Effective teaching: research into key features

Last reviewed on 15 July 2021
School types: All · School phases: All
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Research into effective, high-quality teaching has highlighted several key themes. Find out what these are so you can look for them in your own school setting.

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Contents

  1. Evidence of high-quality teaching to look out for
  2. Other indicators of high-quality teaching
  3. What does ineffective teaching look like?
  4. How can I promote high-quality teaching in my school?

Evidence of high-quality teaching to look out for

There’s been a lot of research into what high-quality teaching looks like, and some common themes have emerged.

Look for the following features when assessing whether the teaching in your school is high quality:

Teachers give effective instruction The Sutton Trust report (see above) explains that this includes elements such as: Effective questioning  Use of assessment Reviews of previous learning Modelling responses for students Allowing adequate time to practice and embed skills Providing scaffolding for new learning These elements are also reflected in the effective teaching

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