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Here at Actively Learn, we like to stay on top of the latest research on reading comprehension. We peruse countless blogs, studies, and books to inform our pedagogy and encourage teachers to adopt best instructional practices. To that end, we wanted to share our takeaways from one of our recent resources: Visible Learning for Literacy: Implementing the Practices that Work Best to Accelerate Student Learning (Fisher, Frey, and Hattie, 2016).

Background: The authors of Visible Learning for Literacy seek to cut through the myriad theories on instructional practice and figure out what actually accelerates student learning based on research. They review 150 different instructional strategies and rank them according to their demonstrated effect. This particular book advances the thinking first set out in John Hattie's Visible Learning Meta-Study (2009) and applies it to the specific context of literacy. The Actively Learn instructional team is a big fan of John Hattie: we've relied heavily on his metastudies to develop our approach to feedback.

Takeaways influenced by John Hattie's Visible Learning Meta-Study and Fisher, Frey, and Hattie's Visible Learning for Literacy

Our Main Takeaways:

TAKEAWAY #1: The impact of an intervention can and should be measured

Teachers are bombarded with literature on what works in education, from blog posts to white papers to PD sessions. But they can't possibly adopt every intervention in their classroom, and their choices should not be guided by anecdotes, fads, or blind instinct. Visible Learning for Literacy argues that teachers should be guided by research, and that interventions need to be measured in order to be considered significant and worthy of widespread adoption.

TAKEAWAY #2: "Progress" is not enough

Literacy research too often assumes that anything that leads to progress is good, but that isn't sufficient to suggest that it's a worthwhile intervention. Visible Learning for Literacy argues that practically every intervention extends student learning, because students generally make academic progress over the course of a year. In order for an intervention to be notable, its gains need to exceed the progress that students would normally make over the course of a school year.

TAKEAWAY #3: Teachers are paramount

Visible Learning for Literacy affirms our longstanding belief that teachers are a critical component to successful outcomes for students. If you're hoping that this book suggests an autopilot curriculum or software that sidelines the teacher but produces meaningful results, you will be disappointed. Some of the most powerful instructional effects result from teachers setting expectations for students, creating clarity around instruction, demonstrating credibility, and giving effective feedback. The teacher-student relationship is a key ingredient for learning.

"If we want to ensure students read, write, communicate, and think at high levels, we have to develop positive, trusting relationships with students, all students."

TAKEAWAY #4: Most learning stops at the surface level

Though the authors of Visible Learning for Literacy acknowledge that surface-level learning is a necessary prerequisite to deeper learning, they point out that educators spend far too little time emphasizing depth. And while teachers generally preach deeper learning, their instructional practices do not push students beyond surface-level skills.

"Up to 90% of the instruction we conduct can be completed by students using only the surface-level skills." (Hattie, 2012)

TAKEAWAY #5: The research on best practices continues to grow

Hattie has revised his list of best instructional practices several times with new editions of his books. This is because we're constantly learning about what works in the classroom, including recent practices that were perhaps not on the educational radar at the time of earlier editions. Hattie's willingness to update his list reflects his commitment to evidence rather than to any one particular pedagogical theory.

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5 Takeaways from Visible Learning for Literacy

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Here at Actively Learn, we like to stay on top of the latest research on reading comprehension. We peruse countless blogs, studies, and books to inform our pedagogy and encourage teachers to adopt best instructional practices.

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Webinar by Douglas Fisher and Nancy Frey

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Webinar by Douglas Fisher and Nancy Frey

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Visible Learning for Literacy is the newest book in John Hattie's Visible Learning series. The authors John Hattie, Douglas Fisher and Nancy Frey focus on literacy in grades K-12. They explore how to implement the practices that work best to accelerate student learning.
If you agree with the authors' statement that "every student deserves a great teacher, not by chance, but by design", then Visible Learning for Literacy is a good starting point for your next learning design decisions.

The book is based on John Hattie's research. In more than 15 years he has synthesized over 800 meta-studies on learning and achievement and has identified instructional routines that have the biggest impact on student learning. Based on this evidence the authors discuss literacy learning and teaching.

(1) Surface and deep learning: How to use the right approach at the right time? How do you intentionally design classroom experiences that hit the surface, deep, and transfer phases of learning? When is a student ready to dive from surface to deep?

(2) Activities and routines: Which ones are most effective at specific phases of learning? Word sorts, concept mapping, close reading, annotating, discussion, formative assessment, feedback, collaborative learning, reciprocal teaching.

(3) Eight mind frames for teachers: How do they apply to curriculum planning? How can they inspire you to be a change agent in students' lives? How to see visible teaching as a continual evaluation of one's impact on student's learning?

The authors think: "It's time we embrace the evidence, and update our classrooms." With this new Visible Learning book you can start the process right now!

Watch the webinar with Douglas Fisher and Nancy Frey

In this webinar Douglas Fisher and Nancy Frey introduce key concepts from their book " Visible Learning for Literacy ". Learn more on what works best for learning literacy, and more importantly, when it works. How can you use the effect size to determine your impact on student learning?

Table of Contents

Chapter 1. Laying the Groundwork for Visible Learning for Literacy

The Evidence Base: Meta-Analyses, Effect Sizes

Learning From What Works, Not Limited to Literacy: Teacher Credibility, Teacher-Student Relationships, Teacher Expectations

General Literacy Learning Practices: Challenge, Self-Efficacy, Learning Intentions With Success Criteria

Conclusion

Chapter 2. Surface Literacy Learning

Why Surface Literacy Learning Is Essential

Acquisition and Consolidation

Acquisition of Literacy Learning Made Visible

Leveraging Prior Knowledge

Phonics Instruction and Direct Instruction in Context

Vocabulary Instruction: Mnemonics, Word Cards, Modeling Word Solving. Word and Concept Sorts. Wide Reading

Reading Comprehension Instruction in Context: Summarizing, Annotating Text, Note-Taking

Consolidation of Literacy Learning Made Visible

Rehearsal and Memorization Through Spaced Practice: Repeated Reading, Receiving Feedback, Collaborative Learning With Peers

Conclusion

Chapter 3. Deep Literacy Learning

Moving From Surface to Deep

Deep Acquisition and Deep Consolidation

Deep Acquisition of Literacy Learning Made Visible: Concept Mapping, Discussion and Questioning, Close Reading

Deep Consolidation of Literacy Learning Made Visible: Metacognitive Strategies, Reciprocal Teaching, Feedback to the Learner

Conclusion

Chapter 4. Teaching Literacy for Transfer

Moving From Deep Learning to Transfer

Types of Transfer: Near and Far

The Paths for Transfer: Low-Road Hugging and High-Road Bridging

Setting the Conditions for Transfer of Learning

Teaching Students to Organize Conceptual Knowledge: Students Identify Analogies, Peer Tutoring, Reading Across Documents, Problem-Solving Teaching

Teaching Students to Transform Conceptual Knowledge: Socratic Seminar, Extended Writing, Time to Investigate and Produce

Conclusion

Responding When the Impact Is Insufficient, and Knowing What Does Not Work
Chapter 5. Determining Impact

Determining Impact: Preassessment, Postassessment

Responding When There Is Insufficient Impact: Response to Intervention, Screening, Quality Core Instruction, Progress Monitoring, Supplemental and Intensive Interventions

Learning From What Doesn't Work: Grade-Level Retention, Ability Grouping, Matching Learning Styles With Instruction, Test Prep, Homework

Conclusion

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Visible Learning for Literacy - New Book by Hattie, Fisher, Frey - VISIBLE LEARNING

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Visible Learning for Literacy is the newest book in John Hattie's Visible Learning series. The authors John Hattie, Douglas Fisher and Nancy Frey focus on literacy in grades K-12. They explore how to implement the practices that work best to accelerate student learning. If you...Read more ›

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VideoScribe on John Hattie's Visible Learning

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Uploaded by Michael Wamsley on 2014-08-06.

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Dr. Doug Fisher: Visible Literacy Learning

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Dr. Doug Fisher's presentation from the California Symposium

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Teachers can use the effect size tool at the classroom level. An effect size of 0.40 should be the expectation.

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Pre and post assess to see the effect of your instruction on student learning.

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Consistently doing pre and post assessment  

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Consistently doing pre and post assessment  

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keep practices that are above .4 effective size 

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keep practices that are above .4 effective size 

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When you know what works and what doesn't, you are going to change your teaching. 

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When you know what works and what doesn't, you are going to change your teaching. 

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Good quality core instruction means less students need the extensive support of RTI.

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Good/high quality teaching =fewer students in RTI. Student ownership and positive student/teacher relationships by modeling direct instruction. Practice what they have learned. 

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Good/high quality teaching =fewer students in RTI. Student ownership and positive student/teacher relationships by modeling direct instruction. Practice what they have learned. 

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Teacher Clarity
Student Ownership
Positivity
Modeling and Direct Instruction
Small Group based on Instructional Needs
Spaced (chunked) ind. practice and application

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Giving new instruction for homework isn’t effective, but repetitive practice of skills with a beginning of mastery can be effective.

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The equation that we can actually use to find IES

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The equation that we can actually use to find IES

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Flexibility is key

Teacher need strong self-efficacy (bullet points on p 135)

Formative assessment and the whole data piece

Clear learning intentions and success criteria

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Is ineffective. Pull small groups for skill specific remediation

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Time- The length of academic instruction has a significant impact on students
Turn over (repeat offenders)??

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Use multiple learning styles for all students.

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Studying content,and howto learn  this content, especially using effective study skills techniques will pay much better dividends than trying to figure out how to beat the test.

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RTI is more effective than retention.