archer, A. & Hughes, C. (2011) Explicit instruction: Effective and efficient teaching, The Guilford Press.

Darling-Hammond, L., Flook, L., Cook-Harvey, C., Barron, B., & Osher, D. (2020). Implications for
     educational practice of the science of learning and development, Applied Developmental Science,
     24(2), 97-140, doi.org/10.1080/10888691.2018.1537791.

Hattie, J. (2023) Visible learning: The sequel: A synthesis of over 2,100 meta-analyses relating to
     achievement, Routledge.

Hattie, J., Fisher, D., Frey, N., & Almarode, J. (2024) The illustrated guide to visible learning: An
     introduction to what works best in schools, Corwin Press, Inc.

Meltzer, L. (2010) Promoting executive function in the classroom, The Guilford Press.

National Center on Intensive Intervention (2018, July 31) Explicit Instruction Course,

Module 6-Part 1 [Video]. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rUjZXg_732Y.