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![An educator walks through instructions for a teaching strategy procedure with students.](/sites/default/files/styles/standard_hero_article_460_361_1x/public/2022-08/Teaching_Strategies_hero.jpeg?h=78a3dfb3&itok=_DNTnII0)
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Teaching Strategies
Use our student-centered teaching strategies to strengthen your students’ literacy skills, nurture critical thinking, and build a respectful and collaborative classroom community.
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Last Updated:Discover Versatile and Effective Instructional Strategies
Every classroom is different, and every student is unique. Our teaching strategies can be easily adapted for your classroom context and are designed to nurture student’s individual strengths and learning styles. Whether you want to encourage group participation, help students connect emotionally with a subject, or spark more engagement through classroom activities, you'll find plenty of ideas in our library of proven instructional strategies.
Featured Teaching Strategies
Explore some of our most popular and effective teaching strategies. Many feature classroom-ready handouts that you can print or share on Google Classroom for free.
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Text-to-Text, Text-to-Self, Text-to-World
Use text-to-text, text-to-self, and text-to-world comparisons to help students connect ideas in a text to their own lives, current events, and history.
![A close-up of an open book in someone's hands](/sites/default/files/styles/dynamic_stack_296_1x/public/2022-06/NewEngland_Classroom_2014_%20FH130909.jpg?h=0d27ee61&itok=KTdUxDpl)
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Identity Charts
Use identity charts to help students consider the many factors that shape their own identity and that of groups, nations, and historical and literary figures.
![An example of an identity chart for a high school student living in the Boston suburbs.](/sites/default/files/styles/dynamic_stack_296_1x/public/2023-10/Copy%20of%20Identity%20Chart%20Template%20%281900%20%C3%97%201414%20px%29%20%281%29.png?h=d3d13267&itok=RJS3A0Jw)
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Exit Tickets
Use exit tickets to assess students’ understanding, monitor their questions, or gather feedback on your teaching.
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Socratic Seminar
A Socratic Seminar invites students to facilitate a discussion in order to work together toward a shared understanding of a text.
![Two students sitting in a classroom with one student talking and gesturing](/sites/default/files/styles/dynamic_stack_296_1x/public/2022-06/Chicago_Classroom_2018_%20FH151349.jpg?h=c3635fa2&itok=DKqBQANg)
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K-W-L Charts
Use K-W-L charts to help students assess what they already know about a topic and what they want to learn.
![K-W-L Chart template that can be printed out and used in the classroom.](/sites/default/files/styles/dynamic_stack_296_1x/public/2023-10/KWL%20Chart%20Teaching%20Strategy%20%20%281900%20%C3%97%201414%20px%29.png?h=d3d13267&itok=waUHntVd)
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Contracting
Develop a classroom contract to create a community of mutual respect and inclusion.
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Journals in the Classroom
Create a practice of student journaling to help your students critically examine their surroundings and make informed judgments.
![Two students writing in a classroom](/sites/default/files/styles/dynamic_stack_296_1x/public/2022-06/Chicago_Classroom_2019_FH2101676.jpg?h=c11c9c1d&itok=TlOy-GAQ)
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Gallery Walk
A gallery walk activity gets students moving as they explore a range of documents, images, or student work displayed around the classroom.
![Students adding post-it notes to a white board.](/sites/default/files/styles/dynamic_stack_296_1x/public/2022-06/Memphis_Classroom_2015_FH221014.jpg?h=10d202d3&itok=5S8BMkZW)
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Jigsaw: Developing Community and Disseminating Knowledge
Students will become “experts” on a topic and then share their new knowledge with peers.
![Four students sitting at a table smiling and talking to each other](/sites/default/files/styles/dynamic_stack_296_1x/public/2022-06/Memphis_Classroom_2015_FH221005.jpg?h=10d202d3&itok=iKLwzbzJ)
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3-2-1
Use the 3-2-1 strategy to gauge students’ understanding and interest in a topic.
![Student writes in a notebook in classroom](/sites/default/files/styles/dynamic_stack_296_1x/public/2022-06/SanFrancisco_Classroom_2017_FH152793.jpg?h=9850bda7&itok=mo95EDc-)
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Character Maps
Help students engage with a fictional or historical character by creating an annotated illustration.
![A drawing of a girl with her name Serena Bialkin at the top and characteristics written around her.](/sites/default/files/styles/dynamic_stack_296_1x/public/2023-10/NewEngland_Classroom_2016_FH2196687.jpg?h=c9f93661&itok=4WD7IxwL)
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Head, Heart, Conscience
This strategy uses reflection prompts to help students consider a complex or emotional topic through the lenses of head, heart, and ethics.
![Student writes in a classroom](/sites/default/files/styles/dynamic_stack_296_1x/public/2022-06/SanFrancisco_Classroom_2017_FH152732.jpg?h=f2fcf546&itok=vql3K3i_)