Quality Teaching for Diverse Students in Schooling: Best

Evidence Synthesis Iteration (BES)

Publication Details
This report is one of a series of best evidence syntheses commissioned by the Ministry of Education. It is part of a
commitment to strengthen the evidence base that informs education policy and practice in New Zealand. It aims to
contribute to an ongoing evidence-based discourse amongst policy makers, educators and researchers.
Author(s): Adrienne Alton-Lee
Date Published: June 2003
(http://www.educationcounts.govt.nz/topics/BES) DOWNLOAD: The BES is available to
download on this page under "Downloads/Links".
Contact us: For more information contact us at best.evidence@minedu.govt.nz (mailto:best.evidence@minedu.govt.nz)
or visit the BES home page.

Executive Summary
This best evidence synthesis Quality teaching for diverse students in schooling is intended to contribute to the development
of our evidence-base for policy and practice in schooling. The purpose of the synthesis is to contribute to ongoing,
evidence-based and evolving dialogue about pedagogy amongst policy makers, educators and researchers that can inform
development and optimise outcomes for students in New Zealand schooling.
Quality teaching is identified as a key influence on high quality outcomes for diverse students. The evidence reveals that up
to 59% of variance in student performance is attributable to differences between teachers and classes, while up to almost
21%, but generally less, is attributable to school level variables.
This best evidence synthesis has produced ten characteristics of quality teaching derived from a synthesis of research
findings of evidence linked to student outcomes. The central professional challenge for teachers is to manage
simultaneously the complexity of learning needs of diverse students.
The concept of 'diversity' is central to the synthesis. This frame rejects the notion of a 'normal' group and 'other' or
minority groups of children and constitutes diversity and difference as central to the classroom endeavour and central to
the focus of quality teaching in Aotearoa , New Zealand . It is fundamental to the approach taken to diversity in New
Zealand education that it honours the Treaty of Waitangi.
Diversity encompasses many characteristics including ethnicity, socio-economic background, home language, gender,
special needs, disability, and giftedness. Teaching needs to be responsive to diversity within ethnic groups, for example,
diversity within Pakeha, Mori, Pasifika and Asian students. We also need to recognise the diversity within individual
students influenced by intersections of gender, cultural heritage(s), socio-economic background, and talent. Evidence

shows teaching that is responsive to student diversity can have very positive impacts on low and high achievers at the
same time. The ten characteristics are interdependent and draw upon evidence-based approaches that assist teachers to
meet this challenge.
Thetenresearchbasedcharacteristicsofqualityteachingderivedfromtheresearcharegenericinthattheyreflectprinciples
derivedfromresearchacrossthecurriculumandforstudentsacrosstherangeofschoolingyearsinNewZealand(fromagefiveto
eighteen).Howtheprinciplesapplyinpracticeis,however,dependentonthecurriculumarea,andtheexperience,prior
knowledgeandneedsofthelearnersinanyparticularcontext.Thebodyofthissynthesisprovidesexamplesfromtheresearchon
learningandteachingtoillustratetheprinciplesfordifferentcurricularareasacrossschoolingfromjuniorprimarytosenior
secondaryclasses.
The ten characteristics generated out of the synthesis are summarised below.

1. Quality teaching is focused on student achievement (including social

outcomes) and facilities high standards of student outcomes for
heterogeneous groups of students.
Research-based characteristics
Qualityteachingisfocussedonraisingstudentachievement(includingsocialoutcomes).
Qualityteachingfacilitatesthelearningofdiversestudentsandraisesachievementforalllearners.
Theteacherestablishesandfollowsthroughonappropriateexpectationsforlearningoutcomesandthepaceatwhich
learningshouldproceed.
Highexpectationsarenecessarybutnotsufficient,andcanbecounterproductive,whennotsupportedbyqualityteaching.

2. Pedgogical practices enable classes and other learning groupings to work as

caring, inclusive, and cohesive learning communities.
The learning community concept has arisen out of the research literature and denotes both a central focus on learning and
the interdependence of the social and the academic in optimising learning conditions.
Research-based characteristics
Pedagogicalpracticescreateanenvironmentthatworksasalearningcommunity.
Studentmotivationisoptimisedandstudents'aspirationsaresupportedandextended.
Caringandsupportisgeneratedthroughthepracticesandinteractionsofteacher(s)andstudents.
Pedagogicalpracticesproactivelyvalueandaddressdiversity.
Academicnormsarestrongandnotsubvertedbysocialnorms.
Thelanguageandpracticesoftheclassroomareinclusiveofallstudents.
Teachersuseclasssessionstovaluediversity,andtobuildcommunityandcohesion.
Teachingandtasksarestructuredtosupport,andstudentsdemonstrate,activelearningorientations.
Teachingincludesspecifictrainingincollaborativegroupworkwithindividualaccountabilitymechanisms,andstudents
demonstrateeffectivecooperativeandsocialskillsthatenablegroupprocessestofacilitatelearningforallparticipants.
Studentshelpeachotherwithresourceaccessandprovideelaboratedexplanations.
Pedagogicalpracticeisappropriatelyresponsivetotheinterdependenceofsocioculturalandcognitivedimensions.

3. Effective links are created between school and other cultural contexts in
which students are socialised, to facilitate learning.
Research-based characteristics

Teachersensurethatstudentexperiencesofinstructionhaveknownrelationshipstootherculturalcontextsinwhichthe
studentshavebeen/aresocialised.
Relevanceismadetransparenttostudents.
Culturalpracticesatschoolaremadetransparentandtaught.
Waysoftakingmeaningfromtext,discourse,numbersorexperiencearemadeexplicit.
Qualityteachingrecognisesandbuildsonstudents'priorexperiencesandknowledge.
Newinformationislinkedtostudentexperiences.
Studentdiversityisutilisedeffectivelyasapedagogicalresource.
Qualityteachingrespectsandaffirmsculturalidentity(includinggenderidentity)andoptimiseseducationalopportunities.
Qualityteachingeffectsaremaximisedwhensupportedbyeffectiveschoolhomepartnershippracticesfocusedonstudent
learning.Schoolhomepartnershipsthathaveshownthemostpositiveimpactsonstudentoutcomeshavestudentlearning
astheirfocus.
Wheneducatorsenablequalityalignmentsinpracticesbetweenteachersandparent/caregiverstosupportlearningandskill
developmentthenstudentachievementcanbeoptimised.
Teacherscantakeagencyinencouraging,scaffoldingandenablingstudentparent/caregiverdialoguearoundschool
learning.
Qualityhomeworkcanhaveparticularlypositiveimpactsonstudentlearning.Theeffectivenessofthehomeworkis
particularlydependentupontheteacher'sabilitytoconstruct,resource,scaffoldandprovidefeedbackuponappropriate
homeworktasksthatsupportinclasslearningfordiversestudentsanddonotunnecessarilyfatigueandfrustratestudents.

4. Quality teaching is responsive to student learning processes.

Research-based characteristics are specific to curriculum context and the prior knowledge and experiences of the
learners.
Teachershaveknowledgeofthenatureofstudentlearningprocessesinthecurriculumarea,caninterpretstudent
behaviourinthelightofthisknowledgeandareresponsive,creativeandeffectiveinfacilitatinglearningprocesses.
Examplesofteachingapproachesthatareintendedtoexemplifythischaracteristicarethedynamicorflexibleliteracy
models,thenumeracystrategyfocusandtheInteractiveTeachingApproachinscienceeducation.
Classroommanagementenablestheteachertoberesponsivetodiverselearners.
Responsiveteachingisimportantforalllearnersandparticularlycriticalforstudentswithspecialneeds.

5. Opportunity to learn is effective and sufficient.

Research-based characteristics

Qualityteachingprovidessufficientandeffectiveopportunitytolearn.
Managementpracticesfacilitatelearning(ratherthanemphasisingcompliantbehaviourorcontrol).
Curriculumenactmenthascoherence,interconnectednessandlinksaremadetorealliferelevance.
Curriculumcontentaddressesdiversityappropriatelyandeffectively.
Qualityteachingincludesandoptimisestheeffectiveuseofnonlinguisticrepresentationsbyteacherandstudents.(This
assumestheconcurrentandrichuseoforallanguageandtextascentraltoliteracyacrossthecurriculum.)
Studentshaveopportunitiestoresolvecognitiveconflict.
Studentshavesufficientandappropriateopportunitiesforpracticeandapplication.

6. Multiple task contexts support learning cycles.

Research-based characteristics
Taskcyclesmatchdevelopmentallearningcyclesofstudents.
Taskcyclesenablestudentstoengageinandcompletelearningprocessessothatwhatislearnedisremembered.
Optimaluseismadeofcomplementarycombinationsofteacherdirectedgroupings,cooperativegroups,structuredpeer
interactionandindividualwork(includinghomework)tofacilitatelearningcycles.

7. Curriculum goals, resources including ICT usage, task design, teaching and
school practices are effectively aligned.
Research-based characteristics
Curricularalignment:Theuseofresources,teachingmaterialsandICTisalignedwithcurriculumgoalstooptimisestudent
motivationandaccomplishinstructionalpurposesandgoals.
Curricularalignmentoptimisesratherthaninhibitscriticalthinking.
Pedagogicalstrategiesareevaluatedinrelationtocurriculargoals.
ICTusageisintegratedintopedagogicalpracticeacrossthecurriculum.
Qualityteachingisoptimisedwhenthereiswholeschoolalignmentaroundevidencebasedpractices.
Theschoolmaintainsan'unrelentingfocusonstudentachievementandlearning' 1(#ftnotes).
Thereiswholeschoolalignmentandcoherenceacrosspoliciesandpracticesthatfocuson,resourceandsupportquality
teachingfordiversestudents.
Proactivealignmentacrosstheschoolsupportseffectiveinclusionofdiversestudentswithintheschoolcommunity.
Wholeschoolalignmentoptimisesopportunitytolearn,particularlyinlanguageimmersion,literacy,ICT,socialstudiesand
health.
Wholeschoolalignmentenablesacommonlanguage,teachercollaborationandreflectionandothersynergiesaround
improvingteaching.
Wholeschoolalignmentminimisesdisruptionstoqualityteachingandsustainscontinuousimprovement.
Schoolpoliciesandpracticesinitiate,andsupportteachersinmaintaining,schoolhomepartnershipsfocusedonlearning.

8. Pedagogy scaffolds and provides appropriate feedback on students' task

engagement.
Research-based characteristics

Tasksandclassroominteractionsprovidescaffoldstofacilitatestudentlearning(theteacherprovideswhateverassistance
diversestudentsneedtoenablethemtoengageinlearningactivitiesproductively,forexample,teacheruseofprompts,
questions,andappropriateresourcesincludingsocialresources).
Teachingdevelopsallstudents'informationskillsandensuresstudents'readyaccesstoresourceswhenneededtoassistthe
learningprocess.
Studentsreceiveeffective,specific,appropriatelyfrequent,positiveandresponsivefeedback.Feedbackmustbeneithertoo
infrequentsothatastudentdoesnotreceiveappropriatefeedbacknortoofrequentsothatthelearningprocessis
subverted.

9. Pedagogy promotes learning orientations, student self-regulation,

metacognitive strategies and thoughtful student discourse.
Research-based characteristics
Qualityteachingpromoteslearningorientationsandstudentselfregulation.
Teachingpromotesmetacognitivestrategyuse(e.g.mentalstrategiesinnumeracy)byallstudents.
Teachingscaffoldsreciprocaloralternatingtuakanateina2(#ftnotes)rolesinstudentgroup,orinteractivework.
Teachingpromotessustainedthoughtfulness(e.g.throughquestioningapproaches,waittime,andtheprovisionof
opportunitiesforapplicationandinvention).
Teachingpromotescriticalthinking.
Teachingmakestransparenttostudentsthelinksbetweenstrategiceffortandaccomplishment.

10. Teachers and students engage constructively in goal-oriented assessment.

Research-based characteristics
Assessmentpracticesimprovelearning.
Teachersandstudentshaveclearinformationaboutlearningoutcomes.
Studentshaveastrongsenseofinvolvementintheprocessofsettingspecificlearninggoals.
Pedagogyscaffoldsandprovidesappropriatefeedbackonstudents'taskengagement.
Teachersensurethattheirassessmentpracticesimpactpositivelyonstudents'motivation.
Teachersmanagetheevaluativeclimate,particularlyincontextofpublicdiscussion,sothatstudentcovertorovert
participationissupported,scaffoldedandchallengedwithoutstudentsbeinghumiliated.
Teachersmanagetheevaluativeclimatesothatacademicnormsarenotunderminedbutsupportedbysocialnorms.
Teachersadjusttheirteachingtotakeaccountoftheresultsofassessment.

Footnotes
1. Hopkins, D. (2001). School improvement for real. London: Routledge. (p. 185) .
2. See Royal Tangaere, A. (1997). Mori human development learning theory. In P. Te Whaiti , M. McCarthy & A. Durie
(Eds.). Mai I Rangitaatea Mori well-being and development. Auckland: Auckland University Press with Bridget Williams
Books. Derived from older sibling (tuakana) and younger sibling (teina). A practice where 'the learner shifts roles
and become(s) the teacher, and for the teacher to become the learnerThe concept of tuakana/teina also operates
through the dual nature of ako. The word ako means to learn as well as to teach.' (p. 50).

Related Pages on Education Counts

See BES (Iterative Best Evidence Synthesis) (http://www.educationcounts.govt.nz/publications/series/2515) publication
home page.
The BES (Iterative Best Evidence Synthesis) Programme (./?a=6602) home page provides detailed information about BES
as well as links to national and international sites of interest.