On the transformative power of teaching first

Why TAPPLE isn't just a strategy, it's a mindset.

Photo by Andra C Taylor Jr on Unsplash

When Katharine Birbalsingh of Michaela School was in Australia last year, I went to hear her a couple of times. She’s a pretty amazing speaker with lots to say about many things. I’m sure you’ve heard of her, but if you haven’t, it’s probably worth hearing about her philosophy. The school achieves excellent results for students who under other circumstances might have been the victims of low expectations, many being from low-income families and students of colour. But the one thing she said, which I remember word for word, was simply, “JUST TELL THEM!”

I’m pretty sure I spent the first three years of my career opening lessons with questions like, “Who can tell me something about the Civil Rights Movement?” and then being very pleased with myself when Annabelle (it was always Annabelle) was able to answer. It was like magic. I now know this to be talent discovery, not talent development. I worked in a school where students did have a lot of background knowledge to bring to the classroom, so I felt pretty comfortable with this exploratory style of teaching.

I don’t think there was any kind of epiphany but over time, preparing students for high-stakes exams, I gradually realised how inefficient it was — for all of my students. What sometimes happens is that schools offer their best teaching for Years 11 and 12 where exams count, and do their woolly, exploratory and “innovative” methods in 7-10. I have a theory that this is part of workload issues for senior teachers: we spend a lot of our time mopping up all the guinea-pig teaching that happens in the younger years.

If I had to name one book that has been most influential on my teaching, it would have to be Explicit Direct Instruction by Hollingsworth and Ybarra, known fondly as ‘the purple book.’ There’s a bit more to this book than just TAPPLE, so it’s worth a read. Using EDI has had a reasonable impact on my workload because it’s given me a predictable sequence for teaching new skills and it’s reduced marking time. First, I’m doing a lot more in-class formative assessment in real time, and secondly, my written comments are more efficient when I know for certain that a student should be able to recall content or skills.

I’m going to unpack the TAPPLE sequence based on the ways I use it, and then I’m going to explain what TAPPLE is not, for me anyway.

1. Teach first: this one is a fundamental shift — well, it was for me. The idea of starting a lesson by just standing up and telling students something is the first step to explicit teaching. It sounds really obvious but habits are hard to break. Bullet-proof definitions have been a revelation (aided by ChatGPT), likewise ‘flooding’ students with examples, a phrase I stole from Professor Lorraine Hammond.

2. Ask a question: This is where you ask the whole class a question that is going to enable you to check for understanding of what you literally just taught (CFU). I have run whole workshops on this at my school and I would say this is the most labour intensive, because the questions have to be good. I’m not talking about time labour but brain labour. Honestly, it’s a lot easier and less confronting to just ask Annabelle!

3. Pair-share and then Pick a non-volunteer: These are the two P’s which help you CFU. In theory, pair share gives thinking time and means that everyone gets a chance to process what they’ve been taught and can then respond. I’ve had mixed results with pair-share and generally ‘read the room’ before deciding on a strategy. I also use mini whiteboards and finger gestures for identifying correct examples from multiple examples and non-examples. Cold calling with no hands up is essential. I’ll add some nuance to that in a moment.

4. Listen: Based on your CFU litmus-testing, if you can confidently say that 80%+ of students have understood what you’ve taught, great. If you’ve picked a non-volunteer and their answer was incorrect or a bit off, then you’ve asked a couple of others and still no dice, then my advice is to listen to your inner voice, don’t ignore it. You taught it, but they didn’t learn it. It happens all the time.

5. Effective feedback: You have a few options here, depending on the complexity of material: you can correct, elaborate, re-explain or re-teach. Maybe it’s time to get up and re-teach with some extra, new, different examples. This can be hard as a new teacher, especially if you don’t have more examples ready and you’re finding it hard to create extra CFU questions on the fly. I’ve had lessons where I went in with material that was too complex and the best solution was actually to come back and review the skill the following day, but that’s not always possible.

Here’s what TAPPLE is not:

• Rigid: Of course, it can be used in a rigid way, and I have no problem with that. What I consistently hear from primary school teachers is that EDI/TAPPLE has been transformational for student behaviour. Students are constantly engaged and accountable, rather than flailing in a sea of the unknown. The goal is that the teacher has evidence that everyone has learned the thing. I use it loosely in secondary and have a lot of choice about which engagement norms I use, and what kinds of questions I will design. Cognitive load is a consideration, where schools may choose to play it safe by sticking fairly strictly to the script, but I have a fair amount of flexibility considering the students I teach, who are learning-ready girls.

• Inappropriate for gifted learners: The idea that gifted learners know everything is a myth. If they know everything then what value are schools adding? Gifted learners need EI too. I would say the number one benefit of this strategy is how fast it is. Gifted learners can move onto challenging tasks and mastery far more quickly when the teacher can check a whole mixed ability class in a sequence that only lasts about 15 minutes. In fact, when teachers see CFU done well for the first time, they’re invariably freaked out by the pace. Check out this video to see if you can spot any gifted learners who are being held back in this class.

• Unsuitable for students with anxiety: Firstly, low expectations are the very height of discrimination. This one really irks me. Finger gestures, choral responses, mini-whiteboards and even just checking in with the student during pair share and giving advance warning are all ways that we can include every student. Remember, you’re not asking them to come up with something novel from the depths of their minds — you’ve taught first.

• A killer of exploratory talk and risk-taking: I’m not saying this is the strategy for every lesson, every day, but it’s essential when teaching a brand-new concept and especially a brand-new skill. Strategies in English like Questioning the Author require some managed cognitive risk by students in interpreting literature, so that they get to practise the skills of good readers who seek out and experience shades of meaning. Similarly, students eventually need to apply their knowledge to a new situation. In a longer-term learning cycle, say towards the end of a unit or a term, students need to stretch their minds and get all intellectual in Socratic circles and such. There’s a right time for both.

I haven’t done any training with the Ybarras or Anita Archer. I’m just a person who has found a method where I can say with a fair amount of certainty who has learned the thing and who hasn’t, and for that reason, TAPPLE has been transformative for me. I’m keen to hear all about your experiences or view of TAPPLE in the comments.