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The Padlet is organised by various intervention needs.  Those interventions are colour coded.

White boxes contain information.

Purple: Learning-to-Learn (LtoL)

Pink: Relationships and Community

Yellow: Academic, Literacy, Language

Blue: SEL

Green: TIER 1

Scroll down for more on each intervention.

Note: The information follow a left to right, top to bottom format

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CIA FIRST Multi-Tiered System of Support

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CIA FIRST Multi-Tiered System of Support

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A multi-tiered system of support or MTSS is a framework with a tiered infrastructure that uses data to help match academic, social-emotional, and behaviour supports to directly meet the needs of the students.

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SEL & RP Guide - Back to School AY 22-23

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Intensive Support:  T1 and 2 Strategies have not been successful, the student requires more than accomodations, they also require modification to the curriculum.
The student needs more than one type of intervention or requires an individual learning schedule working with various specialists, homeroom and subject teachers, or has high needs that require higher levels of support or a more pointed action plan.

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Targeted Support:  Tier 1 strategies have not been successful (80% across more than one person/learning environment), there are specific skills the student could benefit from focusing on in some one-on-one sessions or to practice in group. The support is given by a specialist, and strategies shared in the classroom in order to transfer/generalise those skills in the classroom and beyond.

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Universal support:  Some differentiation and accommodations in the classroom in order to help all students meet the standards.

Homeroom teachers lead Tier 1, with some strategies shared by specialists to the teachers.

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Please sign up to get notifications, share your insights and add resources :)

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Teaching Practices-Proactive Practices-Relational Practices-Responsive Practices

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Parenting Resources, Activities, & Early Childhood Development Support- Sesame Workshop

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We’re the global nonprofit behind Sesame Street, harnessing the power of education, media, and research, reaching families in 190 countries so every child can grow up with the skills to thrive.

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Regulation in RP (Why learning brains need relational schools)

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Regulation in RP (Why learning brains need relational schools)

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Why Relational Schools? Why Learning  Brains Need Them. Relational Schools World eConference 2021

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Understanding the brain development to make a case for Restorative Practices as an alternative to Behaviour Development and School "Discipline"

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Understanding the brain development to make a case for Restorative Practices as an alternative to Behaviour Development and School "Discipline"

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Subscribe to IIRP News, the IIRP's bi-monthly newsletter.

Details

Written by Joshua Wachtel

Here's piece #3 in this continuing series on some of the great workshops I attended at IIRP's 15th World Conference. (I would note that some of the power points from various sessions have been posted on the IIRP web site - click here.)

Chuck Saufler, who is based in Maine, was a guidance counselor and now trains and consults with schools and communities. His focus, according to his Safe Schools for All web site, has been "to reduce bullying and peer aggression in children and adolescents through the implementation of restorative practices." His session at the conference, "Connecting Restorative School Practices to Brain Research and Bullying Prevention," struck me as significant for establishing a scientific foundation for certain aspects of restorative practices.

After introducing himself, Chuck showed a YouTube video demonstrating the "Still-face Experiment" (see video below). In this experiment, a mother of a child first demonstrates her child's full engagement when she talks to her, smiles, and responds with positive affective facial expressions. Then the mother turns on a dime and presents a nonreactive face to her child. The child tries every trick to get the mother to engage but then breaks down and cries. This set the keynote for Chuck's talk - how from a very young age we respond best when those we rely upon engage and connect with us.

Chuck said the video also demonstrates the concept of "affective resonance" - the fact that our brains mirror and respond to others and our surroundings. School climate, the feeling you get when you enter a school, therefore sets the brain in an attitude that has an impact on behavior as well as learning.

For those familiar with the social discipline window, Chuck presented an alternative model from the point of view of a person responding to the environment around them, resulting in various mental dispositions. In the NOT box - low support, low control - an individuals develops a "reactive, defensive" outlook. In the TO box (high control but low support) an authoritarian zone, a person will develop a posture of "anxious vigilance." Where things are done FOR a person (high support, low control) they will develop a "passive, enabled" outlook and seek attention through negative behaviors.

Chuck noted, "The brain is an anticipating machine," and that these outlooks establish what he called a "premature cognitive commitment." This means people can't really think but instead operate on autopilot with preset reactivity. He also said that when a person is threatened they cannot focus. It is only in the WITH box, the restorative range, that a person can adopt and maintain a disposition of "relaxed alertness" necessary for quality study and learning.

Chuck spoke of one research report after another, tying together various strands of research to build his case for restorative practices as an antidote to many problems faced in schools, from bullying to poor academic performance. He talked about a study - the Youth Voice Project - that interviewed 13,000 students to talk about bullying from their own perspective. Chuck discussed a report called the Wingspread declaration (2004) which related school connectedness to academic success. He mentioned a DANA Foundation report that made a case for the positive effect of the arts in schools. I believe he implied that the arts help students get in touch with their emotions, which is a crucial component of restorative practices.

I like that Chuck littered his talk with so many useful strands of information and leads, including books, articles and web sites. He didn't have time - just 50 minutes - to go in depth into all this information. But I thought the effect was positive, in that Chuck wasn't doing the work "for" us, but rather giving us a lot of leads we could followup on ourselves.

Part of why I found the whole talk so fascinating was because I believe RP requires an empirical foundation which can help act as a unifying force from which to reach out into the widest variety of fields.

A piece by Chuck titled "School Climate, the Brain and Connection to School" can be downloaded here (PDF).

The slideshow from this presentation can be downloaded here (PDF).

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Connecting the dots between brain research & restorative practices | News

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Here's piece #3 in this continuing series on some of the great workshops I attended at IIRP's 15th World Conference. (I would note that some of the power points from various sessions have been posted on the IIRP web site - click here.) Chuck Saufler,...

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ABLe maps mindmanager learning environment newest.mmap

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Content Control ModeLimited Editing (Click for Details)

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"The goals of MTSS are to ensure that all students have access to the instruction and interventions they need to be successful, as well as to improve special education identification/referral practices.
This is particularly important for ELLs (English Language Learners) who are sometimes placed mistakenly in special education classes (over-identification) or whose learning differences are overlooked because they are learning a new language (under-identification).
MTSS can offer a roadmap for problem-solving and finding the appropriate approach for each student."

3-tiered system:

Tier 1: Core instruction – ensures all students access to the general education curriculum

Tier 2: Targeted group interventions – provides strategic interventions

Tier 3: Individual intensive interventions  – provides intensive intervention for students who are not at grade level or who are struggling

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Examples and explanations (Click on link)

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Differentiating learning can be enabled by differentiating the teaching approach to content, process, product and the learning environment.

Deciding what to differentiate

Teachers can differentiate classroom elements in relation to student needs.

Differentiating by classroom elements

Classroom elements which can be differentiated include content, process, product and learning environment.

Differentiating content

All students need to be given access to the same core content and taught the same big ideas and concepts. Content includes:

what the teacher plans for students to learn

how the students gain access to the desired knowledge, understanding and skills.

Differentiating access to content involves adjusting the degree of complexity. For example, if the learning goal/ intention is for all students to write persuasive paragraphs, some of the students may be learning to use a topic sentence and supporting details, while others may be learning to use outside sources to justify their viewpoint.

Process can be thought of as the learning experiences that are designed to help students make sense of, understand and use the content. An effective learning experience involves students in using an essential skill to come to an understanding about a critical idea and is clearly focused on a learning intention/goal. For example, one student may independently explore a topic while another may collaboratively work on a task with others.

Differentiating product

Product refers to the artifact/ item a student can use to demonstrate their knowledge understanding and skills. A good product allows students to:

apply what they can do

extend their understanding and skill

become involved in critical and creative thinking

reflect on what they have learned.

For example, to demonstrate understanding of the plot of a story one student may create a skit while another student writes a book report.

Differentiating the learning environment

Learning environment refers to the way the classroom works and feels. When differentiating the learning environment the teacher considers the students' 'environmental' preferences. For example, some students need lots of work space, some need a quiet area, some like to engage in discussions, some like to work alone.

Differentiating access to content

Content includes curriculum topics, concepts, or themes. It reflects the prescribed standards, state or national, and presents essential facts and skills.

Differentiating content involves:

providing students with choices in order to add depth to learning

providing students with additional resources that match their levels of understanding.

To differentiate content:

use pre-assessment to determine where students need to begin, then match them with appropriate activities, such as:

student/ teacher conference

a short 5 minute talk

K-N-W chart

What do I Know, Need to know & Want to know

journal

write what you know about...

List - If I say ... What does it make you think of?

concept map

pre-test

student reflection

use 'hands on' activities for some learners to help them understand a new idea

use texts or novels at more than one reading level

present information through both whole-to-part and part-to-whole

use a variety of reading-buddy arrangements to support and challenge students when working with different texts

re-teach students who need further demonstration or exempt students who already demonstrate mastery from reading a chapter or sitting through a re-teaching lesson

use texts, computer programs, tape recordings and videos as a way of conveying key concepts to varied learners

use Bloom's Taxonomy to encourage thinking about content at several levels.

Differentiating process refers to how students make sense or understand the information, ideas and skills being studied. It reflects student learning styles and preferences.

Differentiating process involves:

providing varied options at different levels of difficulty or based on differing student interests

offering different amounts of teacher and student support for a task

giving choices about how students express their understanding

varying the learning process depending upon how students learn.

To differentiate process:

use tiered activities through which all learners work on building the same important understandings and skills but proceed with different levels of support, challenge or complexity

provide interest centres that encourage students to explore subsets of class topics that are of particular interest to them

develop personal agendas (task lists written by the teacher and containing both 'common' work for the whole class and work that addresses the individual needs of learners) to be completed either during specified 'agenda time' or if students complete core work ahead of time

offer 'hands-on' supports for students who need them

vary the length of time a student may take to complete a task in order to provide additional support for a struggling learner or to encourage an advanced learner to pursue a topic in greater depth

provide access to a variety of materials that target different learning preferences and readiness

develop activities that target auditory, visual and kinaesthetic learners

establish areas/stations for inquiry-based, independent activities

use flexible grouping to group and regroup students, for example according to content, ability, interests.

Differentiating product

Product tends to be tangible items, such as reports, tests, brochures, speeches or performances, and reflects student understanding.

Differentiating product involves:

providing challenge, variety and choice

giving students options about how to express required learning, for example, create a puppet show, write a letter or develop an annotated diagram.

To differentiate product:

allow students to help design products around learning goals/ intentions

encourage students to express what they have learned in varied ways

allow for varied working arrangements - alone, with a group

provide or encourage the use of varied types of resources in preparing products

provide product assignments at varying degrees of difficulty to match student readiness

use a wide variety of assessments

work with students to develop rubrics that match and extend students' varied skill levels

use a continuum:

simple to complex

less independent to more independent

clearly defined to 'fuzzy' problems.

Differentiating the learning environment

The learning environment is the 'climate' of a classroom. It includes the operation and tone of the classroom, including class rules, furniture arrangement, lighting, procedures and processes.

Differentiating the learning environment involves:

considering the look and feel of the classroom

providing a safe and positive environment for learning

allowing for individual work preferences

managing the learning space.

To differentiate the learning environment:

make sure there are places in the room to work quietly and without distraction as well as places that
invite student collaboration

provide materials that reflect a variety of cultures and home settings

set out clear guidelines for independent work that matches individual needs

develop routines that allow students to get help when teachers are busy with other students and cannot help them immediately

help students understand that some learners need to move around to learn while others do better sitting quietly

vary the places where learning occurs, for example the lab or outside

use alternative seating

identify classroom management procedures that would make the learning environment safe or more
supportive.

Differentiating by student needs

Teachers can differentiate according to student needs or characteristics, as students differ in:

their readiness to work with a particular idea or skill at a given time

their interest in pursuits or topics

their learning profiles which may be shaped by learning style, group and environmental preferences.

When a teacher differentiates, the 3 factors to consider individually or in combination are:

Readiness: readiness refers to the skill level and background knowledge of the student. Teachers use diagnostic assessments to determine a students' readiness.

Interest: interest refers to topics that students may want to explore or that will motivate them. Teachers can ask students about their outside interests and even include these in their planning processes.

Learning profile: students' learning profile includes learning style (for example, is the student a visual, auditory, tactile or kinaesthetic learner?), grouping preferences (for example, does the student work best individually, with a partner or in a large group?) and environmental preferences (for example, does the student need lots of space or a quiet area to work?).

References

Tomlinson, C. A., & Allan, S. D. (2000). Leadership for Differentiating Schools and Classrooms.

Learn more

Department resources

Other resources

NESA - NSW Education Standards Authority (opens in a new window)

AITSL - Australian Institute of Teaching and School Leadership (opens in a new window).

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Differentiating learning can be enabled by differentiating the teaching approach to content, process, product and the learning environment. Deciding what to differentiate Teachers can differentiate classroom elements in relation to student needs. Differentiating by classroom elements Classroom elements which can be differentiated include content, process, product and learning environment.

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Using visuals or visual schedules can help some learners prepare their day ahead, be aware of the materials they need to be ready for the next activity, as well as take away some of the uncertainty. It helps keep them on track.

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Cox, R. & Boswell, S. (1999). Checklist for the individualization of visual schedules. TEACCH Level 1 Seminar.

Garretson, H., Fein, D., & Waterhouse, L. (1990). Sustained attention in children with autism. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 20, 101-114.

Green, G. (2001). Behavior analytic instruction for learners with autism: Advances in stimulus control technology. Focus on Autism and Other Developmental Disabilities, 16, 72-85.

Mesibov, G., Shea, V., & Schopler, E. (2005). The TEACCH approach to autism spectrum disorders. New York: Plenum Press.

Quill, K. (1997). Instructional considerations for young children with autism: The rationale for visually cued instruction. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 27, 697-714.

The Picture Communication Symbols©19812005 by Mayer Johnson LLC. All Rights Reserved Worldwide. Used with permission. Credit to Division TEACCH for several photos.

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A visual schedule communicates the sequence of upcoming activities or events through the use of objects, photographs, icons, or words. Find out how to set up visual schedules in your classroom to support your students with ASD.

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LtoL Organisation: Visual Schedule Ideas (KES)

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LtoL Organisation: Visual Schedule Ideas (KES)

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Ideas for Teaching the Use of Visual Schedules

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There’s nothing more depressing to us than walking into a classroom in the spring and seeing pristine visual schedules. Why? Because it probably means that the students aren’t really using them. We…

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LtoL: Learning-to-Learn (Organised in Purple)

Time management

Planning and organisation of work

Breaking tasks down into manageable chunks

Starting tasks

Remaining on-task

Work output

Effective note taking

Metacognition

Self-Monitoring

Problem solving

Critical thinking

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SEL: Social-Emotional Learning (organised in Blue)
- Self-awareness
- Self-management
- Social-awareness
- Relationship Skills
- Responsible Decision Making

For more resources, check the SEL & RP For Teachers Folder on Drive, shared with you at Orientation.

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Multi Lingual Learning (MLL- Focus on Language)

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Multi Lingual Learning (MLL- Focus on Language)

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Language: all 4 domains of academic language (organised in yellow)
Reading
Writing
Speaking
Listening

Literacy: Reading, Writing, Phonics, Decoding

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Short brain breaks during work time have been shown to reduce stress, anxiety, and frustration.
They can help kids focus and be more productive and can also help kids learn to self-regulate and be more aware of when they’re getting fed up or losing track of what they’re doing.  (more info: https://www.understood.org/en/articles/brain-breaks-what-you-need-to-know)

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"It's time to do homework." 😱

This simple phrase is often dreaded by kids and parents. And it's understandable.

With so many changes this year, including much more learning from home, parents want to stay involved in their children's education more than ever. But spending too much time on homework only seems to lead to distraction, frustration or exhaustion (or all of the above).

It might feel like a constant battle, and homework stress can lead to burnout and anxiety for kids if you're not careful.

That's why brain breaks for kids are so important for reducing stress and keeping kids motivated to learn!

But first, what is a brain break?

What are brain breaks for kids?

Brain breaks are mental breaks kids can take in between learning tasks.

They're often used at school during class time, or at home during homework time. These activities can be active or relaxing, depending what's needed for each child.

Photo by Ketut Subiyanto

The purpose of brain breaks is to switch neural activity to different networks.

When kids are working, most of their energy goes to specific parts of the brain that are used for attention and critical thinking. Brain breaks reset these areas to reduce stress and improve learning when kids return to task.

Brain breaks often focus on physical movement, mindfulness or sensory activities. These activities stimulate other areas of the brain that are equally important, but aren't used as much when kids are working and learning.

Most importantly, brain breaks are:

1. Short - Around 3-5 minutes is optimal.

2. Pre-planned - Kids know they're coming and can look forward to them.

Want to help your child learn in a fun and engaging way?

Prodigy - the game-based math platform used by millions of students - can help get your child excited to practice math.

As your child embarks on their learning journey, use your parent account (which you can create for free) to support their learning progress and promote a growth mindset - all while they enjoy new virtual adventures and explore exciting worlds. They'll have so much fun playing the game, they won't even realize how much they're actually learning.

Plus, you can engage your child even more with a Premium Membership that unlocks extra features to make the game even more fun (and includes amazing benefits for parents, too).

Start inspiring and motivating your child today!
Create or log in to your account
37 Brain break activities for kids to try

Use these brain break ideas to build up a list of activities you can pull from. Whether your child is in elementary, middle or high school, you can find an activity that works for them to break up the school day or homework sessions.

Physical brain breaks for kids

These brain breaks get kids up and moving. Help your child burn off some energy so they can stay focused when working by taking movement breaks between lessons.

1. Dancing

Encourage your child to get up and groove and do a brain break dance party. Take a quick dance break together, or even have a dance-off (singing along is also highly recommended).

A fun variation on the dance idea is trying out freeze dance, where kids have to freeze when the music stops.

2. Action songs

Action songs are unique dance breaks that provide exact instructions for what to do. Kids have tons of fun following along with the moves and learning each of the songs.

3. Cardio

Do some fun physical activities that get the heart pumping. Try alternating between exercises like jumping jacks, skipping and jogging in place.

Or throw on a kid-friendly video and learn a new workout together!

4. Balloon volleyball

All you need for this brain break is a balloon! Choose one in your child's favorite color, then take turns passing it back and forth without letting it touch the ground.

For a challenge, add an extra balloon and see if you can pass them both at the same time.

5. Exercise ball

If you have an exercise ball handy, give your child a few minutes to sit and bounce. This is a super easy and fun way to quickly get some excess energy out.

6. Brain tricks

Try some action-based brain tricks with your child. For example, have them try to pat their head while rubbing their stomach, blink one eye while snapping with the opposite hand, or anything else you can think of!

This brain break is a fun way to challenge your child and help them develop important coordination skills.

7. Act like...

A fun way to engage kids is to give them different scenarios to act out. See how many they can do in 3 minutes. Then get them to give you scenarios so you can show off your acting skills, too!
Try asking them to act like:

They're driving a car

They're blowing bubbles

A bee is flying around them

They just met their favorite singer

8. Simon says

This classic action game is a fun brain break that also requires good listening skills. Create your own game or play a video version for your child.

9. Animal actions

Use dice or a spinner to choose random animals, then ask your child to act like that animal. You can also take turns being a different animal, then vote on your favorite at the end!

Relaxing brain breaks for kids

These brain breaks help kids calm down and reset their energy. They're especially helpful if your child is starting to feel stressed about what they're working on.

1. Yoga poses

Get the body moving, while also helping kids relax and practice mindfulness. Yoga can be a huge stress reliever for all ages, so join in when you can!

2. Calming music

Listen to a relaxing song to help your child unwind. Have them sit somewhere comfortable, relax and enjoy the music in between learning tasks.

3. Calming videos

Find short clips on YouTube Kids to play for your child. Choose a few new ones based on their interests, or find videos you already know they enjoy watching.

4. Coloring

Let your child color a picture (or a piece of a picture). This is a relaxing way to get creative juices flowing. Plus, they can display the final product when they're done!

Use a coloring page or give your child a blank piece of paper to draw their own picture.

5. Deep breathing

Help your child decompress with some deep breathing exercises. This will instantly help them relax and relieve stress so they can feel ready to take on their next task.

Encourage your child to try this: breathe in through the nose while placing your hand on your stomach to feel it expand. Hold it here, then slowly breathe out through the mouth while feeling your stomach contract. Repeat.

Or, try a technique like 4-7-8 breathing or five finger breathing.

Sensory brain breaks for kids

Fresh air is always encouraged! Stepping outside for a few minutes can make a bigger difference than you'd think.

It gives kids a change of scenery and helps revitalize the senses, providing a welcome break from their homework.

2. Scavenger hunt

Give your child different things to find and explore throughout the house. During each brain break, they can try to find one new item on their list.

3. Playdough

You can do tons of different things with playdough. That's why it's always a favorite among kids!

Let your child build something new or just squish some playdough around - whatever they prefer.

Try this recipe for homemade playdough.

4. Sensory bin

Sensory bins are a popular option, especially for kids with sensory needs. You can change the items in the bin as often as you'd like to keep your child from getting bored or understimulated.

Skill-building brain breaks for kids

With these brain breaks, kids can still learn and develop new skills. Their brains still get a break when you switch the focus to a new activity.
Tip: Try to go back and forth between different subjects. For instance, if your child is working on math homework, choose a language brain break.
1. Puzzles

Get out a jigsaw puzzle and have your child work on a little bit each break, or challenge them to try different math puzzles to flex their mathematical minds.

2. Secret handshake

This brain break definitely requires your participation! Create a secret handshake with your child, then try to remember it (and maybe even add onto it) next time.

3. Segment sounds

This is an easy and fun way to build language skills.

Give your child a word or phrase, and have them segment it into sounds or syllables. They can do whatever action they want to while they segment, like clapping or stomping.
For example, the sounds in "cat" would be k-a-t. The syllables in dinosaur would be di-no-saur.
4. Story starters

Make a quick story during each brain break with story starters. Your child can either write their stories down or just say them out loud.

5. Write a book

Instead of individual stories, create a longer story together and keep building upon it as you go.

Each break, come up with a different page of the story. Once it's written, you can go back and illustrate each page!

6. Activity pages

Give your child a fun activity sheet to work on during their brain breaks. This will keep kids on a roll with worksheets, while still switching up tasks and reducing overload.

Get fun printable activities here!

7. Brain teasers

Brain teasers give kids a bit of a challenge, but are also tons of fun to solve! Choose a brain teaser for whatever subject you want them to focus on during their brain break.
Try these 45 fun brain teasers for kids (with answers).
8. Riddles

Kids love a good riddle. Give them easy ones to see how many they can solve in one brain break, or try to stump them with a tougher riddle.
Try these 43 awesome riddles for kids (with answers).
9. Learn a language

Why not learn a useful skill? Language learning is great for kids' development, and they might even find a new language they love!
Try one of these 10 best language learning apps for kids.
10. Learn to juggle

Try another interesting skill that your child can show off to their friends later! Juggling can also boost coordination and concentration abilities.

11. Talent show

Each brain break, have your child perform a different skill, like singing, dancing or even juggling (once they learn how). You can also take turns and have your whole family take part!

12. Icebreakers

Ask your child a different question every brain break. You can make the questions up, or choose them from a list of icebreakers. Your child will have fun thinking of their answers, and you'll learn more about their interests!

13. Alphabet game

Choose a category (ex. movies, food, jobs etc.), then take turns naming something from that category while going down the alphabet.

For example, if your category is food, one person might say "apples," the next person "bananas" and so on. Categorization is an important skill to practice, but the alphabet game is entertaining, too!

14. Math dice

Take two dice (the bigger the better) and have your child roll them to solve math problems, with whatever operation you choose.

For example, if your child rolls a 4 and a 6, they have to add them together to get the correct answer of 10.

Brain break games for kids

A quick game gives kids a bit of fun in between work tasks, allowing their minds to reset. And you can have fun playing games with them too!

1. Board games

In between homework tasks, give your child a turn or two at a board game. Once the work is done, you can finish the game together!

Try Blokus: a fun board game that's just like Tetris.
Or try more board games for kids.
2. Heads Up!

This game involves guessing what image or word is on your forehead from the other player giving you clues.

It's also conveniently timed for you, so after a round, your child will be ready to begin the next homework task.
Try the Heads Up! Kids app.
3. Indoor bowling

Find a level space in your home to set up a makeshift bowling lane. Then collect items to use as "pins" (try empty water bottles or toys) and use a small ball to knock them down!

4. Charades

Another classic game that everyone can enjoy! Write a few objects or phrases down, then take turns choosing one from a hat to act out. See how many each of you can guess. You can use a specific category or just make it completely random!

5. Minute to Win It

You might be familiar with the popular game show, but did you know you can play it at home?

Each minute to win it challenge is just that - a minute. That means it's perfect for brain breaks. Each break, you can give your child a different challenge to complete using any household items you have lying around.
Try these Minute to Win It games for kids and family.
Benefits of brain breaks for kids

Ever been stuck for ages on a work task, only to complete it with ease after taking a quick break?

The same is true for your child. Without breaks, children's minds can become too focused on the task at hand, which can actually prevent them from processing what they're learning.

But regular brain breaks help your child's mind reset, so they have more mental energy to learn!

Brain breaks can also:

Brain breaks are especially important for children with behavioral or sensory needs, but all children can benefit from taking some time to unwind.

5 Tips to use brain breaks effectively

1. Find the timing that works best for your child

Build a brain break schedule to help you remember to use them! This will also help your child stay motivated during work time, knowing they have a break coming up.
What should your schedule look like?
Research shows that after 10 to 30 minutes, time on task starts to decline. This means scheduling a 3-5 minute brain break every 20 minutes or so will be best for most kids. But depending on your child's age and specific needs, this timing may need to be adjusted.

You can also plan breaks around tasks instead of timing. For example, you might decide to give your child a brain break once they answer 5 math questions.

Figure out what your child responds best to, and create a brain break schedule that works for both of you.

But be flexible when the time comes. If your child's attention seems to be fading, start a brain break early. If they're on a roll, hold off on taking a break.

2. Find the right brain break for your child

Think about what your child responds best to, then use this to figure out what kind of brain break they need.

Are breaks more effective when they relax or when they get up and move? Is it best to keep them learning or give their minds a rest? This could vary from day-to-day, so try to gauge energy levels to determine what will work best.

Make sure you have options from each category so you can use the most effective brain break each day!

3. Make a list of activities

Create a list to ensure you always have options. This way, you'll have no problem thinking of a fun brain break to give your child when the time comes.

Write or print them on a piece of paper, or use a more creative option:

Put them on large dice or beach balls

Write them on paper or popsicle sticks to pull from a box or jar

Print a brain breaks bingo card to complete (you can use an existing one or make your own)

Once you have your list, you can choose the brain breaks yourself, let your child choose or make it a surprise!

4. Use a timer

Keep time with a stopwatch or phone timer to ensure your break lasts the right amount of time.

Too short, and kids might not get enough of a break. Too long, and they might become distracted and reluctant to return to the task at hand.

Make sure the timer is somewhere your child can see, so they can be fully prepared to get back to work when it's time.

5. Talk about it afterward

When work is finished, talk to kids about their experiences.

This gives them a chance to provide feedback that will help you understand how you can optimize your brain breaks.

Ask your child the following questions:

What was your favorite brain break?

How did you find today's work/homework?

How do you think the brain break helped you?

Brain breaks work for younger and older kids

At first glance, brain breaks might just seem like a fun distraction for kids to have a quick indoor recess. And while that's true, there are so many more benefits for kids and educators.

Brain breaks provide relief from constant hands-on learning. They can relieve stress, alleviate pressure and even help boost self-esteem if done right.

Next time your child or students are working, watch how much they get energized from these short breaks. You might even start adding them to your day.

We hope you found a new favorite in this list of brain break ideas and activities.

👉 Want to help your child have fun whilethey learn? Give Prodigy's game-based learning platform a try by creating free child and parent accounts. It's an engaging game used by millions of students, teachers and parents around the world.

And with a Premium Membership, you can engage kids even more! While they enjoy all their extra in-game benefits and rewards, you'll get parent features and benefits that will help you help them love learning.
Become a Premium Member today!

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37 Brain Breaks for Kids: Quick, Easy and Educational

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"It's time to do homework." 😱 This simple phrase is often dreaded by kids and parents. And it's understandable. With so many changes this year, including much more learning from home, parents want to stay involved in their children's education more than ever.

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Visual Schedule cards: including Khmer and Chinese instructions

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Visual Schedule cards: including Khmer and Chinese instructions

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Links to resources on:
-SEL and the Brain
-Understanding How Brains Develop and Learn
-Applying Neuroscience in the Classroom
-Brain-Based Student-Engagement Strategies

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Browse a list of articles, videos, and other links for exploring the connection between education and neuroscience.

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Check-in / Check-out (CICO) is an intervention strategy that provides students with immediate feedback on a specific behavior and increased positive adult attention daily.

On a daily basis, successful implementation of the CICO intervention includes:

1. Morning Check-In. Students complete a “check-in” with their mentor (teacher or SSS) each morning after arriving at school.  The goal of this morning meeting is to review behavioral goals, collaboratively set goals for the day, and provide encouragement. (Remember to be specific. "Be good" is not a goal.)

2. Monitoring, Evaluation, and Feedback. Throughout the day, the teacher observes the student's behaviors. Using the expectations listed on the student's daily progress report as a reference, the teacher shares regular feedback with the student. In addition to giving regular verbal feedback or encouragement.

3. Check-Out. At the end of the day, students meet with the same adult whom they began the day with. Together, they reflect and discuss if the daily goals and target behaviors were reached. If the student met their goals, the mentor provides genuine encouragement. If the goal was not met, the mentor offers supportive feedback and an opportunity for the student to reflect on how they can change things the next day.

Note: To use Check-In/Check-Out as a Tier 3 strategy, the following changes can be made:

Teachers can increase the frequency of feedback that students receive

Behavior goals should be focused on replacement behaviors from the student’s Behavior Intervention Plan (e.g., saying "banana" or a made up word instead of a swear word)

Add explicit skill instruction during the student's morning check-in

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Building and maintaining relationships (in red) are central to a healthy and positive learning environment as well as a safe school culture and environment that is conducive to teaching and learning.

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This section will be mostly filled with information rather than intervention ideas, as inTier 3, the action plan is heavily guided by the Student Support Team, which includes SSS team members, as well as teachers, parents, heads; because intensive interventions are highly individualised to the student.

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ILP stands for Individualised Learning Plan. It applies to all students who require Tiers 2 and 3 support.

An Individual Learning Plan is a working document, designed by teachers in collaboration with stakeholders, which informs the planning, delivery and evaluation of an educational
program.

An ILP contains a students strengths, interests, areas for growth/needs, individual goals, and how their goals are monitored and measured to determine if they have successfully met their goals, with the aim to assist the student in achieving those goals.

It is a live document shared with the student's team (teacher(s), Specialist(s), student, family).

While the writing is heavily guided by the SSS Team member, the goal setting, feedback and comments is owned by the teacher(s) and SSS Team members.

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1. When you have tried more than one interventions at Tier 1 and it does not seem to be effective or requires more time/practice/focused efforts/targeted skills/intense support.

2. Your student's needs require specific support or attention

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The 2x10 intervention is spending 2 minutes per day with a student for 10 consecutive school days. This intervention works best for students who are having a hard time maintaining positive relationships in the classroom, exhibiting disruptive behaviors, or are in need of extra emotional support.

Choose one student whom you would like to strengthen your relationship with.

1. Select when you are going to approach the student (e.g., at the beginning of a class period).

2. Find the student and start a conversation with them. To build a productive relationship with a student, adults will likely have to initiate the connection.

3. The focus of these conversations should be:

Brevity. These conversations should last two minutes or under.

Student Voice. Invite them to share something non-academic with you about their day or life.

Honesty. Model transparency and authenticity by sharing something personal/non-academic with the student.

(info: panoramaed.com)

MORE HERE

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The last few years have highlighted the importance of relationship-building and checking in with students on a regular basis.

For learning to happen, students need to see their identities valued. They need to feel safe physically and emotionally-and they need to feel a sense of connection to peers and adults. You can do that by creating space for students to tell their stories, learning about their lives outside of school, and creating rituals that cultivate belonging and connectedness.

To help you get to know your students, we've curated this list of 101 asset-based, inclusive questions. Most are open-ended questions, but you can also adapt them into a multiple-choice format.
Free PDF Download: Panorama's Full Check-Ins Question Bank
How to Use These Questions

If you are a district or school administrator focused on improving relationships and belonging campus-wide, we invite you to share this article with your teachers and staff. This is a great resource to include on district or school resource sites, Tier 1 resource hubs, or in staff newsletters.

If you are a teacher, practitioner, or instructional coach, feel free to borrow these questions to get to know your students in the classroom-virtually or in person! These questions are great for small group brain breaks, icebreaker games, morning meetings or morning circles, and advisory periods. Or, use them as conversation starters in a 1:1 setting.

Click on the following links to jump to a section:

Interests and Hobbies

1. What are your favorite hobbies?

2. In your free time, what do you like to do?

3. Have you volunteered in your community?

4. What was the hardest part of the past week for you?

5. What is your favorite book?

6. What is your favorite TV show?

17. What is your favorite flavor of ice cream?

18. What is your favorite thing to do over the weekends?

19. If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would it be?

20. What is your most frequently-used or favorite emoji?

21. What are three awesome things about yourself?

22. What is something people don't know about you that you wish they knew?

23. What is a unique talent you have?

24. What do you want to be when you grow up?

25. What is a big world problem that you would like to change?

26. What is your biggest dream or goal in life?

Relational and Social-Emotional Learning

27. What is your social-emotional learning superpower?

28. Which of the following traits do you think best describes you: funny, thoughtful, caring, or outgoing?

29. How do you most like to connect with your friends? Through social media, by talking over the phone or texting, or by meeting up in person?

30. What is one thing your teacher can do to get to know you better?

31. How can your teacher help you if you are feeling down?

32. What is one thing you want to know about your teacher?

33. What do you think is the most important quality for a teacher to have?

34. Who is an adult at school that you know you can count on?

35. Who is a friend at school that you know you can count on?

36. When you are stressed, what do you do to relax?

37. What makes you feel the most appreciated and understood?

38. How would your friends or a relative describe you?

39. What is something that you are thankful for?

Family and Cultural Background

40. Where do your family members work?

41. What does dinner time look like at your house?

42. What are some family items or artifacts that represent your culture and identity?

43. Which languages do you speak (even just a little bit)?

44. Who is someone in your family that you look up to?

45. What is a favorite memory you have with a family member?

46. What do you like most about your family?

47. What is a family tradition that you have?

48. Does your family have pets? If not, would you like to have a pet? What kind?

49. What is your favorite family recipe?

50. Do you have siblings? If not, would you want to have siblings or do you like being an only child?

Academic Strengths and Opportunities

51. What is your favorite subject and why?

52. What is your least favorite subject and why? What is the best way I can support you when we work on that subject?

53. What is one thing you think you do well as a student?

54. What is one thing you would like to do better as a student?

55. What do you like most about school?

56. What do you like least about school?

57. What is something you would really want to learn about at school?

58. Which of the following is your favorite way to learn: by talking with others, by listening, or by reading?

59. What would be your dream field trip?

60. Would you rather do schoolwork as a group or by yourself?

61. What is the best school project or lesson you can remember?

62. What is the best way I can support you outside of class?

63. How would you like to be recognized if you get a good grade on an assignment or project?

The Transition Back to School / First Day of School

64. What is one thing you are looking forward to this school year?

65. What is something you learned over the summer?

66. What is something you would really want to learn about this year?

67. What is one thing you would like your classmates or teacher to know about you this year?

68. What is one thing you want to know about your teacher(s) this year?

69. What was the best part of the past week for you?

70. What was the hardest part of the past week for you?

71. What can teachers or other adults at school do to better support you?

72. How much did you enjoy class today?

73. How included did you feel in class today?

74. What was your favorite part of class today?

Virtual Learning

75. What is the best part of virtual learning?

76. What is the most challenging part of virtual learning?

77. How is your internet connection at home?

78. Where do you do your school work?

79. What is something your teachers could do to improve virtual classroom time?

80. What is your favorite Zoom background?

81. How do you prefer to be communicated when learning online? By email, a messaging app, on a video call, or by phone?

82. When you take breaks from school at home, what do you like to do?

83. What is your favorite way to get in touch with your classmates and friends online?

84. What would help you feel more connected to your classmates and your school?

"Would You Rather" Icebreaker Questions

These questions can also be used between classmates to help students reconnect with one another, discover similarities, and learn new things about one another.

85. Would you rather read a book or watch a movie?

86. Would you rather eat pizza or ice cream?

87. Would you rather do a school project by yourself or with friends?

88. Would you rather play a video game or play outside?

89. Would you rather have a dog or a cat?

90. Would you rather have chocolate or vanilla?

91. Would you rather go to the beach or go camping?

92. Would you rather eat salty or sweet snacks for the rest of your life?

93. Would you rather win the lottery or be famous?

94. Would you rather dance or sing in front of a group of people?

95. Would you rather be the oldest sibling or the youngest sibling?

96. Would you rather give a presentation or write a long paper?

97. Would you rather do your homework or do chores?

98. Would you rather travel back in time or travel to the future?

99. Would you rather live in snow or rain for the rest of your life?

100. Would you rather be able to fly or be invisible as a superpower?

101. Would you rather live without Netflix or live without YouTube?
Download Panorama's Check-Ins Question Bank

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101 Inclusive Get-to-Know-You Questions for Students [+ PDF Download]

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Explore 101 inclusive "get-to-know-you" questions for students. Ask students about their family, interests, hobbies, academic & social-emotional strengths, learning preferences, and more.

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Community Building Activities (by duration)

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Community Building Activities (by duration)

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by Kerri Thorsborne

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Building Relationship Activities by duration

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Our library provides effective, research-based classroom strategies to help strengthen your students' skills in phonological awareness, decoding, fluency, vocabulary, comprehension, and writing.

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5 Total Participation Techniques you can use right away

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5 Total Participation Techniques you can use right away

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TPTs allow you to maximize the amount of learning that can take place by getting every student involved, instead of just calling on a few kids.

Persida explains, “They started off as a recommendation for teachers working with ELLs, to help students focus by keeping them accountable. The Total Participation Techniques are ways to get evidence that every single student is with you at the same time and ensure they’re using higher-order thinking.”

Examples shared in the article (click for details):

On-the-Spot: Chalkboard Splash

Hold-Ups: True, Not True

Involving Movement: Feature Walk

Guiding Notetaking: Pause, Star, Rank

Wrap-ups: 1, 2, 3 O’Clock

Other examples:

Hold-ups

Think-Pair-Share

Think -Solve -Pair-Share

Quick Writes/ Quick Draws

Categorizing and Sorting

More here (click)

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5 total participation techniques to make every student an active learner

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Why calling on students should be the LAST strategy you use to find out what they know...and how to get ALL kids involved instead.

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Immediate implementation of Circles (+how)

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Immediate implementation of Circles (+how)

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Circles allow us to build community with one another to help establish classroom norms of respect, safety, trust, and inclusion, and can be used in a variety of ways (e.g. check-ins, content delivery, to address general classroom behavior, etc.). As the name suggests, it is important that participants sit in a true circle together so that all individuals can see and be seen. It is also important to review the "Circle Guidelines" when you engage your students in this process. To learn more about the application of circles in Amped in-person, virtual, and hybrid spaces, we invite you to read this installment of our Beloved Community series. ​

SPEAK FROM THE HEART
We honor the community by honestly sharing our stories

LISTEN FROM THE HEART
We honor each other when we listen without judgement

TRUST YOU WILL KNOW WHAT TO SAY
​ Because we are committed to listening deeply, we will not "rehearse" our own responses while others are speaking

SAY JUST ENOUGH
We will not talk just to fill the space, but we will take the space we need

RESPECT THE TALKING PIECE
We will use a talking piece to ensure we speak one at a time

HONOR THE CHOICE TO PASS AND ALWAYS GIVE THOSE WHO PASS A SECOND CHANCE TO SPEAK
Honoring the choice to pass is one way we practice trust within the circle​

USE CIRCLES PROACTIVELY MORE OFTEN THAN REACTIVELY
In our experience, the most important protocol for design is ensuring that 80% of your circles are designed to build positive community and prevent harm while 20% of circles respond to harm. When communities only use circles reactively rather than proactively, they become associated with harm rather than with positive community. In our experience, harm is exacerbated when circles are mostly held as a method of response.

Another protocol we have found effective within Humanities Amped is the process of posing a challenge to the group. Providing a challenge (e.g. 100% participation at least once, starting with lower stakes and building up to higher stakes over time and with practice) helps generate engagement and reinforce the circle's fundamental aspect of shared power: HONOR THE CHOICE TO PASS
The choice to pass builds trust in the community and confidence in the students. Even challenges make visible that the students and teacher together, not the teacher alone, are responsible for the community. Throughout the circle the facilitator should remind the participants of this challenge, and be sure to celebrate whatever successes it generates. Ultimately, this challenge centers communal participation instead of positioning students always in the space of accountability.

IN VIRTUAL SPACES, WE COUNT MANY FORMS OF PARTICIPATION AS VALID the choice to pass is a demonstration of agency, and through this demonstration participants build confidence. Similarly, circle facilitators build trust when they honor passing. Though it seems counterintuitive, we have learned that allowing passing builds the trust needed to take more risks and show up in the community.

POSE CHALLENGES TO SHARE RESPONSIBILITY

In Amped classrooms, we honor chat responses equally to verbal responses because we see the chat as a tool for accessibility. One strategy for drafting a speaker order we have found success with is to provide a chat-based, low stakes check-in question. This practice demonstrates to participants that the chat will be honored, and the order in which participants respond to the check check-in becomes the circle order. While we ask students to consider the positive community effects of seeing each other on camera, we give students the choice to turn their own camera on or off. We take this approach because virtual circles require significantly more trust than in person circles, and we have found success and quality with these choices. To learn more facilitation strategies for virtual spaces, see the Amped Facilitator's Guide to Online Engagement.

USE CHECK IN QUESTIONS TO BUILD COMMUNITY
These resources provide a variety of engaging questions to build relationships and connection between and among participants and facilitators.
YOUTH AS RESTORATIVE CIRCLE FACILITATORS
​​Humanities Amped has offered elective classes in restorative practices that allow students to hone their facilitation skills through acting as restorative circle leaders for other classes. Once these practices are internalized, students see the benefits and apply them to their own lives. For example, one student asked her teacher for the copy of the facilitation questions so that she could lead a circle in between two quarreling friends. Another student stated, "I think I need a restorative conference with myself!", so they independently filled out their own reflection in restorative practice format. Another easy way to implement youth facilitators is to make restorative circle facilitators a classroom job (see Youth Development: Democratic Participation) and involve youth in planning and leading circles.

AMPED UP! EBRPSS PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT CIRCLE SERIES
During this first video session, participants will learn how to design engaging and interactive circle processes that can be used in person, online, or in hybrid learning environments. In the following videos, participants will observe a model of the check-in circle component which can be used to build positive classroom environments and increase engagements in person, online, or in hybrid learning environments. By the end of the model, participants will be able to design their own check-ins to use to build classroom community and/or to ignite student engagement in academic growth.

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Circles allow us to build community with one another to help establish classroom norms of respect, safety, trust, and inclusion, and can be used in a variety of ways (e.g. check-ins, content delivery, to address general classroom behavior, etc.).

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Trust & relationships in schools influence student achievement

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Trust & relationships in schools influence student achievement

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The culture of a school lives in its organizational relationships. Creating schools with a culture of positive relationships have long been a characteristic of success. When a school has established a positive culture, students are more likely to meet academic standards, and less likely to drop out, or experience chronic behavior problems. Faculty and staff working in school settings with positive cultures are often characterized as working collaboratively with colleagues, parents, and constituents to best meet the academic and social needs of students.

Relational factors that connect students, parents, and teachers are important contributors to school achievement and improvement. As schools respond to the challenge of ensuring that all students meet the academic standard of the state, more attention is being directed to relational factors that contribute to student achievement. In particular, understanding social connections in school environments is progressively becoming more recognized as an effective tool to realize student achievement. How these relationships take shape and progress are considerably dependent on the construct of trust.

Trust is the foundation for social interaction and cooperation. Whatever matters to human beings, trust is the atmosphere in which it thrives. Schools with higher levels of trust experience greater student achievement. Yet, establishing trustworthy relationships has proven challenging in a number of schools throughout the country. We can assume that most school leaders and teachers know the importance of establishing trustworthy relationships in order to boost achievement and culture - it actually seems like a pretty straightforward process on the surface. However we know that it's not so simple. How many times have you heard teachers complain about administration? How many times have you heard students fault the personal vendetta held against them by their teachers as the primary reason for their bad report cards? What about parent complaints that particular teachers don't care for their child; or the teacher that condemns parents for the behaviors of their children? These are all beliefs that are fueled by a lack of trust, or mistrust.

Cultivating school achievement is close to impossible when this type of school culture prevails. While the need for schools to establish trusting relationships with colleagues, students, and families is clear; not all are familiar with how this is in fact achieved.

So how do we enhance trust relationships in schools? Those looking to improve in this area should begin by examining the effectiveness of their school's interdependent relationships. This is important, as interdependence is critical to the cultivation of trust. Trust is required when the interests of one cannot be met without the aid of another. Schools in order to be successful rely on the interdependent relationships of a number of individuals operating in various capacities.

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Relationships are strengthened in part by each individual having an understanding of their own obligations; as well as having some expectation and understanding of the obligations of others. Trust grows as each individual feels comfortable that others are doing what is expected of them. One, or a small group of individuals acting alone cannot achieve and sustain all that a school requires to be effective. Also, it is difficult to establish trust with others if you feel isolated or alone. In this case, school leaders should encourage faculty, staff, families, and stakeholders to work collaboratively to meet the goals of the school.

The actions and behaviors of the school leader significantly influences the culture and climate of a school. School leaders are in the best position to advance initiatives that require the contribution of the majority of a school's staff. According to studies, the primary leadership behaviors perceived to strengthen relationships in schools are associated with compassion and openness.

Given this, school leaders should be motivated to take measures that demonstrate to stakeholders that they are caring and transparent. School leaders can express benevolence by extending a high level of personal regard to staff, students, and parents. When individuals sense that school leaders truly care about their well-being, they often reciprocate by returning trust.

Teacher trust in school leadership is enhanced when they feel valued by the administration. Teachers who feel respected as professionals are more open to input from administration, and tend to be more concerned with the welfare and success of the school. School leaders can also strengthen trust relationships by fostering a transparent environment. In such schools, teachers often feel compelled to share best practices and instructional strategies with colleagues and administration which may result in improved student achievement outcomes.

Student trust in schools is heightened when they feel the adults in the building want what is best for them. They engage more freely in the learning process when they feel that teachers are invested in their educational outcomes and success. Students who do not trust their teachers may disengage from the learning process and create barriers which make developing healthy relationships with the adults in the building challenging.

To increase student trust in schools, explicit efforts should be directed towards eliminating the obstacles that limit the formation of trusting relationships. Similarly, studies show that parent trust in schools is fostered when the behaviors of the faculty and staff convey that they care about the well-being of their children. When parents trust in schools, they often feel obligated to work in a manner that is supportive of the needs of the faculty and staff. Likewise, schools that trust in parents feel compelled to meet their needs and expectations. Based on this knowledge, it should behoove school leaders to employ plans and initiatives that have been found to demonstrate personal regard for students and parents. Doing so has the potential to improve student achievement and school culture.

A school's culture is influenced by its interpersonal relationships with faculty, staff, students, parents, and other constituents. The quality of the relationships within schools play a significant role in its success or failure. Successful schools are described as exhibiting high levels of trust and cooperation among the faculty, staff, students, and parents. It is unlikely for schools to realize healthy school cultures if relationships are destructive or negative. Given this, it may serve beneficial for schools to develop initiatives that are uniquely constructed to advance trusting relationships with constituents. As the pressure mounts for schools to show significant improvement, school leaders must be cognizant of how trust relationships contribute to student achievement and school improvement.

ASCD is dedicated to professional growth and well-being.

Let's put your vision into action.

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How Trusting Relationships Advance School Culture and Influence Student Achievement - ASCD

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The culture of a school lives in its organizational relationships. Creating schools with a culture of positive relationships have long been a characteristic of success.

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By Indeed Editorial Team

Updated May 19, 2022

Published June 29, 2021

Classroom games can help instructors create well-rounded lesson plans, form better relationships with their students and help them succeed at school. Many activities have multiple purposes and are adapted based on your curriculum or your students' level of learning.

In this article, we define what classroom games are, describe their benefits and list 20 classroom games to consider. By learning about different classroom games, you can decide which option appeals to you and which may work best for your students.

What are classroom games?

Classroom games are activities teachers use to supplement academic assignments or encourage students to practice new skills. Depending on your preferences and your students' needs, you can play classroom games using technical equipment, physical exercise or an art-based medium. Some teachers use classroom games to encourage teamwork and provide opportunities for personal development.

Benefits of classroom games

Here are some benefits of using classroom games in your lesson plans:

Encourages creative expression: Many classroom games involve an artistic component, allowing students to develop their original ideas and express themselves creatively.

Allows varied learning styles: You can use classroom games to incorporate different learning styles into your curriculum. For instance, some students learn skills more effectively by participating in an activity rather than reading or writing text.

Helps students adjust to school: Games can become a strategy for helping students adapt after they spend time away from the classroom.

Creates a welcoming environment: You can use games to bond with your students, create classroom guidelines and promote a welcoming atmosphere for learning new skills.

20 ideas for classroom games

Consider these 20 ideas for classroom games:

1. Charades

In the game of charades, students can study vocabulary words and learn public speaking skills by doing physical exercise. One student performs actions or movements associated with a word while their classmates guess it out loud. The person who guesses the correct option receives the next word to perform.

For instance, if the word is "debate," then a student might simulate an exchange with another person. You can add a teamwork element by dividing the class into groups and directing them to only guess the words for other members of their team.

2. Studying contest

This game can help students study lesson content and quickly analyze information, making it beneficial for reviewing test material. You draw two circles on a board or projector screen and label one "Yes" and the other "No." Separate students into two teams and call one representative from each to listen to a statement and decide if it's true or false. The first student who taps the circle with the correct answer wins the round for their team.

3. Secret investigator

You can use this game to teach deductive reasoning skills between academic lessons. You write a word on the board and select one student to be the investigator and leave the room while you select another to be the secret leader. This student coordinates the others in an action like clapping or chanting words, which they change every 30 seconds. When the investigator returns to the room, their task is to determine who the secret leader is.

4. Stacking competition

In this contest, students can learn teamwork and practice problem-solving. Separate students into groups and give them plastic cups, a rubber band and string. The students tie pieces of string to the rubber band, one for each team member, then wrap the rubber band around the first cup. Their goal is to figure out a way to lift the cups using the strings as a team and stack them in a specific shape like a pyramid.

5. Find the clues

During this timed game, students can practice their concentration and communication skills while studying lesson material. You provide several terms or names on small pieces of paper and assign a certain amount of points to each one. Working in teams, one student picks a word and gives their teammates clues without saying it. Their goal is to identify as many words as they can. The team that has the most after 60 seconds wins the round.

6. Jeopardy

In this contest, students can learn teamwork and review lesson content by earning points. You write questions or mathematical equations on index cards and list points on the other side of the card based on content difficulty. Separate the cards into categories and place them on a screen or board for teams to select and attempt to answer. For instance, one category might be quadratic equations and its 500-point card has multiple steps while a 100-point card has very few.

7. Find the object or image

In this physical activity, students can learn research skills while learning the components of a classroom. You provide a list of objects or images in the classroom and set a timer for three minutes while students search for them. You can also hide mathematical equations around the room and instruct students to solve them within the timeframe. It may be helpful to provide additional guidelines for finding objects to encourage teamwork and constructive exploration.

8. Category contest

During this game, students use their base of knowledge to learn how to connect separate concepts. You provide topics and related categories, then direct student teams to think of words associated with it that begin with a randomly selected letter. For instance, one topic could be "outer space" and a related category could be "planets." If the assigned letter is "M," the planet might be Mars. It might be helpful to design a point system based on different parameters like the complexity of the word.

9. Bingo

You can use this game to review lesson content and help students study for exams, particularly when teaching complicated vocabulary words or multiplication tables. You prepare a grid for each student with different questions or mathematical expressions. Then, they read items from a corresponding list and students listen for their options, marking the grid when they hear an answer. The student who marks their entire grid with the most correct answers wins the round.

10. Pass the object

In this game, students can exercise while reviewing important terms and numerical expressions. You separate students into groups and give them each a soft object or small ball to toss a few feet. Then, you reveal a question, which the student has to answer before tossing the ball to someone else, who answers the next question. When each student in a group finishes passing the object, they win the round.

11. Invent a solution

Students can play this game during breaks to practice problem-solving in teams and learn how to create original ideas. You announce a problem students can solve using only three provided objects. You can use creative examples like saving the world from an imaginary creature or a situation from everyday life like how to help a friend make an important decision. After a certain timeframe, each group presents the solution to the class, then answers questions about it.

12. Guess a classmate

You can use this game to help students restore their concentration and practice their deduction skills after a break. Students close their eyes and place their hands on a table in front of them. You select some students to walk around the classroom and gently tap other students' hands. Afterward, these students guess which classmate tapped their hand and switch roles if their answer is correct.

13. Walk to four corners

If you have a bigger classroom, you can try this game to help students work off some energy. Instructors assign names to four corners of the room and direct students to pick a corner to stand in during a certain timeframe. Afterward, you announce one of the four corners and the students standing there must step out of the game until the next round. The last student standing in a corner is the winner.

14. Word definition

In this game, students can deepen their understanding of relevant vocabulary words, particularly high-level options. You choose a word and direct students to write what they think the meaning is on a piece of paper. You read the definitions out loud and have students vote on which option is most likely correct. It may be helpful to give students tips during this game like how to identify familiar words within the vocabulary that's more complex.

15. Finish the sentence

You can use this game to teach students memorization and concentration skills, particularly if they're at a middle school grade level. You write half of a sentence on a board like "I'm leaving on a vacation and bringing," followed by a blank space for the second half. The first student adds an item to a list such as "I'm leaving on a vacation and bringing my dog." Afterward, each student repeats all previous additions before including their own.

16. Collaborative drawing

In this activity, students can learn teamwork skills and express their creativity. You provide each student with a sheet of paper and writing implement, then direct them to draw a picture within a set timeframe. Afterward, the student passes their drawing to another classmate and continues the drawing of someone else. This continues until the student receives their original artwork, which they describe to the rest of the class.

17. Replace the number

During this game, students can practice concentration skills and learn important number sets. You pick one number and replace it with a sound or word like "zing" or "buzz." Then, students read the numbers out loud and use the replacement instead of the selected number. If the student says the number instead of the replacement, they step out of the game until the next round starts.

18. Memorize objects

This game can be an engaging way to introduce a new subject with a lot of relevant tools and materials like chemistry. You place at least 15 different objects on a classroom table and students study them within a certain timeframe. Afterward, you cover the objects and ask students to recall certain details about them and explain what purpose they might fulfill. You can also have the students view images on a projector screen instead.

19. Connect through stories

You can use this game to encourage students to bond with each other and reflect on their conduct, particularly if they're in high school. You can pick up a ball of yarn and share a personal anecdote of a situation where you solved an issue and learned something new. Then, you hold the end of the yarn string and give the ball to a student, who shares a situation of their own. When they're finished, they hold on to the yarn string and pass the ball again, creating a physical representation of connecting with other people.

20. Freeze-dance

You can use this game to help students get ready for an academic lesson after recess or to end the school day on a positive note. The students move all tables and chairs to one side of the room while you set up a speaker to play fun music. You direct the students to stop moving their bodies when you pause the music at random moments. If a student continues to move, they step out of the game for the current round.

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20 Fun Games for Classrooms (Plus Benefits and Examples)

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By Indeed Editorial Team Updated May 19, 2022 Published June 29, 2021 Classroom games can help instructors create well-rounded lesson plans, form better relationships with their students and help them succeed at school. Many activities have multiple purposes and are adapted based on your curriculum or your students' level of learning.

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Feedback Sentence Stems using Growth Mindset

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Feedback Sentence Stems using Growth Mindset

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www.mindsetworks.com

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Restorative Practices is a relational approach to building positive and healthy school culture and environment.

Restorative Practices operate on a continuum of formal (conferences) and informal (chats) practices.

Proactive practices involve building and maintaining relationships, creating connection and belonging, as well as teaching explicit standards and expectations.

Responsive practices involve restoring relationships and repairing harm.  It also includes giving all parties a chance to share their side of the story, be listened to and come together to problem-solve.

More info here

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The key to restorative practice lies in the questions asked of those involved.

Giving students the opportunity to share their version of events enables them to be heard. Many times, students’ main complaint about discipline is that no one listened to them.

Rather than asking a student, “What did you do?” or “Why did you do that?” restorative practice outlines five key questions that guide conversations to address harm:

What happened?

What were you thinking at the time?

What have you thought about since?

Who has been affected by your behavior or actions and in what way?

What do you think needs to be done to make things as right as possible?

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Sometimes the way we feel can overwhelm us. When we can't explain how we feel, or shake the feeling, we can call these our "Big Emotions". Big Emotions can include worry, anxiety, fear, frustrations, anger, and excitement. Big Emotions are not bad emotions, but sometimes they may take a little bit more work to understand...

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No matter your role in the school system, you have a part to play in assisting students with anxiety and/or OCD. The following resources may be helpful as you continue your work with students.

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Resources for School Personnel | Anxiety In The Classroom

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Resources for School Personnel No matter your role in the school system, you have a part to play in assisting students with anxiety and/or OCD. The following resources may be helpful as you continue your work with students. How to Talk to your Students How to Talk to Parents/Families How to Make a Community Referral [...]

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Teachers have an important role to play in promoting a growth mindset among their students. First and foremost, instructors should take care not to use statements in their classrooms that reinforce a fixed-mindset. For example, a teacher who says "Excellent essay, Rebecca. You are a natural-born writer!" is implying that writing is an innate talent, immune to skill-building. Similarly, when an instructor responds to the student with a poor math-test grade, "That's OK. Not everyone is good at math", the educator has suggested that "math ability" is a fixed quantity that cannot expand much despite the learner's efforts. (click on link above to read more-‘Social-Emotional/Behavioral RTI' Series © 2016 Jim Wright)

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Motivation is central to student academic achievement. And research shows that there is one crucial factor that greatly impacts academic engagement and performance: whether a student has a 'fixed' or 'open' mindset (Dweck, 2006). Students with a fixed mindset view intelligence, or general ability, as having a fixed upward limit. Viewed from this perspective, accomplishments are explained largely by one's intellectual potential, with effort playing only a minor role. In contrast, students with a growth mindset see intelligence as 'malleable': they have faith that increased effort will result in more effective learning and accomplishment. When growth-mindset learners are challenged by academic tasks, they interpret these struggles as "an opportunity for growth, not a sign that a student is incapable of learning" (Paunesku et al., 2015; p. 785).

Why should teachers be concerned about students having a fixed mindset? When such students encounter difficulty or setbacks, they are likely to respond by becoming discouraged, withdrawing effort, or even giving up entirely. Of even more concern, a fixed mindset can result in learners 'disidentifying' with (i.e., disengaging from) those academic subjects or tasks that they find difficult. Research indicates that rates of cheating may also be higher among students with a fixed mindset (Blackwell, Trzesniewski & Dweck, 2007).

Yet students with a growth mindset have a much more positive reaction to setbacks. When they experience difficulty with schoolwork, they respond by viewing the setback as an opportunity to learn, putting more effort into mastering the task, and analyzing where their work or study processes fall short and correcting them. It's no surprise, then, that--because growth-mindset learners remain optimistic and engaged in the challenging task-- they are likely to be successful (Blackwell, Trzesniewski & Dweck, 2007).

Teachers have an important role to play in promoting a growth mindset among their students. First and foremost, instructors should take care not to use statements in their classrooms that reinforce a fixed-mindset. For example, a teacher who says "Excellent essay, Rebecca. You are a natural-born writer!" is implying that writing is an innate talent, immune to skill-building. Similarly, when an instructor responds to the student with a poor math-test grade, "That's OK. Not everyone is good at math", the educator has suggested that "math ability" is a fixed quantity that cannot expand much despite the learner's efforts.

On the other hand, when instructors structure their statements of praise, process feedback, and encouragement to reflect a growth-mindset attitude, even learners with a habitual negative fixed-mindset attitude can receive a boost of optimism and motivation. 'Growth mindset' statements can be as varied as the educators, students, and situations they address. However, they typically:

·lay out a specific process for moving forward.

·recognize difficulties or struggles to be faced and frame them as opportunities to learn.

·convey optimism that the student can and will move toward success if the learner puts in sufficient effort, follows the recommended process, and makes appropriate use of any 'help' resources.

In their day-to-day communication with students, instructors have many opportunities to craft statements according to growth-mindset principles. Below is a sampling of statements--praise, work-prompts, encouragement, introducing of assignments-- that teachers can use to foster motivation in their classrooms:
Praise
Effective teacher praise has two elements: (1) a description of noteworthy student academic performance or general behavior, and (2) a signal of teacher (Hawkins & Hellin, 2011). Because this 'process praise' ties performance directly to effort, it reinforces a growth mindset in students who receive it. Here is an example of process praise:
"Your writing is improving a lot. The extra time you put in and your use of an outline has really paid off." Work-Prompt
When students stop working during an independent assignment, the teacher can structure the "get-back-to-work" prompt to follow a growth-mindset format. An example of such a work prompt is:
"Sarah, please keep reading....you still have 10 minutes to work on the assignment. It's a challenging passage, so if you get stuck, be sure to use your reading fix-up skills. Remember, it's also OK to ask a neighbor or to come to me for help. Use your strategies and you WILL be successful!"
Note in this example how the teacher directs the student to resume the assignment, acknowledges the challenging nature of the work, reminds her to use her fix-up strategies and that she has the option to seek peer and teacher assistance, and ends by linking effort to a positive outcome.
Encouragement
Students can become discouraged if they are unsuccessful on an academic task or receive a low test or quiz grade. The teacher can respond with empathy, while also framing the situation as a learning opportunity, describing proactive steps to improve the situation, and expressing confidence in the learner. An example of growth-mindset encouragement is:
"I can see that you didn't do as well on this math test as you had hoped, Luis. Let's review ideas to help you to prepare for the next exam. If you are willing to put in the work, I know that you can raise your score." Introducing Assignments
The teacher can make assignment directions motivating by giving them a growth-mindset spin--describing the challenge(s), offering a realistic appraisal of the effort that will be required, reminding learners of the strategies or steps to apply, and closing with a confident statement tying methodical effort to success. Here is an example:
"You should plan spend at least an hour on tonight's math homework. When you start the assignment, some problems might look like they are too difficult to solve. But if you give it your best and follow your problem-solving checklist, you should be able to answer them."
Closing Thoughts: Use Growth-Mindset Statements. Frequently. Instructors who want to attain the full motivational benefit of growth-mindset statements should ensure that they use those statements often to promote an optimistic 'can-do' climate. In busy classrooms, teachers may feel so pressed to cover the demanding curriculum that they overlook the need to use growth-mindset statements as a daily motivational tool. They wrongly assume that all students are already adequately motivated to do the expected work. In fact, though, many learners have fallen into a pattern of 'learned helplessness' and choose to withdraw in the face of challenging academics (Sutherland & Singh, 2004).

But the right teacher communication, if sustained, can motivate even students with negative, fixed mindsets to apply their best effort on an assignment or test . Yet research shows that process-praise is often dramatically underused in both general- and special-education classrooms--even though it is a prime means of shifting students toward an optimistic view of themselves as learner (Brophy, 1981; Hawkins & Heflin, 2011; Kern, 2007). So, as their own optimistic goal, teachers should adopt the regular use of a variety of growth-mindset statements to promote student achievement.

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How to Encourage Students to Try: Growth Mindset Statements

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Motivation is central to student academic achievement. And research shows that there is one crucial factor that greatly impacts academic engagement and performance: whether a student has a 'fixed' or 'open' mindset (Dweck, 2006). Students with a fixed mindset view intelligence, or general ability, as having a fixed upward limit.

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Margaret Thorsborne and Associates and Transformative Justice Australia | Margaret Thorsborne and Associates

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Consults to public & private sector businesses & organisations for workplace relationships & the management of high-level conflict & inappropriate behaviour.

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Both social and emotional learning (SEL) and
restorative practices (RP) are used to systematically
and intentionally build equitable learning
environments in schools. While differing in their
approaches, they share many common
characteristics. RP and SEL are both
used to improve school climate by strengthening
student-to-student, staff-to-staff, and student-to staff relationships (Augustine et al., 2016; Brown,
2017; Cavanagh, Vigil, & Garcia, 2014; Jennings &
Greenberg, 2009)

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How might translanguaging pedagogies support the language development and academic achievement of multilingual learners?

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Scaffolding strategies for MSHS students

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Scaffolding strategies for MSHS students

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In higher grades, multilingual students need to develop a grasp of academic English. Here’s how to help them acquire the skills they need.

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English Language Learners

In higher grades, multilingual students need to develop a grasp of academic English. Here's how to help them acquire the skills they need.

Min Woo walks into his favorite class, math, sits down next to his partner, and reaches into his backpack for the folder with the papers for their current project. They are learning to think like city planners by using angles and lines to plan out the roads and buildings for a new city. Mr. Nguyen, the seventh-grade math teacher, greets each student by name at the door. When the bell rings, he gestures to the board where the next step for the project is posted.

To get the class started with the next step in their city planning project, he tells them to read the prompt with their partners, making sure to restate the directions in their own words or ask each other questions about the prompt. Min Woo reads aloud, " Draw at least two parallel streets and two transversal streets to form acute and obtuse angles." Puzzled, he asks his partner, "What does transversal mean?" His partner points up to the poster on the wall with labeled angles and lines. They study the poster and then start talking about how they want to draw the parallel and transversal lines for their city streets. When Mr. Nguyen calls the class back from their discussion, Min Woo and his partner are ready for the next step.

Mr. Nguyen knows that several of the students in his math class are still classified as English learners, even though they have been in the school district for many years. Because he wants all students to experience success in his math classes, he thoughtfully provides content instruction with scaffolds for academic language development.

Labeled visuals

Time for partner discussions

Step-by-step instructions for solving problems

Chunking the final performance assessment project into shorter daily tasks

In the lesson described in the previous paragraph, Mr. Nguyen used the following scaffolds:

None of these scaffolds "water down" the grade-level expectations of the lesson but rather provide the necessary support so that experienced multilinguals can meet these high expectations. In fact, providing the right scaffolds at the right time exemplifies equitable learning. In the hands of a skillful teacher, scaffolds stretch students' skills, proficiency, and confidence.

Since most of the experienced multilinguals in his class no longer receive any direct, specialized English instruction, Mr. Nguyen knows he not only has to teach the math curriculum but also the academic English skills required to process and communicate the math-specific ideas.

If teachers provide appropriate scaffolds, experienced multilinguals like Min Woo are capable of learning new content in English in grade-level content classes. As experienced multilinguals reach higher levels of English proficiency, their English development needs become less obvious, but the academic language demands continue to increase.

For many learners, these increasingly challenging academic language demands make them feel like they have finally reached an apparent summit on the mountain only to discover another higher peak ahead. Scaffolds give them support to reach the highest peak, even as the trail gets more difficult.

Some experienced multilingual students like Min Woo have greater proficiency in spoken English than in reading and writing in English. Therefore, when they answer questions and participate in class discussions, teachers may assume they will also be successful on the written exam. However, when these students do not perform as expected, some teachers may be tempted to label them as "lazy," "unmotivated," or "unfocused." We offer a different way of thinking about these responses and provide a framework that will address the academic language needs of these students in every content class.

We introduce the concept of academic language and advocate for teaching this type of language meaningfully within the context of the content classroom. Experienced multilinguals need high grade-level expectations coupled with high support to engage in content classes. In addition to teaching complex content and the academic language of each discipline, we suggest that experienced multilinguals benefit from explicit instruction in effective learning strategies. These strategies help students learn, transfer skills to other content areas, and become more independent learners. We share several of these learning strategies, which are anything a student does to boost their understanding of new content and use of academic language. Finally, we provide an overview of our framework for designing equitable content instruction that supports and stretches experienced multilinguals as they develop academic language proficiency across the curriculum. This framework serves as the outline for the rest of the book.

Academic language is more than just vocabulary words. It includes complex sentence structures, transition phrases, and organizational patterns used for different purposes like writing lab reports, arguing a claim, or analyzing a poem. Each of these purposes requires students to use academic language differently (WIDA, 2020). When students learn the language to justify their choices of lines and angles in math class, they can transfer that language to justify choices in science or language arts class. Teaching this cross-disciplinary academic language helps students succeed in the long-term.

Honigsfeld (2019) explains that academic language is "not something students have or do not have; it is something all students use daily to learn" (p. 49). While experienced multilinguals have generally acquired the ability to communicate clearly in most social situations, they are still developing the ability to use academic English. Developing this "academic language proficiency helps students achieve long-term success at school" (Dutro & Moran, 2002, p. 231).

Experienced multilinguals may also have different linguistic abilities in different fields and content areas (Walqui & van Lier, 2010). One experienced multilingual student may find the most success in a math class, while others triumph in social studies, sciences, or the arts.

The various dimensions of academic language are often described through an architectural metaphor (Dutro & Moran, 2002; Zwiers, 2008). The first dimension-vocabulary words and phrases-is like the bricks that form the foundation of the structure or text. Next, the sentence structures are like the mortar that connects the bricks to form the walls of that building or academic work. In the next dimension, the organizational features such as transition phrases and paragraphing conventions are like the roof, windows, doors, and interior design. As economics teacher David Carney says, "If students don't write with academic phrases and organization, their essays read like a pile of bricks; there is no cohesion" (D. Carney, personal communication, February 2022).
From Long-Term Success for Experienced Multilinguals (pp. 36-42) by Tan K. Huynh and Beth Skelton, Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press. Copyright © 2023. All rights reserved. (Readers in the U.S. and Canada can save 20 percent when buying the book by using that link and the code SAVE20.)
Finally, the context for the written or spoken project is like the neighborhood or community, in which the structure is located. Students need explicit instruction in each dimension of discipline-specific language in order to succeed on classroom assignments and assessments.The bricks in Min Woo's math lesson are the words and phrases used to describe the angles and lines. The walls of this lesson are formed with the sentences that explain the relationships between the lines and angles. Finally, the entire house structure will be completed when he organizes his presentation. The purpose of the presentation will be to explain the location of each line. He will have to justify the layout of his street map to the audience. The context or audience for this project is the presentation to the town council. As apprentice city planners in the math class, Min Woo and his classmates will develop mathematical reasoning as well as the mathematical-specific language needed to share their developing understanding.

When Mr. Nguyen asks students to justify their choices for placing the lines and angles on the city map, the sentence structures and organization they use must justify their decisions, not just describe the lines and angles. As math teacher and author Molina (2012) writes, "the phrase 'the problem with math is English' applies to all students, not just those whose native language is not English" (p. 1). Therefore, all students in the class will benefit from explicit instruction in using math-specific academic language to be successful engaging with this project.

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Scaffolding for Experienced English Language Learners

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In higher grades, multilingual students need to develop a grasp of academic English. Here's how to help them acquire the skills they need.

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Scaffolding UP strategies for multilinguals in Math

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Scaffolding UP strategies for multilinguals in Math

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Your Behaviour Chart is destroying your classroom culture

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Your Behaviour Chart is destroying your classroom culture

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In a recent classroom visit, I observed a teacher completing a read aloud. It was just before lunch, and students were getting itchy in their spots on the carpet. In frustration, the teacher stopped reading and told the class, "If I hear one more voice before I finish this book, I am clipping all of you down."

Did it get quiet? Yes. Were students attentive to the story? Hard to say. It is easy to mistake compliance for engagement. Some were likely thinking about where they were on the clip chart already and what a "clip down" would mean. Some might've been focused on sitting still and being quiet instead of truly listening to the story. And others were probably worried about what would happen to them if other students were noisy, and how unfair it would be to be "clipped down" for someone else's behavior.

In recent years, clip charts have become a popular way of managing student behavior. Teachers place each student's name on a clip, like a clothespin, and then the name clips are placed on the chart and moved from level to level throughout the school day. With phrases like "ready to learn" and "making good choices," these bright, colorful charts are marketed to appear "student friendly."

Here's the problem: Public shaming is public shaming, no matter how colorful and bright you make it. Managing behaviors by way of a system that puts students on display with the looming shame of being called out publicly for missteps invariably creates an environment where psychological safety cannot develop. And, if we want learning environments where students can be their authentic selves, take risks, embrace learning from errors and unexpected outcomes, and be vulnerable, then psychological safety is non-negotiable.

What is psychological safety? From the work of , a Harvard business professor, psychological safety is people's sense that they are part of a team where "no one will be punished or humiliated for speaking up with ideas, questions, concerns, or mistakes, and that the team is safe for interpersonal risk taking." Edmondson finds that the optimal environment for learning in the workplace is one with both high psychological safety and high expectations. Sound familiar? The same is true for optimal learning in the classroom.

No one is saying that a clip chart won't get you compliance. For the most part, it will. But educators should ask themselves, at what cost? For students with anxiety, the worry of where they are on the clip chart can be a pervasive distraction that splits their attention and undermines their learning. For students who rise to the top of the chart, there is nowhere to go but down. Students who struggle with self regulation may find themselves frequently clipped down, knowing that everyone knows they are not meeting teacher expectations.

Generally speaking, students do not spontaneously improve their outcomes by being made to feel bad. teaches that in these moments, students are likely to experience one of two feelings: shame or humiliation. In the case of shame, the student will feel negatively about themselves. In the case of humiliation, the student is likely to feel negatively about their teacher. In both cases, learning is compromised, and not just in the moment. While the specific incident may pass quickly-while the teacher may clip the student down and move on with little further reflection-psychological safety is not a construct that starts fresh every day. Like everything involving trust, it takes ongoing care and cultivation to create and sustain.

Clip charts are not just problematic for students. Let's return to our teacher trying to finish her read aloud who told her class that talking by anyone will result in a down clip for everyone. In the event a student did speak, the teacher had backed herself into a corner. She either had to punish the whole class, showing that she is true to her word even at the risk of being perceived as unfair by many of her students, or go back on her word and undermine her own credibility with her class. In the end, no one is well served.

Instead of relying on behavioral charts, educators have other options to encourage positive student behavior while simultaneously cultivating psychological safety in their classrooms. The following steps have been adapted from the U.S. Office of Special Education Programs' guidance for supporting and responding to behavior.

Ask students: What does the classroom need to look like, sound like, and feel like for everyone to do their best learning? Students at every age can answer these questions. But here is the part we sometimes miss: What can your students expect from you? What will it look like, sound like, and feel like as you teach and promote those expectations? What is the plan for when students misstep? By proactively addressing how mistakes, unmet expectations, or miscommunications will be handled, students understand that these are normal. Normalizing mistakes promotes psychological safety and makes it easier for students to process and learn from them when they inevitably occur.

Once you have identified your shared expectations, make them visible and permanent. Here is the moment where color, pictures, and fun lettering can make their return. Create an anchor chart, poster, or other form of classroom contract. Have students sign their names and decide where in the classroom is a good place to display the finished product. While you are co-constructing norms and expectations as a class, you are simultaneously building classroom community. Talking about community strengthens community.

Doug Lemov, author of Teach Like a Champion 3.0, refers to "" and "Habits of Discussion" as foundational aspects of establishing norms and expectations in the classroom. The more explicit we are, the better clarity and shared understanding our students will have. It can be easy to overlook this part, to think that by co-creating a classroom contract or constitution, everyone is on the same page. After all, everyone signed it! Teaching and modeling behaviors are the fine print. Students may say that listening to each other, taking care of the classroom, or using respectful language are important expectations. Defining and describing these will help students to meet those expectations. Get in the weeds and get creative. Let your students perform examples and non-examples, make a graphic, or create stories. And, when your classroom expectations show up in the curriculum, help students to make those connections.

Precorrection means that before students transition into an activity, you take the opportunity to review expectations. Oftentimes, we do this with young children transitioning from classrooms to hallways or other shared school spaces. It is just as effective for group activities, discussions, problem based learning-you name it. Getting ready to have a serious socratic discussion with your 11th grade honors students? Review the process and the language of good discussion: how to agree, disagree, add on, or question appropriately. Precorrecting is a way of reinforcing behaviors authentically when students need them most. Students can connect the appropriate behaviors with the context and conditions in which they should occur, making it more likely they will 1) perform them in the moment and 2) remember and apply them later.

Productive praise is praise that is designed to increase the likelihood of repeated positive behaviors. For your praise to be productive, make it timely, authentic, and action-oriented. What could this look like? When students are doing what you want them to do, tell them specifically, in the moment, what it is that they are doing well and why it matters. "Jemma, I appreciate that you put away your social studies materials and got ready for math so quickly and quietly. It shows me that you're ready and it helps us to get started on time. Thank you!"

Unlike praise, which often identifies the individual student for their behavior, constructive corrections should begin with global prompts or redirections whenever possible. Remember, the minute a student is feeling publicly shamed or humiliated, you have left the learning zone. The student who is still walking around when they are supposed to be seated knows you're talking to them when you remind everyone that it is time to be back at their seats. When you do need to address a student's behavior individually, keep the student's dignity at the forefront. Be brief, be objective, be specific, and then be quick to acknowledge and praise any resulting effort to get back on track. You want the student to hear you, stay focused on the desired behavior, and get back to learning as quickly as possible. "Jemma, you did not put away your social studies materials and get ready for math despite multiple requests to do so, and you were talking with classmates, which distracted them from getting ready for math as well. This meant we lost our focus and time getting into math today. When we transition to science later, I want to see you focused and ready." Students, like all of us, appreciate clear expectations, boundaries, and consistency. Trust is strengthened by students knowing what to expect, even when this means a constructive correction.

Creating a classroom culture that engages students, not only in learning but also in the process of creating and sustaining an environment for learning, requires leadership, not just management. Projects are managed. People are led. Every teacher is a leader. The good news is that leadership is a skill set anyone can learn and everyone can improve. Own your role. Ditch those clips and lead on.

Editor's Note: The positions expressed here are by the author and not representative of Ramapo College.

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Your Clip Chart Is Ruining Your Classroom Culture

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Managing behavior in a way that leverages public shame is counterintuitive to building the psychological safety students need.

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Informative article for teachers working with struggling readers in Middle School.

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Evidenced-Based Practices for Literacy Intervention in Middle School

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These practical strategies for building up struggling middle school readers’ literacy skills can help them read more fluently.

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Discover how AI can benefit educators and education to improve teaching and learning in our list of misconceptions about AI in education.

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Includes strategies and more information on Tier 1

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This livebinder houses resources and implementation supports for North Carolina Schools as they implement North Carolina's Multi-Tiered System of Support (MTSS) framework. We hope you find this helpful! If you need information or have questions, please reach out to your Integrated Academic and Behavior Systems (IABS) consultant at the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction (NCDPI).

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Professional development certificates are available for the IRIS STAR Legacy Modules listed on this page. You can read a more detailed description of each Module by clicking on its title. When you have selected the Module(s) for which you would like to earn a certificate, click Add to Cart. You will receive an email confirmation after you have completed the checkout process.

If you do not already have a IRIS account, you will be prompted to set one up during the checkout process. When you have done so, a menu will appear in the top right corner of the site, allowing you to view your account. From there, you can take the pretest to begin your professional development or continue where you left off on a previous visit.

The IRIS Center Peabody College Vanderbilt University Nashville, TN 37203 [email protected]. The IRIS Center is funded through a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) Grant #H325E220001. The contents of this Website do not necessarily represent the policy of the U.S. Department of Education, and you should not assume endorsement by the Federal Government. Project Officer, Sarah Allen.

Copyright 2023 Vanderbilt University. All rights reserved.

* For refund and privacy policy information visit our Help & Support page.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

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Professional development certificates are available for the IRIS STAR Legacy Modules listed on this page. You can read a more detailed description of each Module by clicking on its title. When you have selected the Module(s) for which you would like to earn a certificate, click Add to Cart.

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Trauma-Responsive MTSS Toolkit - Tier 1 Supports

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Checklist to Prevent Bullying and Other Social Issues - 2024

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Student Agency - what it is vs what is not + Strategies to promote

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Student Agency - what it is vs what is not + Strategies to promote

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The Role of Student Agency in Fostering Lifelong Learners

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Discover practical strategies for developing student agency and fostering independent, self-directed learning in the classroom.

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Using MAP data to enhance strategies for teaching literacy

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Using MAP data to enhance strategies for teaching literacy

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5 strategies with evidence taking a step by step approach to enhancing the MAP data.

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Includes Intervention strategies for T1-T3

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Includes Interventions for Tier 1-3

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21 Reading and Writing Interventions for your MTSS

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21 Reading and Writing Interventions for your MTSS

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This is an easy to read and concise article that introducting the Science of Rearding. It focuses on the development of the reading brain, the theoretical models from Gough & Tunmer to Sarbogough to Kilpatrick. The article puts forward the primary areas of what need to be taught and the method of instruction.

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Free webinar that breaks down executive functions and explores some ideas on how to teach them.

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social thinking free webinar: demystifying executive functions

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Free Webinar: Demystifying Executive Functions

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Many students who are academically strong struggle with executive functioning, which can deeply impact their well-being in the social, academic, and job worlds. In this free webinar learn how to break down executive functions and learn how to teach them.

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Join Michelle Garcia Winner, the founder of the Social Thinking Methodology, to explore the many moving parts of self-regulation and which of our strategies, frameworks, and teaching materials help students develop these competencies across age groups.

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The term motivation describes why a person does something. It is the driving force behind human actions. Motivation is the process that initiates, guides, and maintains goal-oriented behaviors.

For instance, motivation is what helps you lose extra weight, or pushes you to get that promotion at work. In short, motivation causes you to act in a way that gets you closer to your goals. Motivation includes the biological, emotional, social, and cognitive forces that activate human behavior.

Motivation also involves factors that direct and maintain goal-directed actions. Although, such motives are rarely directly observable. As a result, we must often infer the reasons why people do the things that they do based on observable behaviors.

Learn the types of motivation that exist and how we use them in our everyday lives. And if it feels like you've lost your motivation, do not worry. There are many ways to develop or improve your self-motivation levels.

Press Play for Advice on Motivation

Hosted by therapist Amy Morin, LCSW, this episode of The Verywell Mind Podcast shares an exercise you can use to help you perform your best. Click below to listen now.

Follow Now: Apple Podcasts / Spotify / Google Podcasts

What Are the Types of Motivation?

The two main types of motivation are frequently described as being either extrinsic or intrinsic.

Extrinsic motivation arises from outside of the individual and often involves external rewards such as trophies, money, social recognition, or praise.

Intrinsic motivation is internal and arises from within the individual, such as doing a complicated crossword puzzle purely for the gratification of solving a problem.

A Third Type of Motivation?

Some research suggests that there is a third type of motivation: family motivation. An example of this type is going to work when you are not motivated to do so internally (no intrinsic motivation), but because it is a means to support your family financially.

Why Motivation Is Important

Motivation serves as a guiding force for all human behavior. So, understanding how motivation works and the factors that may impact it can be important for several reasons.

Understanding motivation can:

What Are the 3 Components of Motivation?

If you've ever had a goal (like wanting to lose 20 pounds or run a marathon), you probably already know that simply having the desire to accomplish these things is not enough. You must also be able to persist through obstacles and have the endurance to keep going in spite of difficulties faced.

These different elements or components are needed to get and stay motivated. Researchers have identified three major components of motivation: activation, persistence, and intensity.

Activation is the decision to initiate a behavior. An example of activation would be enrolling in psychology courses in order to earn your degree.

Persistence is the continued effort toward a goal even though obstacles may exist. An example of persistence would be showing up for your psychology class even though you are tired from staying up late the night before.

Intensity is the concentration and vigor that goes into pursuing a goal. For example, one student might coast by without much effort (minimal intensity) while another student studies regularly, participates in classroom discussions, and takes advantage of research opportunities outside of class (greater intensity).

The degree of each of these components of motivation can impact whether you achieve your goal. Strong activation, for example, means that you are more likely to start pursuing a goal. Persistence and intensity will determine if you keep working toward that goal and how much effort you devote to reaching it.

Tips for Improving Your Motivation

All people experience fluctuations in their motivation and willpower. Sometimes you feel fired up and highly driven to reach your goals. Other times, you might feel listless or unsure of what you want or how to achieve it.

If you're feeling low on motivation, there are steps you can take to help increase your drive. Some things you can do to develop or improve your motivation include:

Adjust your goals to focus on things that really matter to you. Focusing on things that are highly important to you will help push you through your challenges more than goals based on things that are low in importance.

If you're tackling something that feels too big or too overwhelming, break it up into smaller, more manageable steps. Then, set your sights on achieving only the first step. Instead of trying to lose 50 pounds, for example, break this goal down into five-pound increments.

Improve your confidence. Research suggests that there is a connection between confidence and motivation. So, gaining more confidence in yourself and your skills can impact your ability to achieve your goals.

Remind yourself about what you've achieved in the past and where your strengths lie. This helps keep self-doubts from limiting your motivation.

If there are things you feel insecure about, try working on making improvements in those areas so you feel more skilled and capable.

Causes of Low Motivation

There are a few things you should watch for that might hurt or inhibit your motivation levels. These include:

All-or-nothing thinking: If you think that you must be absolutely perfect when trying to reach your goal or there is no point in trying, one small slip-up or relapse can zap your motivation to keep pushing forward.

Believing in quick fixes: It's easy to feel unmotivated if you can't reach your goal immediately but reaching goals often takes time.

Thinking that one size fits all: Just because an approach or method worked for someone else does not mean that it will work for you. If you don't feel motivated to pursue your goals, look for other things that will work better for you.

Motivation and Mental Health

Sometimes a persistent lack of motivation is tied to a mental health condition such as depression. Talk to your doctor if you are feeling symptoms of apathy and low mood that last longer than two weeks.

Theories of Motivation

Throughout history, psychologists have proposed different theories to explain what motivates human behavior. The following are some of the major theories of motivation.

The instinct theory of motivation suggests that behaviors are motivated by instincts, which are fixed and inborn patterns of behavior. Psychologists such as William James, Sigmund Freud, and William McDougal have proposed several basic human drives that motivate behavior. They include biological instincts that are important for an organism's survival-such as fear, cleanliness, and love.

Drives and Needs

Many behaviors such as eating, drinking, and sleeping are motivated by biology. We have a biological need for food, water, and sleep. Therefore, we are motivated to eat, drink, and sleep. The drive reduction theory of motivation suggests that people have these basic biological drives, and our behaviors are motivated by the need to fulfill these drives.

Abraham Maslow's hierarchy of needs is another motivation theory based on a desire to fulfill basic physiological needs. Once those needs are met, it expands to our other needs, such as those related to safety and security, social needs, self-esteem, and self-actualization.

Arousal Levels

The arousal theory of motivation suggests that people are motivated to engage in behaviors that help them maintain their optimal level of arousal. A person with low arousal needs might pursue relaxing activities such as reading a book, while those with high arousal needs might be motivated to engage in exciting, thrill-seeking behaviors such as motorcycle racing.

The Bottom Line

Psychologists have proposed many different theories of motivation. The reality is that there are numerous different forces that guide and direct our motivations.

Understanding motivation is important in many areas of life beyond psychology, from parenting to the workplace. You may want to set the best goals and establish the right reward systems to motivate others as well as to increase your own motivation.

Knowledge of motivating factors (and how to manipulate them) is used in marketing and other aspects of industrial psychology. It's an area where there are many myths, and everyone can benefit from knowing what works with motivation and what doesn't.

Additional Reading

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Motivation is the force that guides behaviors. Discover psychological theories behind motivation, different types, and how to find the motivation to meet your goals.

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Mindfulness : research perspective (2019)

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Mindfulness : research perspective (2019)

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The articles outlines the body of research on mindfulness, tries to systematize the practices and points to cognitive and self-regulatory benefits of regular practice.

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Frontiers | Mindfulness, Interoception, and the Body: A Contemporary Perspective

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Mindfulness is often used as an umbrella term to characterize a large number of practices, processes, and characteristics. Critics argue that this broad defi…

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"relaxation for kids" "mindfulness for kids" "childrens mental health" "kids mental health" "kids breathing" "kids wellbeing" "kids wellness" "background mus...

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⭐️Children's Relaxations for Mental & Emotional Well-Being, Calm & Focus in the Classroom. I help teachers, educators, parents & mental health professionals to improve their student/children's mental & emotional well-being so that they can have calmer kids & calmer classrooms. Because my content is made for children, unfortunately the comments are turned off.

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Respectful redirection is a quick, in-the-moment strategy to give corrective feedback to students. You get your students' attention without making a big deal about it, using a calm tone, neutral body language, and clear, concise wording.

You tell students exactly what they're doing incorrectly and what they should be doing instead with as few words as possible, leaving less room for confusion. (If your school uses a PBIS framework, you may hear this strategy called "error correction.")

to see how one teacher uses respectful redirection with her whole class.

Set expectations. Before you can start using respectful redirection, make sure your students know what is expected of them in your classroom. These expectations should be reasonable, age-appropriate, and culturally responsive. Knowing your students well will help you create expectations that respect cultural differences and life experiences. Share and review the expectations regularly as part of building your class culture.

When a student doesn't follow a classroom expectation, decide in the moment whether you need to intervene. Ask yourself: What is this behavior communicating? Is it getting in the way of the student's learning or the learning of others?

Also, when you're deciding whether to intervene, remember that some students may look off-task when they're doing things that actually keep them on-task. For example, students who are standing up or fidgeting at their desks may look off-task. But for students who have ADHD, movement can be a strategy that helps them concentrate.

If you decide that you need to use a respectful redirection, follow the steps from the example below.

1. Address the issue as quickly as possible. If your redirection will only be for one student, do your best to speak privately.

Walk to Josh and say quietly and calmly, "Josh, I can tell you really want to share your ideas, but you were talking while Laurel was talking."

2. Describe what the student should do instead by referring to your classroom expectations.

Point to a visual of classroom expectations and say, "In this class, we take turns speaking during discussions. Next time you have an idea to share with the group, wait until the person who is speaking stops, and then share your idea."

3. Explain why the alternate behavior is a better option.

"It's easier for people to listen when one person is talking at a time."

4. Ask the student to demonstrate understanding, either by practicing it immediately or by telling you how they will do it in the future.

"Josh, the next time you want to share your idea when someone else is talking, what could you do?"

5. When the student follows your redirection, provide feedback and reinforcement.

"Josh, the way you waited to speak until after Laurel was finished talking allowed everyone in your group to listen and share their ideas. Well done."

Respectful redirection isn't just about telling students to focus on what they're supposed to be doing. It's also about how you say it. Research shows that this type of brief, consistent, systematic correction with feedback has a positive effect on student behavior. How you speak to students - the tone you use, the words you choose, and how much you say - affects the way they respond to you.

Students who learn and think differently especially benefit from this strategy. For students with ADHD, research shows that delayed feedback is less likely to result in positive behavior changes. An immediate redirection helps students recognize cause and effect.

As a predictable framework, respectful redirection can be comforting to students, especially those who have experienced trauma. One of the elements of strong trauma-informed teaching is a safe community. Routines and predictability help to build trust, allowing students to feel safe. They know how the process works and their role in it.

When done successfully, respectful redirection can remove the need for further intervention. Talking to students in a positive, calm manner while giving specific feedback gives them a way to get back on task without needing more information.

Respectful redirection can work at home, too. Share behavior contracts families can use to help their kids learn to replace an inappropriate behavior with a more appropriate one.

Research behind this strategy

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Respectful redirection: A behavior strategy for teachers

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Respectful redirection is a classroom management strategy that teachers use to quickly and calmly tell students what they're doing incorrectly and what they should be doing instead.

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Re-assessing Assessments for MLLs and utilising trans-languaging and its challenges

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Re-assessing Assessments for MLLs and utilising trans-languaging and its challenges

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This participatory white paper examines tensions in classroom assessment with the intent of demystifying purposes, practices, and policies for educators of multilingual learners in K-12 settings.

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CDC guidelines for developmental milestones and home strategies

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CDC guidelines for developmental milestones and home strategies

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This resource lists some of the developmental milestones for ages 1-17 and lists strategies/guidelines that parents can use at home to help with their children's learning.

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Official websites use .gov

A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.

Secure .gov websites use HTTPS

A lock ( ) or https:// means you've safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

Free materials and multimedia on child development for families.

Positive parenting tips

Information about developmental milestones and tips for things that parents can do to help their children during each stage of development.

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Use reinforcing language to show students that you see their positive academic and behavioral efforts and accomplishments.

Reinforcing language is one of the most powerful tools available to educators—and one of the most underutilized.

Students build on their strengths, not their weaknesses. That means it is important to notice and specifically name students’ efforts and accomplishments.

Keys to Effective Reinforcing Language

Name concrete and specific behaviors. Rather than saying a global “Good job!” or “Nice work,” tell students what they specifically did well so they know what to keep doing and build upon.

De-emphasize your approval. Emphasize what the student did. Otherwise, students may focus more on pleasing you than improving their skills.

Avoid holding one student up as an example for others. The student held up may feel triumphant, but others will likely feel devalued or criticized. The student who is held up may even feel embarrassed.

Find positives to reinforce in all students. Every student has strengths. Over time, every student should feel that we see and appreciate their positive actions and attitudes.

Examples of Reinforcing Language

“People waited for their turn before speaking. I also noticed some thoughtfully adding to what others said; that helped deepen our discussion.”

“Kelsey, I’ve noticed that you’ve been staying focused and getting much of your in-class work done by the end of the period. That’s great progress!”

“I see lots of people putting the tablets away carefully. That will keep them safe and ready for the next class.”

“Jamal, your classmates were focused on you as you presented. What do you think you did to grab everyone’s attention?”

“Today’s math was tough, but you kept trying! That persistence will help you solve all kinds of problems.”

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Once June arrives, it’s tempting to focus on the more leisurely days ahead. That’s important to do—we all need rest and rejuvenation. But before you begin that well-earned downtime, pause for a moment to bring closure to your year of teaching—to consider what went well in your teaching and how you’d like to up your game next year.

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How To Address Group Conflicts Using Class Meetings

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How To Address Group Conflicts Using Class Meetings

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How To Address Group Conflicts Using Class Meetings _ Responsive Classroom

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Investing in Ongoing Professional Development

Enhance your skills, elevate your impact, and unlock the full potential of the Responsive Classroom approach to teaching and discipline. Discover the benefits of ongoing professional development to sustain, fine-tune, and grow your investment.

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Engage with our videos and webinars. Access valuable insights and strategies to enhance your teaching experience.

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A teacher’s language is a powerful teaching tool. Our language can build children up or tear them down. It can model respectful and caring social interactions or just the opposite. Effective language encourages and supports students in their learning, rather than criticizing them for their mistakes. As child psychologist Rudolf Dreikurs writes, “Each child needs continuous encouragement just as a plant needs water.” Effective teacher language also:

Is clear, simple, and direct

Is genuine and respectful

Gives specific positive feedback rather than general praise

Focuses on the child’s action or behavior rather than generalizing about the child’s whole person

Avoids qualitative or personal judgment

Shows faith in children’s abilities and potential

(Click to read more)

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A teacher’s language is a powerful teaching tool. Our language can build children up or tear them down. It can model respectful and caring social interactions or just the opposite. Effective language encourages and supports students in their learning, rather than criticizing them for their mistakes. As child psychologist Rudolf Dreikurs writes, “Each child needs continuous encouragement just as a plant needs water.” Effective teacher language also:

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Tools for better retention when studying

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Tools for better retention when studying

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A great article looking at how to use the common study tools that students use and ways to make them more effective.

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Strategic, research-backed improvements can help students transform their favorite study habits into tools for deeper learning and retention.

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Tier 1 Practices Learn from teachers as they model strategies and explain how procedures work effectively in their classrooms. These are the practices that teachers and educators have been using for decades to create safe and supportive schools. Please share ideas and feedback to help us grow this

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Easy-to-implement, evidence-based mental health practices for elementary classrooms

Explore by skill category

Or, view all practices and use filters to find what you need

The practices align with Ontario's curriculum and are designed to help educators model and teach social-emotional skills and create and sustain mentally healthy classrooms.

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Everyday Mental Health Classroom Resource - Help students learn to take care of their mental health through simple, everyday classroom practices.

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Responding to bullying as a teacher - Do's and Don'ts

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Responding to bullying as a teacher - Do's and Don'ts

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According to the National Center of Education, as of 2016 more than 20 percent of students reported being bullied.

It's a staggering statistic; especially considering the many ways bullying can affect students' wellbeing. Targeted children often suffer from poor performance in school, sleep issues, anxiety, and depression. And let's not forget the students doing the bullying-they're at a much higher risk for a whole host of issues that could extend into adulthood, ranging from violent behavior to substance abuse.

As an educator, what can do you to make an impact? How can you create a classroom climate that prevents bullying, but also put interventions in place that stop the behavior in its beginning stages? We talked to experts in education and mental health counseling to come up with these six strategies.

1. Teach kindness and empathy.

When students are able to approach ideas and problems from multiple perspectives, they're less likely to bully others.

From the earliest ages, students should participate in activities that boost social-emotional learning. As a teacher, find ways to help children understand and appreciate their identity as well as others'. To do this requires empathy and kindness, two skills that educators like Susan Patterson, who leads a cyberbullying course at Lesley University, believe can be taught.

"Empathy is the ability to put yourself in someone else's shoes, and teachers need to embed this skill into their curriculum," says Patterson. "We need to do identity work with children early on so that kids know who they are and who everybody else is and what their place is in the world."

One way to do this is to have kids get together and talk about their differences. Allow them to practice conflict resolution, work through problems, and build their understanding of those around them.

2. Create opportunities for connection.

Fostering a sense of community in your classroom can lower bullying incidents and facilitate healing for targeted students.

Research shows that when targeted students feel connected to peers, they're better able to cope with being bullied. Studies also indicate that teaching students to speak up when they witness bullying behavior, and to take a stand against it, can reduce future bullying situations by more than 50 percent.

"It's all about connection," says Nancy Beardall, who created and implemented a bullying prevention curriculum in Newton Public Schools. "When students feel connected to their peers, their school, and their community, they do better."

In the classroom, start by creating a safe place for students to express themselves and feel heard. Cultivate students' abilities to advocate on behalf of themselves as well as others. Outside of the classroom, facilitate opportunities for positive reinforcement by helping students get involved in afterschool activities that align with their hobbies and interests.

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6 Ways Educators Can Prevent Bullying in Schools

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Think about your classroom. Now picture your students. Chances are that one out of every five has been bullied. As an educator, what can you do about it? We talked to experts in education and mental health counseling to come up with these six bullying prevention strategies.

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Programs, tips, and strategies for reducing bullying using SEL techniques.

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5 Practical Reading Comprehension Strategies for Secondary Students

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5 Practical Reading Comprehension Strategies for Secondary Students

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Here are a few research-based reading strategies that secondary teachers can implement to help students who struggle with reading, no matter the content area, along with a few ideas on how to implement them easily.

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According to the Nations Report Card , in 2019, only 34% of 8th-grade
students read at grade level.

Unfortunately, gaps in reading skills have continued to grow since that time, not just as a whole but also between racial and economic subgroups. Because reading is essential for success in every content area throughout secondary school, helping students with reading deficits is every middle and high school teacher's job, not just the interventionist or language arts teacher.

A secondary student needs to be able to comprehend complex texts in science, social studies, math, and more. From 4th grade on, there is a general expectation that students have mastered basic reading skills and can understand what they are reading (Marchand-Martella et al., 2013, 164). However, the data reveals that students need more assistance with reading comprehension, not less, as they progress and learn content across subject areas.

During my time as a middle school language arts teacher, I was often called upon by other teachers to help them with struggling students. The issue might have been independent work, grasping material, or meeting written response expectations. I knew most of the struggle was rooted in students' inability to read grade-level texts independently. My department was often tasked with providing resources for the whole building to help students in all subject areas. The question at the front of our minds was... "What can our science, math, and social studies teachers do to help students understand written material when students can't read and comprehend grade-level text?"

The good news is that research on reading at the middle and high school levels identifies strategies to help secondary teachers and students. This article will outline a few practical ways content area teachers can support students with reading.

The Importance of Differentiated and Accessible Core Instruction

What's the difference between learning supports/strategies and an intervention?

Learning supports and strategies are resources founded on research used to complement Tier 1 core instruction.

An intervention is an evidence-based resource used to target a specific skill for a certain length of time and routinely measured for effectiveness.

The Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) framework is designed to give all students the help they need. A central tenet of MTSS is differentiated, solid core instruction for all students at Tier 1. This begins with providing learning supports and strategies within Tier 1 to differentiate for all types of learners. The right strategy paired with core instruction can help a struggling reader get past the comprehension barrier in any class-not all students learn the same way or at the same pace.

Here are a few research-based reading strategies that secondary teachers can implement to help students who struggle with reading, no matter the content area, along with a few ideas on how to implement them easily.

1. Graphic Organizers

At any level and in any content area, teachers can utilize graphic organizers to support students in comprehension. For example, when tackling new information within a complex text, a graphic organizer provides structure and organization to the information, increasing accessibility for students.

Jennifer Gonzalez of Cult of Pedagogy says, "Presenting information in both text and graphic formats is one of the most basic ways to make a lesson accessible to more students-the basis of Universal Design for Learning-and graphic organizers definitely fit the bill there." ( Gonzales 2017 ) Many research studies have been conducted about graphic organizers' effectiveness in helping students with language development , science , and writing instruction, along with assisting students with disabilities .

Ideas for Implementing:

Compare/Contrast: Using a Venn diagram breaks down helps with classifying and identifying differences.

Tables/Charts: Giving notes or categorizing information using tables or charts helps organize studying.

Images: Provides visual associations for memory and understanding.

Brainstorming Mapping: This could be a pre-writing strategy or for students to make connections between ideas.

It's a simple switch to translate materials into a graphic organizer or create one for students. There are plenty of websites to create your own, such as https://graphicorganizer.net/.

2. Provide Background and Activate Prior Knowledge

In our diverse education system, students have varying life experiences and exposure to ideas. When teaching a text that assumes a level of background or understanding that may, in fact, be lacking, it's essential to provide that background knowledge or activate the students' prior knowledge related to the content. Research has shown that doing so will increase comprehension.

"Activating one's prior knowledge of a topic before reading provides a mental "hook" linking knowledge the reader already possesses with ideas in the text." (Neufeld, 2011) Making connections in the brain is essential for understanding and recall, kind of like building a mental file cabinet to sort and store information. This strategy will ultimately promote a deeper understanding and comprehension of the text they are about to read.

Ideas for Implementing:

Utilize a historical video to establish some background knowledge.

Take a virtual reality field trip to an unfamiliar setting for students.

Bring in a subject matter expert to introduce a topic.

Have an artifact discovery session with related materials.

3. Active Reading with Annotation

Interacting with a text while reading can be difficult for some students. Using the Active Reading strategy, students make notes to help them engage and comprehend what they are reading. Learning to take notes while reading helps students make connections and keep track of their questions and unknown vocabulary.

Research has shown that an active reading strategy can help improve students' reading comprehension skills. Interacting with the text helps students make the words meaningful and thus aids in comprehension.

There are many ways to implement this strategy, whether through signs and symbols or methods such as Notice and Note by Beers and Probst, a KWL chart, or even close reading symbols.

Ideas for Implementing:

Use a copy of the text that the student can write on or highlight.

Model how to take notes in the margins while reading with a displayed copy of the text.

While reading, stop to answer questions students may have, define any unknown words or phrases.

Make connections to other material from the content or other content areas.

👉 Free Download: Close Reading R esource 👈

4. Pre-Teach New and Important Concepts

For some students, it can help to pre-teach a concept before a lesson; this means they get a preview of these required skills in a small group or one on one before the entire class. This strategy improves their chances and reduces their stress during the lesson.

The research indicates that this specific strategy is excellent for students struggling with math achievement and students that have a low academic self-concept with math achievement. The same applies to other content areas as well. Teachers providing a preview or review of essential concepts before lessons can give confidence to those students who might struggle with understanding the material. This strategy can make all the difference to a child who needs several passes before they grasp an idea.

Ideas for Implementing:

Begin by identifying key skills within a lesson or unit.

Give a short preview or resource to help them preview those skills with a small group of students or the whole class.

Use activities or short video introductions prior to the lesson.

Provide a database or online access to videos for students looking ahead in the semester.

5. Vocabulary Instruction and Word Maps

Lastly, explicitly teaching content-specific vocabulary prior to and during interaction with a text has a direct positive impact on reading comprehension. "When students understand the words they read and have strategies to figure out unknown words, they can make greater gains in understanding the meaning of what is being read." (Marchand-Martella et al., 2013, 169). It seems obvious, doesn't it? But at the secondary level, teachers across all content areas may need training and reminders to be intentional about teaching vocabulary.

This great article from the Texas Center for Learning disabilities lays out several important factors in effective vocabulary instruction:

Vocabulary instruction must be explicit, with clear definitions, examples, and non-examples.

Students need many practice opportunities over time and in several formats.

Every subject has key vocabulary words that should be carefully identified and taught. Time is limited, so choose words that are foundational and used often.

The research on language learning indicates that students can also improve their vocabulary retention and reading comprehension with visuals like a word map. A word map can work in several ways, but essentially it is a graphic organizer with four boxes at the center or top where you write the word. The other boxes are for definitions, synonyms, using the word in a sentence, or pictures to describe the word.

Organizers like this help build knowledge around the word and possibility represent new information for understanding.

Ideas for Implementing:

Develop a vocabulary routine to introduce new content-specific words.

Teach common morphemes-prefixes, roots, and suffixes-to help students decipher unfamiliar words.

Allow students to design a word map.

Utilize word walls with pictures for classroom display and further learning.

Small Changes Can Help Scaffold Support

It can often feel like the gap between "where students are" and "where we want them to be" is too big to overcome. But, strategies that scaffold the student for understanding and organizing content can remove barriers to success and start closing those reading gaps.

Within the MTSS framework, support for struggling readers students is built on solid Tier 1 Core Instruction and begins with small changes in how teachers differentiate and make their curriculum accessible to all students.

These reading support strategies are just a snapshot of ways a teacher might differentiate their instruction, but they are a start. Don't underestimate the power of simple instructional strategies in making content accessible to all learners!

These featured strategies just scratch the surface of the interventions and learning supports available to teachers. Consider expanding your knowledge by:

Key takeaways from this article:

At the secondary level, reading comprehension across content areas can be a challenge for students who are not reading at grade level.

There are practical strategies that secondary teachers can use to differentiate instruction and make written content more accessible for struggling students.

Reading strategies can be implemented easily within the ongoing curriculum.

Branching Minds Strengthens MTSS in Secondary Schools

A strong MTSS at the secondary level develops a positive school culture, strengthens data-driven instruction, achieves equity of student support, and ensures a pathway to graduation and greater success in life.

Branching Minds helps by addressing the specific needs of the secondary educator to:

See the whole student picture (academics, behavior, SEL, and more) with one click

Ensure the use of accurate and reliable sources of data to make meaningful changes to instruction at every tier

Reliably identify students in need of academic, attendance, and engagement support, including those at risk of dropping out

Save time accessing curated research-based secondary resources to support differentiation

Save effort finding students with shared needs, designing group and individual support plans, and making decisions about student progress

Seamlessly collaborate and share data across teams, across years

Easily log interventions, supports, student progress, meetings, and plans

Sources

Gonzales, J. (2017, October 22). The Great and Powerful Graphic Organizer. Cult of Pedagogy. Retrieved August 29, 2022, from https://www.cultofpedagogy.com/graphic-organizer/

Marchand-Martella, N. E., Martella, R. C., Modderman, S. L., Petersen, H., & Pan, S. (2013). Key Areas of Effective Adolescent Literacy Programs. EDUCATION AND TREATMENT OF CHILDREN, 36(1), 161-184.

Neufeld, P. (2011, November 9). Comprehension Instruction in Content Area Classes - Neufeld - 2005 - The Reading Teacher - Wiley Online Library. International Literacy Association (ILA). Retrieved September 2, 2022, from https://ila.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1598/RT.59.4.1

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5 Practical Reading Comprehension Strategies for Secondary Students

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This article outlines five practical reading comprehension strategies secondary teachers can use to support their students with reading. Read more.

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Tier 1 Interventions: 16 Tried And Tested Strategies

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16 Tier 1 intervention strategies using research-based teaching to address student needs in your school or district.

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The difference between Tier 1 and Tier 2

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The difference between Tier 1 and Tier 2

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What is the Difference Between Tier 1 and Tier 2 in MTSS?

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What’s the difference between Tier 1 and Tier 2 in MTSS? This blog clears up the confusion and helps teachers connect everyday instruction to student support.

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How to help students overcome ‘learned helplessness’

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Encouraging autonomy and celebrating small wins builds self-confidence in students, speakers at the Council for Exceptional Children conference said.

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Slides from Erin Threlfall, keynote at EKC Conference in Bangkok, March 2025

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Boost student learning and confidence with high-quality feedback.

When we offer thoughtful, specific feedback, we’re not just pointing out what went well—we’re helping students reflect, grow, and take ownership of their learning.

What does high-quality feedback look like?

It’s feedback that:

Highlights specific behaviors that led to success

Invites students to reflect with open-ended questions (“What helped you…?”)

Can be shared in writing or conversation

Why it matters:

Builds trust and connection between teacher and student

Encourages academic growth and deeper thinking

Fuels intrinsic motivation and a love for learning

Try using prompts like:

“I see that you…”

“What stood out to me was…”

“I immediately understood because…”

“What helped you…?”

Small shifts in how we respond to student work can make a big impact. Try it out—your words could be the nudge that helps a student take their next big leap.

SOURCE: Responsive Classroom

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Finding opportunities to teach academic writing

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Finding opportunities to teach academic writing

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This a wonderful article by Yan Huynh and Beth Skelton on using content to build student's writing. They provide 4 different strategies and how to use the opportunities made available through the content.

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Shared by Tracey Wrigley

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How to use restorative justice in your classroom and school

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At the heart of restorative justice is the idea that everyone is inherently worthy and that our connection to one another is what matters most. So how can teachers and schools create a restorative culture where both individuals and the school community can thrive?

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Shared by Tracey Wrigley, RP Lead and Advisor

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Restorative Approach Example - Primary School

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Why punitive practices alienate students and does not encourage engagement and learning

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Why punitive practices alienate students and does not encourage engagement and learning

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"We are the ones who create the conditions that signal to students they belong or they don’t. To do better in this space, we must consistently bear in mind each student’s humanity."

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These four moves can help cultivate classrooms where each student feels valued and empowered to learn.

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Webinars, printables, other - FREE

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Behaviour descriptions organised by Tier.

Solutions, tips, strategies for Tier 1, Tier 2, Tier 3.

CAVEAT: Please be mindful that some rewards/punishment practices do not align with our school as we are a constructivist school. Please consult a SSS team member.

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PBIS World | A Complete Tier 1 Through Tier 3 Positive Behavior Interventions & Supports System

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PBIS World is in no way affiliated, associated, or connected with any other website, entity, organization, or federal, state, local, or other government agency, department, program, policy, organization, or initiative.