Marzano’s Nine Best Practices to Improve Student Achievement

“Expect Success and Nothing Less”

Best Practices Impacting Student Achievement* √ ? Best Practice Predict Rank

Generate and test hypotheses

Nonlinguistic representations

Questions, cues, and advance organizers

Comparing, contrasting, classifying, analogies, and metaphors

Homework and practice

Summarizing and note taking

Setting objectives and give feedback

Reinforce effort and give praise

Cooperative learning

Rank the best practices from 1-9 with 1 having the greatest impact on student achievement.

Best Practices that support Student Achievement

1. Finding Similarities and Differences

2. Summarizing and Note Taking

3. Reinforce Effort and Give Praise

4. Assigning Homework and Practice

5. Cooperative Learning

6. Nonlinguistic Representation

7. Setting Objectives and Providing Feedback

8. Generating and Testing Hypotheses

9. Cues, Questions, and Advance Organizers

Best Practices: Percent Increase on Student Achievement

1. Finding Similarities and Differences 45%

2. Summarizing and Note Taking 34%

3. Reinforce Effort and Give Praise 29%

4. Assigning Homework and Practice 28%

5. Cooperative Learning 27%

6. Nonlinguistic Representation 27%

7. Setting Objective and Providing Feedback 23%

8. Generating and Testing Hypotheses 23%

9. Cues, Questions, and Advance Organizers 22%

Finding Similarities and Differences Increases Student Achievement by

45% The ability to break a concept into its similar and

dissimilar characteristics allows students to understand and often solve complex problems by analyzing them in a more simple way.

Representing similarities and differences in graphic or symbolic form enhances students' understanding of and ability to use knowledge.

Finding Similarities and Differences

Compare Classify Create metaphors and analogies

What can we compare?

Books People Objects Animals Places Music Events

Comparing Animals: Cats and Dogs

1. Both have four legs.2. They are mammals3. Both shed hair4. They are pets

1. Has 9 lives.2. Has claws.3. Can see in the

dark.4. Hair balls

1. Has a good sense of smell.2. Used in rescue situations.3. Man’s best friend.4. Good protection.

Encourage students to sum up the similarities and differences orally and in writing.

Summarizing and Note Taking increases student achievement by 34%

These skills promote greater comprehension by asking students to analyze a subject to expose what’s essential and then put it into their own words. Use the Sponge Metaphor for writing a good summary.

Research shows that taking more notes is better than fewer notes, though verbatim note taking is ineffective because it does not allow time for processing the information.

Provide Tools for Summarizing and Note Taking

Tools help students engage in rigorous

thinking, organize complex ideas, and scaffold their interactions with texts.

Use the 10:2 Rule… 10 minutes of teaching with 2 minutes of

reflection time.

Reinforce Effort and Provide Praise increases student achievement by 29%

Make the connection between effort and achievement. “Work Hard Get Smart!”

Provide praise that is specific and timely.

“You worked hard on that opening sentence. Now, it really grabs my attention and makes me want to read on.”