What works best summary tiles (PDF, 357.8KB)

Practical strategies for embedding high expectations in teaching and learning

• Consistently challenge all students to learn new things.
• Establish clear and consistent expectations for learning and behaviour.
• Guide and support students towards meeting expectations.
• Engage with parents and carers to encourage them to hold high expectations of their children.

Practical strategies for using data in practice in teaching and learning

• Regularly dedicate time to using data effectively.
• Collect meaningful data.
• Analyse the data to monitor student learning and progress.
• Make teaching decisions based on data analysis goals.

Practical strategies for supporting student wellbeing

• Select and develop strategies to proactively teach healthy coping mechanisms, resilience and self-regulation.
• Initiate strategies to build a positive learning environment characterised by supportive relationships and regular contact with each student.
• Target support for different phases of student development and for students who may be at risk.
• Use collaborative strategies and share with staff, the school community and other agencies as required, to support the wellbeing of students.

Practical strategies for effective teacher collaboration

• Seek professional learning opportunities to share and gain expertise in evidence-based teaching practices.
• Regularly participate in structured lesson observations that focus on how different teaching approaches impact on student learning.
• Regularly dedicate time throughout the school year for working with colleagues to plan, develop and refine teaching and learning programs.
• Work in partnership with colleagues to achieve shared collaboration goals.

Practical strategies for embedding explicit teaching in the classroom

• Prepare for explicit teaching by planning lesson scope, assessing data, reviewing prior learning and balancing teacher-directed, teacher-guided and student-directed learning.
• Explain, model and guide learning.
• Monitor student progress and check for understanding.

Practical strategies for embedding effective feedback in teaching and learning

• Reflect and communicate about the learning task with students.
• Provide students with detailed and specific feedback about what they need to do to achieve growth as a learner.
• Encourage students to self-assess, reflect and monitor their work.
• Ensure that students act on feedback that they receive.

Practical strategies for using assessment to improve student learning

• Make student assessment a part of everyday practice.
• Use assessment to provide students with learning opportunities.
• Design and deliver high-quality formal assessment tasks.
• Carefully structure group assessment activities to ensure that students are supported, challenged and able to work together successfully.

Practical strategies to support teachers in managing their classrooms effectively

• Develop high-quality student-teacher relationships.
• Provide structure, predictability, and opportunities for active student participation in the classroom.
• Actively supervise students to keep them on task.
• Respond to disengagement and disruptive behaviours and support students to re-engage in learning.

Data collection and analysis for evaluation – reference guides for teachers (PDF, 316kB)

This guide provides practical tips on data collection in the context of evaluation. It covers good survey design, running effective focus groups, conducting effective interviews and the process of document analysis. There is more information on data collection on the Evaluation resource hub.