+

The Contributions from the Curricula

Chapter 8 of Visible Learning: a Synthesis of Meta-Analyses Relating to Achievement by John A. C. Hattie (2009)

+ There need to be planned,

(Hattie, 2009, p. 129)

deliberate, explicit, and active programs to teach specific skills.

Learn to read then read to learn Students must obtain a set of learning strategies Teachers must actively teach skills and strategies Consistent across all years of schooling

Reading

Programs to teach skills Planned Deliberate Explicit Active

Successful reading programs Develop decoding skills Develop vocabulary and comprehension Teach specific strategies

Visual perception programs

Process of organizing and interpreting letters on a page Effect size of 0.55

Vocabulary programs

Beneficial in developing reading skills and comprehension Most effective methods:

Reading

Teach definitional and contextual information

Involve students in deeper processing

Give students more than one or two exposures to words

Mnemonic devices are effective Effect size of 0.67

Phonics instruction

Phonemic awareness assessed and taught

Phoneme isolation Identification Categorization

Blending
Segmentation Deletion

Reading

Casual factor in learning to read

Programs combining phonological and letter training are more effective

Direct instruction has been the most powerful in teaching phonics Effect size of 0.60

Sentence combining programs

Students combine one or more sentences into one compound, complex or compound-complex sentence More effective at the elementary level Effect size of 0.15

Repeated reading programs

Reading

Teaches automaticity in word recognition and decoding skills Skill usually develops naturally between second and third grade

Learning disabled students need to be explicitly taught fluency skills

Effect size of 0.67

Comprehension programs

Effect size on vocabulary of 1.77 Effect size on reading comprehension outcomes 0.70 Utilize different teaching strategies to teach comprehension

Processing strategies Text programs Task programs Visually dependent strategies Auditory/language-dependent strategies Reading instruction strategies

Reading

Overall effect size of 0.58

Whole language

Utilizes various strategies

Word lists Letter-sound naming Decoding techniques

More effective in kindergarten than first grade More effective when used instead of reading readiness programs Negligible effects on learning to read Effect size of 0.06

Reading

Exposure to reading

Parent-child reading supports literacy and vocabulary not necessarily reading skills Effect size of 0.36

Second-and third-chance programs Reading recovery students outperformed control students Effect size of 0.50 Reading Programs Overall Most effective when Attend to the visual and auditory perceptual skills Combine vocabulary, comprehension and phonics instruction with repeated reading opportunities

Reading

Reading is not a process that is the same from the beginning stages through to mature, skilled reading, but one that changes as the reader becomes more able and proficient. (Hattie, 2009, p.141)

Powerful to teach strategies for

Planning Revising Editing compositions

Effective when

Students are taught strategies Students work together Goals of writing are clear and specific

Writing Programs

Especially regarding the purpose of the writing assignment

Effect size of 0.44

Positive effects on student achievement at elementary levels in

Oral language
Self-esteem Moral reasoning Role-taking abilities

Drama skills

Drama/Arts Programs

Listening to music improves spatialtemporal reasoning Working together in music groups

Instills personal responsibility Increases academic responsibility and performance

Effect size of 0.35

Highest effects on student achievement in math when Teachers provide feedback or recommendations Peer-assisted learning is used Explicit teacher-led instruction is used Direct instruction is used Focus on desired learning outcomes, decisions about pacing and curriculum, emphasis of seeking enhanced learning Concrete feedback to parents is provided Calculators Neither help nor hinder overall achievement Beneficial when used For computation, drill and kill practice work To lessen the cognitive load Enhance student attitudes Effect size of 0.45

Math Programs

Skills based programs Analytic and processed skills Integrated laboratory activities Higher cognitive skills Appreciation of science Traditional programs Knowledge of scientific facts, laws, theories and applications Students in skill-based programs generally outperform those in traditional programs Laboratory experiences Two forms 1) aims to question, explain, and encourage thinking at higher levels, and uses a variety of sources to discover answers to questions 2) uses the laboratory to verify what has been previously presented Student achievement is higher in the first form Increase outcomes related to manipulation skills rather than reasoning skills or concepts and subject learning

Science Programs

Effective science classroom has Clear instructional objectives Consistent feedback on student progress towards goals Reflects considerable teacher planning with students taking some responsibility for task definition A teacher that uses strategies that require students to be both physically and mentally engaged Effective strategies Enhanced content strategies Collaborative learning strategies Inquiry strategies Manipulation strategies Assessment strategies Instructional technology strategies Teacher questioning Focusing strategies Manipulation strategies Enhanced materials Use of immediate or explanatory feedback Enhanced content strategies Overall effect size of 0.40

Science Programs

Character education

Citizenship training Health education Conflict resolution training Life skills Service learning

Moral reasoning
Moral education Values verification Ethics

Values and Moral Education Programs

Religious education

Effect size of 0.24

Aim for higher levels of

Social appropriateness Social problem solving skills Self-control Social perspective training

Student benefits from receiving social skills training

Social Skills Programs

Reduced social anxiety Increased comfort in social situations Enhanced motivation

Most effective training combines

Modeling Coaching Reinforcement programs

Effect size of 0.40

Career Education Programs

Increase knowledge of Occupations Training paths Job-search skills Decision-making strategies that include the integration of Work Family Leisure Community roles Elementary students of average ability benefited most academically especially If randomly assigned to groups If intervention was coupled with math and language arts If the program averaged 151-200 hours per school year Effect size of 0.38

Perceptual Motor Programs

Not effective in improving academic or cognitive learning No major improvements with perceptual/sensory motor outcomes Effect size of 0.08

Perceptual Motor Programs and Tactile Stimulation Programs

Tactile Stimulation Programs

Sensory enrichment/stimulation used with infants

Encourage development

Effective when used as early intervention with infants and young children
Effect size of 0.58

Play makes a difference!

Especially for younger students

Play teaches children to

Learn about peer relations Learn how to learn from peers Face and meet challenges Consequences of deliberative practice in play Satisfaction from deciding or becoming aware of both learning intentions and success criteria from being involved in play

Play Programs

Effect size of 0.50

Emphasis on instructional strategies and direct instruction

Utilized by most successful programs

Most effective with

High level of structuring Questioning Responding to student questioning

Specific Curricula Programs

Creativity Programs

Greatest effects from

Meta-cognitive strategies

Cognitive acceleration
Instrumental enrichment

Programs improve

Verbal creativity

Creative problem solving

Effect size of 0.65

Effects on academic outcomes

Leadership Self-concept Personality Interpersonal outcomes

Successful when

Activities are structured

Specific Curricula Programs

Outdoor Education

Emphasize clear and challenging learning intentions

Success criteria are clear Peer support optimized Feedback consistently provided

More effective

Longer programs Younger participants

Effect size of 0.52

Academic related activities have more effect on student achievement than sports Most effective programs

High levels of organization and structure

Regularly occurring
Emphasized increasingly complex skill building and goal setting abilities Involved leadership by adults

Specific Curricula Programs

Extra-Curricular Activities

Effect size of 0.17

Utilizes two languages in instruction

Immersion programs teach students in only one language

Student achievement correlates to

High quality of teaching competence Explicit attention to teaching strategies of learning

Specific Curricula Programs

Bilingual Programs

Outcomes are positive for bilingual education Effect size of 0.37

It is less the content of the curricula that is important than the strategies teachers use to implement the curriculum so that students progress upwards through the curricula content. (Hattie, 2009, p.159) Common themes across the curricula

Feedback
Structure

Direct instruction Explicit instruction Teaching of strategies must be planned, deliberate and explicit Teach students specific skills and deeper understanding

Conclusion

Strategy based methods

High yet achievable expectations

Clear learning intentions Practice

References

Hattie, J. A. (2009). Visible learning: A synthesis of over 800 meta-analyses relating to achievement. London: Routledge.