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When inclusion is done well, everyone in the class benefits. It strengthens the ability of all kids to work together, understand and value different points of view, think critically, and be successful learners.

Inclusive classrooms also reduce stigma. Imagine this kind of learning community (quote from Understood ):

"Inclusive classrooms are filled with diverse learners. That lets kids talk about how everyone learns in their own way. They may find that they have more in common with other kids than they thought. This can go a long way in reducing stigma for kids with learning and attention issues. It can also help kids build and maintain friendships. "

Understanding inclusion

Inclusion is a belief that ALL students, regardless of labels, should be members of the general education community. The philosophy of inclusion encourages the elimination of the dual special and general education systems, and the creation of a merged system that is responsive to the needs of all students.

Is it inclusion?

This chart, developed by inclusion expert Nicole Eredics, can help you understand what inclusion is and isn't.

Child spends the majority of the day in the general education classroom.

Child spends the majority of the day in a special education classroom and goes to a general education classroom for one or two periods.

Child's desk is included with the other groups of desks in the classroom.

Child's desk is away from the other desks in the classroom.

Child has access to and is included in classroom lessons and activities that are adapted or modified to meet his/her special needs.

Child works on his/her own curriculum.

Child attends outside activities with the class including assemblies, field trips, enrichment classes, and recess.

Child is given alternate activities and options with other special education students.

Child is an independent, valued, and respected classroom member.

Child is looked upon as helpless, needy, and dependent.

The child's paraprofessional facilitates access to the curriculum and classroom activities.

The child's paraprofessional determines access to the curriculum and classroom activities.

The paraprofessional encourages child to complete work as independently as possible, while providing support when needed.

The paraprofessional does not provide many opportunities for the child to complete work independently and "hovers."

Child receives specialist support (therapy, speech, and language) with minimal disruption to the class routine and program.

Child is pulled from the classroom lessons and activities for specialist suport without consideration for what the child will miss.

The teacher can identify your child's strengths and areas for improvement.

The teacher refers to the specialists and paraprofessionals to identify child's development.

Child can name classmates and has many common classroom experiences.

Child does not know classmates and does not have many common classroom experiences.

The trend toward inclusive general education classrooms

Can special education students thrive in general education classrooms? Watch Carl Cohn, a former superintendent, talk about the trend toward inclusive classrooms (also called inclusion classrooms). Hear his tips on what to ask if a school suggests your child should be in a separate, self-contained classroom. Learn more at Understood, 4 Benefits of Inclusion Classrooms .

Read about a New York City public school program called ASD Nest in this article from The Atlantic: What School Could Be If It Were Designed for Kids With Autism .

Inclusive learning: everyone's in

This video, "Meeting the Needs of the Whole Child," overview is part of the Edmonton Public Schools' Inclusive Learning: Everyone's In initiative. The District was selected as a change agent for Alberta's Action on Inclusion initiative - to share information about best practices to welcome, include and support students' needs in the classroom and community. (Edmonton Public Schools, Alberta, CA) View all of the "Inclusive Learning: Everyone's In" video ›

Books about inclusive classrooms

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An inclusive classroom is a general education classroom where students with and without learning differences learn together. Inclusive classrooms are welcoming and support the diverse academic, social, emotional, and communication needs of all students. Learn more about what inclusion is, how it can benefit all learners, and how to implement an inclusion program in your classroom and school-wide.

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The article provides examples of Inclusive classrooms as well as a visual chart and a table highliting whether or not a classroom is Inclusive.

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"Inclusive Classrooms are filled with diverse learners."

Special needs students desks should be with the others

Advocating for student independence

Encouraging all students to know the names of their classmates

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This article is the real experience of a teacher who has a special education student who has severe social and emotional needs as well as aggressive behavior. His immediate perspective is to provide this student with the encouragement and accommodations necessary to succeed along with colleagues.

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Week 1 (2) Special needs student progression 

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Week 1 (2) Special needs student progression 

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A ‘Small Wins’ Approach to Special Ed Challenges

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A veteran teacher approached a severe special education challenge with an incremental strategy that led to big payoffs.

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The students behavior is slowly improved by "small wins", such as aiming for minimum aggressive behaviors rather than immediately none.

With a realistic approach, the student quickly showed improvement seen by other teachers.

The students anger issues are accepted and acknowledged, instead of completing shutting down a behavior that cannot be immediately fixed.

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The article includes step-by-step instructions on how to implement educational games in the classroom. Encouraging educators to play the games themselves before introducing it to students. What are the benefits? Is the game simple or does it use extra brain power? Will the students enjoy it?

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Fun and Educational Games to Play in the Classroom

Whether you're looking for different teaching strategies or ways to keep your students engaged, consider adding exciting educational games to strengthen your curriculum. Educational games are highly effective at keeping students motivated. They're also excellent at developing skills for communication, dealing with failure and critical thinking.

Here, you'll discover nine fun games to play at school and how each can benefit your students.

Read the full article or jump to a specific section:

How to Incorporate Games in Schools

Take the following steps to help incorporate learning games into your school classroom.

1. Have a Plan

The first step to using games in your lessons is to have a plan. Without one, there's no telling what might unravel. Maintain control of your classroom by creating a strategy.

Before designing your game, decide its purpose. Some examples include the following.

Intervention: Some students may have a hard time grasping new information. When you notice weak spots in your curriculum, strengthen them by playing educational classroom games.

Enrichment: Account for different student learning styles with games designed to play to them.

Reinforcement: Students love having fun in class. Strengthen your curriculum by adding games to reinforce key concepts.

Once you decide what you want your game to do, you can make one from scratch or consider the games listed later in this post. Games are ideal teaching methods because you can manipulate questions or tasks to complement your classroom's demographics and curriculum.

2. Play the Game Yourself

Identify any of your game's flaws by playing it in a walkthrough. Ask yourself:

How much control do you have?

How well does the game correspond with the curriculum?

Is the game easy to comprehend?

Will the students enjoy playing it?

The last thing you want is to have your students play the game and run into an avoidable problem or realize the game adds little value to your students' learning. Testing the game before playing with the class can help smooth out any bumps.

3. Assess the Game's Effectiveness

Once you've played the game with your students, consider the results and make changes for the future. Think about the game's strengths and weaknesses. Consider asking your students what they thought, as their feedback is invaluable. After playing a few times, you may start falling into a rhythm and seeing more student success.

Why Use Games in Your Classroom?

Students want to play games, and you've likely experienced moments where your class asks you if they can do something fun. There are many reasons to use games in your classroom, including the following.

Higher motivation: Students deserve a break from routine worksheets or quizzes. Shaking up the status quo by playing an educational game increases students' overall motivation. They may be more willing to learn, pay attention and participate in fun games.

More peer engagement: School-aged students are learning how to interact with their peers. Games help students feel like they're part of a team, as most games are cooperative with large or small groups. Students can support their groupmates during games. They learn valuable social skills like taking turns, respecting others, listening and playing fairly. Games also initiate a healthy level of competition, which fuels students' willingness to learn and win.

Increased learning engagement: Students need to pay attention when playing games, which helps them stay focused and engaged during class. Student engagement allows students to absorb more learning concepts from your game. Worksheets aren't always interesting. But games incorporate different fine and gross motor movements and group-based learning that inspire students to learn.

A more welcoming environment: Some students may feel more comfortable in the classroom than others. Having fun at school can put students at ease with each other. Organizing learning games can also help students get used to having you as their teacher. When you reveal a more casual side of your personality during a game, you show your students you enjoy spending time with them. You can also use games to welcome students back to the classroom after being away, like over a holiday break.

Activities for all learning styles: Some students learn best by listening to a lecture, while others gain more knowledge by participating in hands-on activities. There are four primary learning styles, and most people learn best in one particular way. Incorporating games into your classroom allows you to cater to every learning style and boost your students' ability to retain your lessons. Include a different type of game in each unit you cover to help students grasp the concepts more readily.

Greater creative expression: Classroom games also allow students to exercise their creativity and think outside the box. Many classroom games require creativity, whether through problem-solving or artistic skill. Getting kids to work toward a goal that requires them to innovate gives them a chance to express themselves, experiment and find new solutions to problems.

Benefits of Games for Kids' Development

Your students can benefit from educational games in the following ways.

1. Lower Stress Levels

While tools like worksheets, lectures and exams play a pivotal role in classrooms, they can also be anxiety-inducing for some students. Games provide kids a healthy break from stressful learning.

Games can promote positivity and improve self-esteem - lessening stress levels and creating a positive perception of learning. They can be equally beneficial as worksheets, lectures and exams. Games allow students to demonstrate their understanding of a topic in a different format.

2. Increased Memory

Games stimulate students' brains. They require students to remember details, use their memory to recall lectures and think and act quickly. Brain games - that is, games that make you think - are mentally stimulating and help sharpen processing speed, decision making, short-term memory and planning skills.

3. New Skill Development

School-aged kids are learning many skills, including:

Hand-eye coordination

Endurance

Balance

Fine motor skills

Reading concepts

Dealing with failure

Body awareness

Peer interaction and acceptance

Games help students tap into and develop these skills. Various games benefit students in different ways. For example, group-based games, like Jeopardy, allow students to work on peer interaction. Motor games, like Thumb Ball, strengthen students' hand-eye coordination and fine motor skills.

What Educational Games Can You Play in a Classroom?

Educational games are versatile in the classroom, and there's no shortage of games to play. Check out these examples of games to play in class with your students.

1. Jeopardy

If you've ever seen the quiz-style game show "Jeopardy!", you're likely familiar with this concept. It's a point-based question-and-answer game your students will love. This game also teaches kids how to work together to reach a goal.

To play, you'll need a computer and a projector. Students can stay in their seats and view the game on the screen. To make preparation easier, look for templates online. Each question has a point value from 100 to 500, with the highest point value being the hardest question to answer.

Divide your classroom into teams - three is ideal, but you can adjust depending on your class size. Display the Jeopardy board on your screen projector. Choose a starting team and allow them to pick a topic and question difficulty. Click the corresponding question and read it aloud.

Give your students 30 seconds to answer the question. If they get it wrong or can't answer, deduct the points from their score. Then, pass the question to the next team. If they get it correct, add the points to their score. The team with the highest score at the end wins.

2. Bingo

Bingo is a single-player game that encourages students to think fast. Preparation for Bingo involves creating individual boards with different or rearranged content. Bingo boards are five-by-five grids with 25 separate slots. Each slot should hold a number, word or image that corresponds with your learning concept. The middle spot is usually a free space.

If you're a math teacher teaching addition, each slot could contain a number. Then, speaking to the entire class, ask students to mark off the number that solves, "What is 2 plus 8?" If a student has the number 10 on their board, they mark the slot. If you teach a different subject, provide hints for the words in each slot that students must guess to mark.

Students win by completing a five-slot vertical, horizontal or diagonal line and shouting "bingo!" Keep track of which words or concepts you described because if a student marked the wrong one, they have to remove the marker. Reward students with incentives like candy, bonus points or other meaningful prizes when they win.

3. Headbands

Headbands is a game requiring students to work with peers and use their critical thinking skills. To play, all you'll need is a pad of sticky notes and a pen. Write your lesson's vocabulary words on sticky notes and place each one on your students' foreheads. Students should not look at their sticky notes. This game is best for older students, because younger ones may be more likely to look.

Though Headbands is a single-player game, players rely on their peers to solve their sticky notes. Students walk around the classroom and talk to other students, and both provide each other keywords to help identify the vocabulary words on their sticky notes.

For example, say your class is learning about U.S. presidents. If one student has Abraham Lincoln, their peer may use keywords like "16th president," "1861," "the Emancipation Proclamation" and more. Keep playing until the last person identifies their vocabulary word.

4. Thumb Ball

Thumb Ball is a fun group-based game that takes as little as 15 minutes to play. All you need is a marker and an inflatable beach ball. Prepare your classroom by clearing a space for all your students to sit in a circle. Then, before class starts, write multiple questions on each colored section of your beach ball.

Arrange students in a circle when you're ready to play. Start by throwing the ball to a student. When they catch it, instruct them to answer the question in the section their right thumb is touching. If a student drops the ball, have them throw it to someone else. Continue the game until everyone has the opportunity to answer a question.

Thumb Ball is especially fun for younger students who are practicing hand-eye coordination and fine and gross motor skills.

5. Marshmallow-and-Toothpick Challenge

The Marshmallow-and-Toothpick Challenge is a great warmup activity to get students thinking critically. For this challenge, you'll need a few packages of marshmallows and toothpicks. Because toothpicks can be a safety hazard, this game is better for older school-aged kids.

Prepare students for the Marshmallow-and-Toothpick Challenge by separating them into groups of four to five. Pass out an equal amount of marshmallows and toothpicks. The more you distribute, the longer the challenge will take.

Instruct groups to make the tallest, largest or most creative marshmallow-toothpick structure. Give them a reasonable amount of time to complete, around 10 to 20 minutes. Once done, allow students to walk around the classroom, look at other groups' structures and vote on a winner.

The Marshmallow-and-Toothpick Challenge allows students to practice creativity and social skills.

6. Casino

Casino is a sentence-structure-based game your students will love. For this game, you'll need a whiteboard and fake money. This game is group-based and competitive, with groups working against each other to have the most money at the end.

Write a sentence on the board with one or multiple errors. Then, give teams a few minutes to discuss their ideas on which part or parts of the sentence are incorrect. Once groups have collaborated, have each team individually identify the errors and make wagers based on how confident they are.

Students who are correct get their money back, and students who were wrong do not. Continue the game until one group runs out of money.

7. Dictionary

Dictionary is a vocabulary-based game that requires some creativity. To play, all your students will need is a dictionary and a piece of paper. This game will take about 15 to 20 minutes to complete, making it great for active warmups!

Separate students into groups of three or four. Give each group a word and have them use the dictionary to define it. Have them write the definition in their words on a piece of paper. Along with the real definition, have students come up with two fake ones.

Once all groups have finished, invite one at a time to share their word. The presenting group should list all three definitions and have the others try to guess the right definition. The group that can trick others into guessing the wrong definitions win.

Playing Dictionary is excellent when introducing new vocabulary or reviewing vocabulary from the last class.

8. Charades

One of the most fun games to play in school might be charades. Charades is an excellent activity for getting kids out of their chairs and moving their bodies. In charades, players take turns pantomiming different words until their team can correctly guess what they're acting out. All you'll need to play this game is a stack of index cards. You can play charades as an entire classroom or separate students into four or five teams.

Write a list of words related to your lesson on the index cards. To play with the entire class, place the cards on a desk at the front of the room and have students come up individually to read the card. Then, the student must act out whatever is on the card for the rest of the class to guess. The catch is that they can't use words while they act!

Students can raise their hands or shout their guesses about what the performer is trying to portray. Whoever guesses correctly gets to act out the next word. If you're playing charades in groups, you can assign each group a stack of index cards with the same terms and concepts. Then, each team has to race to be the first to guess all the words correctly.

9. Pictionary

This classic game helps kids who learn visually and challenges all students to connect with their creative side. This game is also an excellent choice for review days and works best with words or concepts that are easy to visualize. This game might also be better for older students with more artistic experience.

Divide your classroom into three or four groups for this game. Depending on the resources available, give each group a pad of paper and a pencil or a whiteboard and marker. Pick one student from each group to be the artist for the round. Make a list of words from your lesson and whisper them to each artist or show it to them on a piece of paper.

Then, start a timer and let the drawing begin! The artist must draw the word without speaking while their teammates try to correctly guess it before the time runs out. The first team to correctly guess is the winner.

Bonus - Student-Made Games

If you have a class period to spare, consider challenging your students to create a brand-new game. This challenge requires a deep dive into the curriculum, making it an excellent exercise when reviewing a chapter or preparing for an exam. Students also tap into other skills, like how to maneuver around mistakes using trial and error.

Making original games takes time. Students have to review class content, create game objectives and roles and determine how to win the game. Because of these steps, dedicate a class period for students to make and share their games. After every student gets the opportunity to present, have the class vote on which game they'd like to play. Plan a day where you can play the winning student's game.

Take the Game Outside Using Miracle® Recreation Playground Equipment

Bring the game-based learning outside for even more engaging fun. Miracle Recreation is one of the most reputable global playground equipment manufacturers. We design playgrounds for many organizations, including schools.

Learn more about what our products can do for your students by visiting our product page. Have any questions? We'd love to answer them. Contact us or speak to your local representative today.

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Fun and Educational Games to Play in the Classroom

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Games are great to keep students engaged - why not make them both fun and educational? Here are seven great games for your curriculum today!

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Asking educators to see how they feel about the games from a students perspective, how would it help and how wouldn't it?

Emphasizing peer engagement amongst students

Encouraging creativity as well as allowing students to enjoy learning

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The article provides parents (and possibly teachers) with a way to effectively communicate with children in a way that helps them read while taking into account speech and language problems. Different techniques as well as tutorials on how to impliment them are provided within the article.

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Week 1 (4) Reading with students with speech and language problems

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Week 1 (4) Reading with students with speech and language problems

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You are welcome to print copies for non-commercial use, or a limited number for educational purposes, as long as credit is given to Reading Rockets and the author(s). For commercial use, please contact the author or publisher listed.

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Reading Together: Tips for Parents of Children with Speech and Language Problems

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Children with speech and language problems may have trouble sharing their thoughts with words or gestures. They may also have a hard time saying words clearly and understanding spoken or written language. Reading to your child and having her name objects in a book or read aloud to you can strengthen her speech and language skills.

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Encouragement of book discussion in a way that interests the child, for example "why do you think this?" or "what was your favorite part?"

Provision of recommended books for children with speech disabilities by age.

Resources are provided for parents who believe their child may have a speech disorder or children who have already been diagnosed.

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The article is written by a person with ADHD who was labeled as a child by teachers because of it. They later went on to become an educator themselves and share their own perspective on how to effectively work with children who have ADHD, they explain how to help students academically as well as mentally.

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An educator with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder shares simple strategies for supporting students with this learning difference.

monkeybusinessimages / iStock

When I was growing up, I often heard family members, teachers, relatives, and even friends imply or say outright that I was lazy. Many said things teasingly, but others would admonish in frustration or judgment. As a child and teenager, I worked hard to hide what I considered failures. I was ashamed that I couldn't keep up or get my work done on time and embarrassed when I lost homework or accidentally left things at home.

Now I know what I didn't then. I have attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder-ADHD. I was not, and still am not, lazy. I have a disorder that is very often overlooked or undiagnosed in children (and especially girls) that causes me to struggle with executive functioning and self-regulation skills such as self-motivation, time management, forgetfulness, difficulty sustaining attention and completing tasks, and difficulty planning.

Luckily, I tended to score high enough on tests that my ADHD didn't derail my academics. Unfortunately, fixing the damage to my self-esteem and self-image is still a work in progress.

As an educator, I've seen many students with diagnosed or suspected ADHD struggle academically due to the consequences of the disorder. What makes the struggle even harder is when teachers and other educators fail to intervene in positive, research-based ways to help.

Labels like "lazy" don't help anyone. These kinds of labels are, instead, character judgments that don't explain why students exhibit behaviors. What can help, instead, is getting to the root of the problem and building up the student's belief and confidence in themselves.

Getting to the Root of the Problem

Before applying a potentially harmful label to a student, analyze the specific behavior(s) the student displays. Do they avoid starting tasks? Is it mostly in one subject ( writing is a struggle for more than half of students with ADHD)? Do they start tasks but get easily frustrated and give up, or begin causing distractions? How long has the behavior been going on-weeks? months? years? Ask a lot of questions, and leave the emotion out of it. Be open to the possibility that there is more going on than you might think.

Another option is to do a 20-to-30-minute observation of the student when the behaviors usually occur. Using any observation form, such as this one from the Iris Center, or even a blank piece of paper, note the beginning time as well as the setting of the observation. Then, describe what the student does and says factually without making any assumptions about why.

If it's too hard to keep your emotions or opinions out of this process, try bringing in a colleague who doesn't know the student to give an unbiased observation. This is very similar to what many schools use for a functional behavioral assessment (FBA) in their Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS). This kind of observation can also be beneficial for teachers trying to support students with behaviors that are preventing them from learning even if they don't qualify for their school's MTSS program.

Once you've clearly defined the behaviors, explore possible causes. Maslow theorized that all human behavior begins with a motivation to meet certain needs. Students, even neurodivergent students, are no different. However, the needs they're seeking to fulfill may be different than those of neurotypical students. Are there gaps in knowledge and skills that may be causing the student to avoid the unpleasant or embarrassing experience of admitting they don't know how to do something? Could they be acting out due to frustration or anxiety over their academic struggles?

ADHD, along with other learning differences, can often cause students to avoid nonpreferred tasks at all costs, leading to sometimes severe behaviors. The student's historical data can be very helpful at this point. Look for clues and trends in the student's scores in a variety of areas, starting with overall scores, and then dig deeper into individual domains, skills, and benchmarks. If you can identify specific areas of weakness, you can create a plan to address them.

Building Up Student Self-Esteem

One example of a behavior that teachers might mistake for laziness is students starting tasks but failing to sustain the attention needed to complete them. They also often misplace their work or forget to turn it in. Sometimes, the work may even be complete but just never left the backpack. If the root issue is ADHD, no amount of telling the student, "Remember to turn your work in" or "Don't forget to complete your homework," is going to fix the problem.

Dr. Russell Barkley advises that anyone wanting to help change the behavior of someone with ADHD must intervene at the point of performance-the immediate time when the behavior would typically be triggered. He lists clear steps to take to put guardrails in place for certain ADHD behaviors. For many students already struggling with low self-esteem, anxiety, and depression due to their ADHD or academic deficits stemming from their ADHD, however, it will take more than tips and strategies to overcome the issue. It will take building the student's belief in themselves as well as helping them develop an understanding of how their brain works (metacognition).

The first step to helping struggling students develop self-esteem is eliminating negative talk and questioning about why they forgot something or didn't do some task. Believe me, ADHD students don't know why, so continuing to ask only makes them feel worse about themselves than they already do.

Second, use sincere, positive praise to reinforce to students that you believe in them. Encouragement, not flattery, works wonders when sincere. Phrases such as "I know this is hard, but I also know you can do it" or "I know how hard it is for you to get started writing, but you have such wonderful ideas. Tell me your ideas out loud first" acknowledge the student's challenges while instilling in them the amazing belief that someone is on their side and just gets it. For some ADHD students, it might be the first time a teacher has talked to them with empathy rather than exasperation or frustration.

When moving on to completing larger projects or tasks that span multiple days or weeks, work with the students to break down the task into steps with specific due dates and check-ins. To build motivation to complete each step, have them think of a way to reward themselves after completing each step. Teachers can start these conversations like this: "This is a big project that will take a lot of time to complete. I know I can get overwhelmed when I have something big to do. What helps me is to make a plan to do little parts, one at a time. We could make a checklist too."

The key to overcoming any challenge with ADHD students is to be sincere in your empathy as well as in your belief that the student can succeed. Communicate this belief to the student, and then make the student your partner in crafting a solution, showing them that you truly value their input.

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Positive, Intentional Supports for Students With ADHD

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An educator with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder shares simple strategies for supporting students with this learning difference.

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This blog provides 25 different instructional methods for teachers and the benefits of each one. They are also divided between different sections, such as group work and individual assignments.

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Instructional strategies refer to the techniques instructors use to deliver their lessons. Effective instructional strategies-also known as teaching strategies-help students become actively involved in the learning process. When done right, instructional strategies also support students in reaching their learning objectives.

By reading the guide below ( our downloading this free list of instructional strategies), you'll gain a solid understanding of the various types of teaching strategies, why they're important and how they can be applied to the learning process to benefit both professors and students.

In this guide, you'll:

Learn what instructional strategies are, and the various strategies educators can use to teach more effectively

Gain a deeper understanding of how instructional strategies for teachers-including formal and informal assessments, case studies, debates, flipped classrooms and more-play into the overall student learning experience

Get equipped to implement instructional strategies that are appropriate for your course in order to become more effective at teaching and engaging students

Get access to a free instructional strategies list, packed with 25 easy-to-implement exercises for your next course

With this collection of teaching strategies, you'll be ready to guide students towards success in any classroom setting. Plus, putting a few of these techniques into practice will ensure students come to class prepared to engage with the material, with their peers and with you.

1. What are instructional strategies?

Instructional strategies encompass any type of learning technique a teacher uses to help students learn or gain a better understanding of the course material. They allow teachers to make the learning experience more fun and practical and can also encourage students to take more of an active role in their education. The objective of using instructional strategies beyond subject comprehension is to create students who are independent, strategic learners. The hope is, with time and practice, students will be able to select the right strategies on their own and use them effectively to complete tasks.

There are various instructional strategy examples that can be used effectively at all levels and subject areas, with a wide range of learning styles. These learning strategies motivate students by improving their engagement, capturing their attention and encouraging them to focus on not only remembering course material, but truly understanding it.

Educators who use instructional strategies allow students to make meaningful connections between concepts learned in class and real-life situations. They offer an opportunity for students to demonstrate their knowledge and course correct on their own when needed. Teachers also benefit from using instructional strategies because they're able to better monitor and assess student performance through different methods of evaluation.

2. What's the difference between instructional strategies, teaching strategies, teaching techniques and teaching practices?

In the dynamic landscape of higher education, understanding the nuances between instructional strategies, teaching strategies, teaching techniques, and teaching practices is crucial for educators aiming to enhance their pedagogical approach. Instructional strategies encompass a broader framework, outlining the overarching plans and methods employed to facilitate learning. These strategies guide the selection of teaching methods and techniques, serving as the foundation for effective educational practices. On the other hand, teaching strategies delve into the specific approaches instructors use to convey information and engage students. These strategies act as the vehicles through which instructional goals are achieved, embracing diverse methodologies such as collaborative learning, active participation, and technology integration.

Zooming in further, teaching techniques are the tactical tools and methods employed within a specific teaching strategy. These are the hands-on practices educators implement to deliver content, foster understanding, and promote critical thinking. Examples include case studies, role-playing, and interactive discussions. Finally, teaching practices encompass the comprehensive application of instructional, teaching, and technical strategies in the classroom. It reflects the amalgamation of various methods tailored to the unique needs of learners and the subject matter. By dissecting these components, higher education professors can refine their pedagogical repertoire, fostering a rich and dynamic learning environment for their students.

3. Types of instructional or teaching strategies

There are far too many types of instructional or teaching strategies to catalog in one place. And there's no single, specific way to group them together. While the categories below are by no means exhaustive, instructional strategies often fall under general groupings. These include: active learning, assessment-based, group-based, advanced strategies, organizational (or classroom management) and tiered.

4. Active learning instructional strategies and teaching strategy examples

4.1. Exit tickets

Before students leave your learning environment, ask them to answer a question related to a key concept discussed in the lesson that day. They can write it down on a piece of paper or index card. Questions can be simple, like asking students what they found most interesting about the lesson. Or, they can be more complex, such as having them draw a sketch that demonstrates what they learned, or asking them to connect the key concept they learned to a real-life situation. Have students hand the 'tickets' to you as they exit (or have them submit a response to your discussion board), then review the responses.

The feedback can help educators determine which students need additional teaching in specific areas. Using this approach, teachers gain a quick understanding of how the whole class is grasping and reacting to the material.

Use the information from the exit tickets to form groups in the class that follows. Place students at similar levels of understanding, or who have similar views on a topic, together. Conversely, group students with opposing views together in order to foster debate and conversation. Learn more about the types of exit tickets you can use in your next course-download an exit ticket template here.

4.2. Flipped classrooms

Regardless of where you teach, flipping your classroom is one of the most popular forms of active learning and among the most well-known instructional strategies. Instead of using classroom time for lecturing, educators provide students with a pre-recorded lecture to watch prior to class. They're often concise, posted to sites like YouTube, or presented in the form of a podcast that students can listen to at home or during their commute. Educators can then use classroom time to engage students in learning activities related to the lecture they've already seen or heard.

Flipped classrooms are an effective teaching technique because they allow students to review and learn concepts on their own time. Students are then free to complete more interactive and collaborative work in class, including discussions and tasks with their peers and teacher. They can also collaborate and discuss material online, via forum discussions with peers and subject matter experts. In class, students can actively apply concepts via peer learning, group work, and presentations.

Flipped learning helps keep students continuously engaged in class instead of just passively listening. And it makes good use of downtime by allowing students to combine a workout or commute time with further learning, when it's most convenient for them. Built to enable this strategy, Top Hat makes it simple to adopt a flipped classroom -simply run quizzes prior to your lecture and create interactive discussions for students to collaborate during class time.
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4.3. Journals and learning logs

This instructional strategy lets students record their thoughts, feelings and reflections on a variety of topics. Journal entries could refer to something discussed in your lecture, or they can allow students to reflect on a relevant newspaper article or piece of media they came across. Journals can also be used for getting students to think critically about the course material and how it can be applied to the real world. This activity lets students make predictions, brainstorm ideas, connect ideas and even identify solutions to problems presented in class.

You might consider using the following prompts in advance of a journaling assignment to promote higher-level thinking. At the start of a lesson, you might ask, "What questions do you have from yesterday?" During the middle of a lesson, ask, "What do you want to know more about?" At the end of your lesson, ask, "How could you use these findings outside of class?" Encourage students to note any thoughts that come to mind at these three points. At the end of the semester, their journal can form the foundation of a more comprehensive study guide.

4.4. Minute papers

Pose a question about the day's teaching, and give students a moment to reflect before writing down their answer on their own or in pairs. The responses can provide valuable insight into student comprehension of the material.

Minute papers can be presented in a number of ways, but the easiest is a "ticket out," whereby educators wrap up class a few minutes early. (We saw this earlier in our instructional strategies list, under 'exit ticket'). They then ask students to answer what the most important thing they learned today was and what questions they still have. The first question requires students to think quickly, recall class material, decide on the main points, and put it into their own words. For the second, they must think further about what they've understood thus far.

Teachers can use the responses to determine how well students understand the material. Minute papers can also help students understand where their own learning gaps are. Once this is realized, both students and teachers can identify and address weaknesses.

4.5. Muddiest point

The 'muddiest point' is another active learning instructional strategy. This activity asks students to use index cards (or an app), to anonymously submit what part(s) of the course material they're having the most difficulty with. Educators can then use the responses to determine where extra instruction is needed and adjust lessons accordingly.

Alternatively, these topics can be addressed during student review sessions. Ask students to identify topics they feel they need clarification on and consolidate these into a list. Then get each student to select a term from the list they feel they can explain to the rest of the class.

Cross it off the list, and move on to the next. By the end, it will be easy to see which concepts students are having the most issues with by process of elimination. And if terms haven't been selected, they are being avoided for a reason. Naturally, students will pick the terms they are most comfortable with.

Use that information to devise more instructor-led sessions on the concepts that most students are confused about, or that require more clarification, to eventually complete the entire list.

4.6. Reflection

Hand out blank index cards or a pre-designed worksheet at the end of a class session and ask students to use them to submit a response to a question about the day's lesson. Alternatively, ask students to submit a discussion board response. The reflection prompt could be simple, like asking what they learned, or what they found the most interesting. Or, you can make your prompt more application-based, like asking them to connect what they learned to a real-life situation, or telling them to explain why what they learned is important.

The purpose of reflection is to encourage students to consider what they have learned. Like a number of other instructional strategies in this list, it also gives the teacher an idea of where students stand on a topic or issue so they can use this information to help better prepare for the next lesson. The added benefit is that having students express these thoughts on paper can result in better memory retention.

To drive this strategy in higher education, Top Hat's interactive discussions make it easy for students to reflect on what was covered in class. Allow students to discuss concepts with their peers, with the ability to grade discussions as desired.

4.7. Think-pair-share

This active learning technique is another of the best-known instructional strategies. After presenting a lesson, pause the lecture for a moment to ask students to pair up with a partner. Have them discuss the material they just learned. Prepare questions, and, once they've had some time to discuss with their partner(s), get students to take turns presenting their observations to the rest of the class.

Make the question challenging, such that it could spark debate between the grouped or paired students. Give them just a few minutes to talk amongst themselves and come to a collective conclusion.

Think-pair-share can work especially well for the first few lessons of a class, keeping students on their toes and interested in the material that is to come. But it can also help recapture student enthusiasm near the middle of a term, reminding students that they aren't alone in their learning and that others share their views or concerns, and that there are different perspectives to support an issue that are worth considering beyond their own.

5. Assessment-based instructional strategies

5.1. Assessment

One of the most used instructional strategies, assessments are considered any graded test, quiz, project, or exam. Informal checks of student progress throughout the year, such as discussions or presentations, can be included too. There are many different assessment-based instructional strategies (and a few follow in this group).

In general, there are various ways to run assessments and different ways to adapt them to class time. These include: asking certain groups of students to only complete specific parts of a test, allowing students to respond orally versus in writing, or asking students to demonstrate what they've learned in a more hands-on way, like building something or drawing a diagram.

The most critical thing to remember with assessments is to try and stay focused on evaluating the concept that's most important for the student to grasp. This might mean your assessments have to be more practical. Asking a student to put the learning to work and actually do something can be a far better indicator of what they know than simple written or oral answers.

One tip is to include test or quiz questions that vary in complexity, and focus on different aspects of a concept. You could include one question mandatory for responding, but allow students to choose which ones they want to answer among the remaining ones.
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5.2. Cubing

"Cubing" is a version of the above. It involves writing a command or question on each of the six sides of a cube, then having students roll the cube like a die and respond to the question or command accordingly.

The questions can relate to describing, comparing, contrasting, applying, predicting or imagining concepts. Get students even more involved in this cooperative learning activity by having them come up with their own questions that they then exchange with classmates, taking turns to answer.

Take it to another level by creating multiple cubes with questions of varying levels of complexity. Assign students to work in groups-have each group of students write or dictate their answers to the questions on their cube. Use the data to determine which students should work on which concepts come assignment time.

5.3. Grade as you go

This instructional strategy is ideal for subjects that involve repetitive practices and rote memorization, such as mathematics and language. Have students work on assignments either alone or in pairs, checking and marking their work.

This teaching technique is motivational because students instantly know if they're on the right track, allowing them to gauge their achievement level. But it also helps students immediately correct something they're doing wrong. Once they identify the mistakes, they can translate that learning to subsequent questions, instead of completing the entire assignment incorrectly.

Instructional strategies such as 'Grade As You Go' also help educators pinpoint students who have a superior grasp of the material, allowing them to move on to a more challenging assignment.

By the time the assignment is completed, it's far more likely that the entire class will be ready to move on to the next concept or skill. And since grades have already been given, it reduces after-class grading time for teachers. Put this strategy into practice this fall by relying on the Top Hat Gradebook. This comprehensive tool lets you view attendance, participation and completion data in one place and makes it easy to retroactively adjust grade weights as needed.

5.4. Homework practice

The purpose of homework, as one of the numerous assessment-based instructional strategies, is to extend learning beyond the classroom setting. Homework gives students extra time to master concepts studied in class and further refine their learning. To use this effectively, assign homework based on the student's skill level, ensuring it aligns with the areas they need more practice in.

The amount and complexity of homework varies depending on subject and level. Students should be able to complete homework independently, with minimal involvement from tutors or peers. If they can't, it should serve as a red flag to both the student and educator.

Built to enable this strategy, Top Hat makes it easy to create, personalize and assign interactive homework assignments. Choose from a variety of question types including fill-in-the-blank or multiple choice and embed discussion questions throughout your assessments.

5.5. Questions and quizzes

Question-asking is among the simplest of the instructional strategies, but it can still be strategically complex. The simplest way to gauge student understanding of course material is to ask them questions about it. During group discussions, pose several questions of varying complexity so that everyone has a chance to respond, including both those who are experiencing difficulties with the class, as well as those who are mastering the concepts. Strategically adjust the questions you ask based on who you plan to call upon. This helps build student confidence and ensures the class runs smoothly.

Timing is important, too. When the class starts, or there's a pause between concepts or topics, you can administer a quick quiz or poll to get an understanding of how far along students are in their learning. In order to effectively assess comprehension, it's best to not attach a grade to this activity. Students will inevitably worry if the quiz is going to impact their overall grade for the class. Platforms like can be used to facilitate informal games or trivia sessions at the start of class, setting the stage for what's to follow in your lecture.

Use technology like clickers to administer things like multiple choice quizzes that can be tabulated immediately for large classes, with questions that challenge or check an assumption before a lecture begins. Then, administer the same or a similar quiz at the end of class, and compare the results.

Educators can determine how effective the lesson was and see if they need to revisit the subject matter again, or can confidently move on to the next topic.

6. Group teaching techniques

6.1. Case studies

Case studies, as instructional strategies or teaching techniques, are more spontaneous than structured group projects. But this is a good thing. It helps prepare students for when they enter the workforce, where problem solving on the fly is an essential skill. In a practical work environment, students can't just do what they're told and expect to succeed. Case studies can help prepare them for life after college or university.

To use case studies, put students into groups and task them with finding a way to apply the knowledge they've acquired from reading course materials and listening to lectures into real-world scenarios that match your assigned content area(s).

In a classroom setting, working on case studies encourages students to think critically about what they've learned, not just recite points back to the class.

6.2. Debates

Instructional strategies like these work as a structured form of argumentation. Debates require students to research concepts and think critically in order to present their positions in a convincing and justifiable way.

Most fitting for concepts with opposing points of view, debates help students develop listening and presentation skills. Once presented in class, having a debate can also introduce new perspectives on topics, and convince students to conduct further research in order to build stronger arguments, or intelligently counter those of the opposing side.

6.3. Peer instruction

With the teacher's guidance, students can prepare and present course material in class, encouraging interaction with peers. Try to do this without the use of slides as an aid, so students have to communicate more with classmates and discover more creative ways to present the material.

It's best to do these kinds of student-led instructional strategies at the beginning of a class, so students can teach one another about what they know, sharing their knowledge and experiences that relate to course material.

6.4. Role play

The use of simulations and games in your instructional toolkit can give you a deeper look at the impact of learning, as well as demonstrate how students can invent and experiment with learned concepts. Role playing also offers students a chance to practice their interpersonal skills in an environment in which they are comfortable and familiar.

Having the opportunity to visualize, model or role play in dynamic situations promotes curiosity, exploration and problem solving. It can aid students in working towards a greater understanding of the material. The more ways that students have of representing the knowledge they've acquired beyond writing and oral explanation, the better their comprehension and recall of the information will be.

In math and science fields, for example, students can experiment with simulated projects that would otherwise be difficult or cost-prohibitive to do in real settings. Examples include: designing a model of a roller coaster to understand slopes, angles and speed; using a hard-boiled egg to demonstrate Newton's Law of Motion; or building a model volcano to understand what makes them erupt.

7. Teaching strategies examples for advanced students

7.1. Curriculum compacting

These instructional strategies encourage educators to identify students who already have advanced knowledge of a subject, skill or concept so they can spend less time on these areas. Curriculum compacting frees students up to focus more on the areas where they need to develop a greater understanding, versus concepts with which they're already proficient. It's ideal when working with individual students or small groups.

7.2. Independent study project

If students appear to be ahead of the class, assign them independent study projects. These projects should allow them to focus on a single concept around material discussed in class. They can also work on a separate but related topic for which they've expressed an interest or passion, making this an inquiry-based learning exercise.

Once the project is completed, the student can share what he or she learned with the class, demonstrating their mastery of the concept, and further educating the rest of the class on a specific area or example.

Independent study projects usually run anywhere from three to four weeks.

8. Organizational instructional strategies

8.1. Agendas

An agenda sets out a comprehensive list of the assignments, activities, projects and tests students are responsible for working on and completing throughout the year, along with a timeline for each. Students can decide how they want to complete the work and in what order. Do they want to focus on one area of learning for an entire week? Do they want to tackle the subject matter they're most comfortable with first, or start with more difficult concepts? In addition to encouraging students to come up with a structure they can follow, agendas help them practice time management skills.

To get going, provide each student with a blank calendar to fill in with their own schedule, ensuring they've organized work in order to meet assignment and project due dates. If different students are working on the same part of an assignment at the same time, consider allowing them to work together during class. Take on the role of a facilitator here, helping students set reasonable deadlines according to their needs.

8.2. Anchor activities

Also referred to as 'sponge' activities, anchor activities are assignments that students must work on immediately in order to maximize instruction time. They can complete these activities at the beginning of every class or right after, but the idea is to keep the learning and educational process going.

Anchor activities might include the student revisiting a question posed in the previous day's class and composing a response to it, or presenting and discussing an answer out loud to a partner. Another option could be drawing a picture to represent a concept they just learned, or writing down an opinion about a key issue. This instructional strategy for teachers can also be used to provide students with notes as a reference when they're studying for exams.

Be mindful of anchor activities that are simply 'busy work' to pass the time. Just as a sponge soaks up water, the goal of anchor activities is to help students soak up a better understanding of a concept or skill.

8.3. Knowledge charts

Before delving into a new topic or concept, have students submit what they already know, what they want to know and what they've learned already. Then, assess their prior knowledge on the subject, and get a feel for how interested they are in a topic.

Knowledge charts, as instructional tools, can also be used at various times to see how students are progressing, and if their interest in the topic is waning or growing. In filling out these graphic organizers, teachers can get an idea of where students are at academically. Students themselves can gauge their own progress and see where more work is needed.

8.4. Learning contracts

Another one of the several instructional strategies aimed at more advanced students is the learning contract. Use it to help students who need to be challenged by providing a specific assignment and list of directives that they must complete within a set period of time. Work with the student to set out the requirements of the contract, and provide a blank calendar they can use to devise a doable timeline, determining what dates and times they need in order to complete different parts of the assignment.

This is an effective instructional strategy to help students set their own learning goals and practice time management skills-both of which are useful in the working world. Once the contract and timeline are set, encourage students who are working on the same parts of the assignment at the same time to work together.

8.5. Portfolio development

Portfolios allow students to gather, organize and illustrate examples of their learning and academic achievements. Portfolio development is the process of creating, collecting, reflecting on and selecting work samples that best showcase students' understanding of a given concept. Once students select their top pieces that best represent their learning outcomes, they can then use a binder or scrapbook to organize their work.

Work samples kept in a portfolio might include notes from an interview, a diagram, storyboards, essays, infographics and more. Portfolio development is a necessary and effective process for most humanities and STEM majors. Art students can use a portfolio to curate their top pieces-whether paintings, drawings or photographs-at the end of the semester. Alternatively, students in architecture or engineering courses can use a portfolio to house mockups and wireframes of a new building or the parts of an engine. No two students' portfolios will include the same work since these differ based on discipline and course.

9. Tiered instructional strategies

9.1. Tiered activities

Set up three or four activities of varying complexity for students to participate in. Each should have the same common goal of helping students understand a specific element of the subject material. For example, it might be different experiments that all explain the basic concept of physics.

Start with a mid-level activity that would apply to most students in the class, then include one that's a step-up in difficulty to challenge students with a better understanding of the material. Alternatively, offer a simplified version for students who are still working to gain a full understanding of the concept.

Place students in groups based on their perceived level, or give a brief description of each of the assignments and let them choose which level they feel most comfortable working in. Once completed, discuss and compare the results.

By the end of this collaborative exercise, each group will have a greater understanding of the material. If students are able to choose which group they join, the teacher will also get a feel for the comfort level of each student.

9.2. Tiered rubrics

Present a couple of rubrics (scoring guides) to students, based on their current level, so they have the skills needed in order to better focus and be successful in class.

The rubrics should all contain the same basic categories, but the point value or required elements should be adjusted based on the student's readiness. For students equipped to take on greater challenges, add more categories or requirements. Conversely, remove some requirements and/or categories for students who need more assistance, or haven't quite grasped the material just yet.

10. Conclusion

In exploring various types of instructional strategies, you'll find that there's something to suit every type of student level, subject and lecture format. When applied effectively, instructional strategies for teaching can help students gain a deeper understanding of course material and encourage critical thinking, beyond basic retention and surface understanding. Educators, too, can benefit by using different teaching methods throughout the semester to determine the efficacy of lesson plans, and how every student is progressing through each concept.

instructional strategies guide , filled with 25 effective activities and best practices to use in any college course.

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Instructional Strategies: The Ultimate Guide for Professors

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Engage, assess and motivate students with these 25 easy-to-use teaching strategies for any discipline. Get started today!

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First-hand explanation as to why labeling children with learning disabilities is harmful.

Examples of how to effectively communicate with students who have ADHD

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Each section has multiple instructional methods

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Detailed step by step explanation on how to write a behavior support plan

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