By Gabriela Stiteler

Now more than ever, educators are asking themselves: How do we deeply engage students in their own learning? How can we keep students invested and curious about the world around them? How do we ensure that learning experiences are relevant? How do we provide multiple pathways to meet each student where they are while also holding them to the grade-level content and skills they will need to be successful in school, their careers, and life?

To answer these questions, Great Schools Partnership coaches worked with educators across New England to clearly define the Elements of Effective Instruction. Through years of research and experience, we were able to develop a framework that centers student engagement while supporting educator learning and growth.

In this article, you’ll learn about Elements of Effective Instruction Framework and Toolkit as well as some concrete suggestions for how school partners or educators might be able to use them.

What are the Elements of Effective Instruction?

The Elements of Effective Instruction (EEI) is a research-based framework educators at any level can use to deepen their understanding of the art of good teaching. The framework supports educators in designing and facilitating learning experiences that reflect the five elements of effective instruction:

1. Learning Environment
2. Clear, Shared Outcomes
3. Varied Content, Materials, and Methods
4. Practice and Feedback
5. Complex Thinking and Transfer

The Elements of Effective Instruction framework is grounded in the understanding that students are more interested and invested in their learning when they feel safe in their learning environment, understand what they are learning and why it matters, have opportunities to practice, receive clear feedback on their work, and engage in complex, meaningful thinking.

The Toolkit our team of coaches designed includes Guiding Beliefs and Key Traits to support each Element; a Self-Assessment to support educator reflection, learning, and growth; an In-Action observation sheet to help make the practices for each element visible and concrete; and a Research and Resources Guide to support teams in deepening their understanding of the Elements of Effective Instruction.

What is included in the Elements of Effective Instruction Toolkit?

1.) The Elements of Effective Instruction Framework

What does effective instruction look like? Sound like? Feel like? In classrooms? What beliefs are necessary in order to create these conditions?

The EEI Framework includes the Guiding Beliefs and Key Indicators for each of the Elements:

• Learning Environment
• Clear, Shared Outcomes
• Varied Content, Materials, and Methods
• Practice and Feedback
• Complex Thinking and Transfer

The Guiding Beliefs and Key Traits can be found HERE on our website.

2.) The Elements of Effective Instruction Self-Assessment

The Elements of Effective Instruction Self-Assessment tool is designed to allow educators to reflect on their current practices. After completing the self-assessment, individuals or teams can identify an area of learning and explore the EEI Resource Guides or EEI in Action to integrate concrete strategies into instructional practice.

The Elements of Effective Instruction Self-Assessment can be found HERE on our website.

3.) Elements of Effective Instruction In Action

The Elements of Effective Instruction In Action is a tool that allows teams of educators and leaders to build a strong shared vision of what effective and inclusive instructional practice looks like, sounds like, and feels like. 

This tool has been designed intentionally so that it can be used to support a variety of structures for professional learning. It can be used to calibrate instructional rounds, learning walks, match-maker pair observations, and peer coaching. This tool can also be used by professional learning groups or communities of practice in which educators learn and grow from each other.

The Elements of Effective Instruction in Action Tool can be found HERE on our website.

4.) Elements of Effective Instruction Research and Resources Guide

The Research and Resources Guide includes articles, book recommendations, research, reports, videos, and infographics curated by GSP Senior Associates. These materials can be used to design professional learning for staff or as an anchor piece for professional learning groups or communities to deepen your team’s collective understanding.

The Elements of Effective Instruction Research and Resources Guides can be found HERE on our website.

How can I learn more about how to use the Elements of Effective Instruction in my classroom or school?

To learn more about how our school partners have used the Elements of Effective Instruction , sign up for our free bookclub on EEI, September 30, 3-4 PM