Classroom Instruction that Works (Marzano, Pickering, Pollock)

1. Classroom
Instruction that
Works
Chapter 8: Setting Objectives and Providing Feedback
Written by: Marzano, Pickering & Pollock
Presented by: Dani & Janice

2. Research & Theory on Goal
Setting
Goal setting is the process of establishing a direction for learning
Research centered on the topic of goal setting shows:
Instructional goals narrow what students focus on (may ignore
information not specifically related to the goal
Instructional goals should not be too specific. Goals stated in more
general formats produce higher effect sizes
Students should be encouraged to personalize the teacher’s goals,
according to his/her individual needs and desires. This is one
reason goals should not be too specific. (Ex. Trimester reflections/
goal setting, reading and math interviews to help establish
personal and individualized goals, etc.)

3. Classroom Practice in Goal
Setting
Important for teachers to set goals for students, but goals that are
general enough to provide students with some flexibility (Ex. establish
general goal for student to individualize during a one-on-one reading
or writing conference, document in reading binder)
Teachers can provide sentence stems for students to help get started,
such as “I want to know...” and “I want to know more...”
Older grade levels may benefit from a variation on goal setting, which
is to contract with students for the attainment of their specific goals.
This provides the students with more ownership of their own learning,
allowing them the opportunity to work toward their goal at their own
pace, with periodic check-ins with the teacher to discuss what was
learned/modify timeline of the contract

4. Research & Theory on
Providing Feedback
‘The most powerful single modification that enhances achievement is feedback. The
simplest prescription for improving education must be “dollops of feedback”’ - John
Hattie (1992)
Feedback should be “corrective” in nature, providing students with an explanation of
what they are doing that is correct and what they are doing that is not correct
Feedback should be timely. It is critical to the level of effectiveness. The more delay
that occurs in giving feedback, the less improvement there is in achievement (ex.
problem solving journals, ISAT timed practice, followed by immediate discussions,
student samples & scoring, etc.)
Feedback should be specific to a criterion, telling students where they stand relative to
a specific target of knowledge or skill (ex. utilize student-friendly rubrics)
Students can effectively provide some of their own feedback. It does not need to be
done exclusively by teachers. According to research, students can effectively monitor
their own progress (ex. keeping track of fluency performance through student
friendly rubrics, creating graphs, etc).

5. Classroom Practice in Goal
Setting
Criterion-referenced feedback is superior to norm-referenced feedback
(provide students with feedback in terms of specific levels of knowledge
and skill, rather than a percentage score)
Can find generic rubrics to adapt according to specific content (ex.
adapting rubrics presented on ISBE website for reading and math)
Student-led feedback has many desirable effects. May consider the
OLM (Optimal Learning Model) when teaching this skill. Model first,
shared learning experience, such as small groups/partners, then
ideally, individual reflection and self-monitoring.