Walk into any general education classroom and you will see a wide range of learners working through the same content. Some students move through it easily. Others struggle to keep up, and some become disengaged before they ever have a chance to succeed. The challenge for educators is clear: how do we support struggling learners in an inclusive classroom without lowering expectations or slowing instruction for everyone else?

One of the most effective answers is the combination of MTSS, or Multi-Tiered System of Supports, and microlearning.

Why MTSS Is the Starting Point

MTSS offers a proactive framework to identify and support students’ academic and behavioral needs. At its core, MTSS ensures that all students get high-quality, differentiated instruction, with more intensive interventions added as needed. It’s structured in tiers — Tier 1 is general classroom instruction for all students, Tier 2 provides targeted support, and Tier 3 offers intensive intervention, often outside the general ed classroom (Fitzell, MTSS and RTI – Seven Keys to Success).

Tier 1 isn’t just “basic” teaching. It must include best practices rooted in research — strategies that work for everyone but are critical for different learners (Fitzell, p. 2). In other words, general education instruction should be so effective and inclusive that fewer students require more intensive interventions.

MTSS helps schools provide early, systematic support so students receive the right level of instruction before learning gaps become long-term barriers.

Microlearning: The MTSS Multiplier

Microlearning breaks instruction into short, focused chunks that students can process more easily. Instead of asking learners to absorb too much at once, teachers deliver key content in smaller segments with immediate opportunities to practice, discuss, reflect, and apply what they are learning.

This approach aligns perfectly with Susan Fitzell’s Chunking Lesson Plans®, which recommends dividing instruction into short bursts to support retention and reduce cognitive overload (Fitzell, MTSS Article; Fitzell, p. 122).

In practice, this might mean delivering a mini-lesson, followed by a brief activity, a peer discussion, or a visual processing task. The idea is to teach less at once, but with greater clarity and more opportunities for student interaction.

When we combine MTSS with microlearning:

• Tier 1 instruction becomes more accessible.
  
• Tier 2 interventions feel more natural — embedded right into flexible grouping and small-group instruction.
  
• Tier 3 supports are easier to design because we’ve already gathered consistent progress-monitoring data along the way (Fitzell, MTSS Article).

Microlearning in Action

Picture this: Instead of lecturing on the causes of the Civil War for 45 minutes, the teacher breaks the topic into three mini-lessons. Each one includes a quick mnemonic device, a relevant visual (like a snapshot organizer), and a short paired discussion. Now students are encoding the same content multiple ways — a key principle of brain-based learning (Fitzell, p. 20).

Meanwhile, struggling students aren’t overwhelmed. They’re engaged, active participants — gaining small wins that build confidence.

Final Thoughts

MTSS and microlearning are not quick fixes, but together they create a more responsive way to teach. When instruction is delivered in smaller, brain-friendly chunks within a tiered support system, struggling learners do not have to wait for failure before they receive help. They experience success earlier, build confidence faster, and stay more engaged in the learning process.

FAQ

What is MTSS in education?

MTSS, or Multi-Tiered System of Supports, is a framework schools use to provide academic and behavioral support at increasing levels of intensity. Tier 1 includes high-quality instruction for all students, Tier 2 adds targeted intervention, and Tier 3 provides intensive individualized support.

What is microlearning in the classroom?

Microlearning is an instructional approach that breaks lessons into short, focused chunks. Instead of presenting too much information at once, teachers deliver content in smaller parts with opportunities for practice, reflection, and feedback. This helps students process and retain new learning more effectively.

How do MTSS and microlearning work together?

MTSS and microlearning work well together because both focus on meeting student needs in a structured, responsive way. MTSS provides the framework for support, while microlearning helps teachers deliver instruction in manageable steps that reduce overload and increase understanding.

Why does microlearning help struggling learners?

Microlearning helps struggling learners because it reduces cognitive overload and gives students more chances to interact with content in meaningful ways. Smaller learning segments can improve focus, retention, participation, and confidence, especially for students who are easily overwhelmed by long lectures or large amounts of information.

Can MTSS and microlearning benefit all students?

Yes. Although these strategies are especially helpful for struggling learners, they benefit all students by making instruction clearer, more engaging, and easier to process. In an inclusive classroom, strong Tier 1 instruction supported by microlearning can improve outcomes across the board.

Additional Reading 

MTSS and RTI – Seven Keys to Success
By Susan Fitzell https://susanfitzell.com/mtss-seven-keys-successful-rti/

CLICK HERE to discover a wealth of teaching strategies and resources for maximizing student success!. Bring Susan to your campus! Featured seminar – Differentiation Strategies to Reach ALL Learners in the Inclusive Classroom

The post How MTSS and Microlearning Improve Student Confidence and Achievement appeared first on Susan Fitzell.

One powerful solution is to combine microlearning with MTSS. In an inclusive classroom, small chunks of instruction, quick checks for understanding, and targeted intervention can help students access content, build confidence, and make steady academic progress.

In today’s inclusive classrooms, ensuring every student, from the advanced to the struggling learner, reaches their potential is the core mission. The Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) provides the organizational framework for this goal, addressing the needs of all learners through differentiated instruction. By integrating “microlearning” or the intentional use of small chunks of instruction and activities, educators can effectively deliver the tiered interventions essential to MTSS, especially in a secondary environment where finding adequate time for intervention is often a challenge.

The Framework: MTSS and Tiered Instruction

MTSS, or Multi-Tiered System of Supports, is a framework schools use to provide increasing levels of academic and behavioral support based on student need.

MTSS encompasses several approaches, including Response to Intervention (RTI). This system is graphically represented as an umbrella, emphasizing failure prevention. Central to MTSS/RTI is a tiered model of support:

• Tier One (Universal Support): This foundational level requires the use of best practice, research-based teaching methods, including differentiated instruction, for all students (80–90% of the population). Implementing effective strategies in the core classroom significantly reduces the need for subsequent interventions.
• Tier Two (Targeted Support): This tier is for students requiring targeted, high-quality interventions (5–10% of students). These interventions often use research-based practices from Tier One but are modified to provide more intense instruction, increased time for practice, and a higher intensity of implementation for specific students. For secondary students, strategies such as a tutor-led study hall combined with frequent, immediate in-class interventions, made possible by Chunking Lesson Plans™, can be highly effective.
• Tier Three (Intensive Individual Interventions): This tier serves the smallest percentage of students (1–5%) who require the most intensive interventions, often a combination of general classroom instruction and specialized outside-of-class support.

The Strategy: Small Chunks, Big Gains

The key to implementing effective interventions within a busy class schedule, particularly at the secondary level, lies in breaking down content and instruction into manageable segments. This concept is explicitly leveraged in “Chunking Lesson Plans®” to maximize instructional time and target student needs precisely.

How Microlearning Prevents Cognitive Overload

The goal of this microlearning approach is to prevent cognitive overload—since the brain typically holds only three to four chunks of novel information in short-term memory at a time—and enhance memory and retention.

What a Chunked Lesson Looks Like in a 40-Minute Class

A core component of this microlearning strategy is to shorten the duration of whole-class direct teaching. For example, in a 40-minute class period, the plan might involve:

1. Core Teach (10 minutes): Deliver essential instruction (e.g., teaching a concept like genre or the FOIL method) as effectively as if teaching a small group of capable students, and then stop.
2. Practice in Mixed Ability Groups (10 minutes): Immediately follow the core instruction by having students practice the new information in mixed-ability groups, allowing for application and reinforcement.
3. Whole Class Check-in (5 minutes): Bring the class back together for a quick question-and-answer session to clarify concepts and gauge understanding based on observations during group work.
4. Exit Card/Assessment (5 minutes): Use a quick assessment, such as an exit card with two or three questions, to immediately determine who needs re-teaching, practice, or enrichment.

Microlearning Strategies That Support Inclusive Instruction

The data collected from quick, frequent assessments like exit cards inform targeted, micro-interventions for the next class period. This allows the teacher to address learning differences right away, using the time saved from excessive direct instruction.

This can take the form of same-ability groups (e.g., grouping struggling students for a re-teach session) or peer-assisted learning models. Peer tutoring is especially effective, as it reinforces the tutor’s knowledge and skills while developing responsibility and self-confidence, making learning materials accessible and meaningful.

Enhancing Learning Through Small Adjustments

Microlearning principles extend beyond time management into the design of instructional materials and learning activities that respect how students learn. This includes utilizing multimodal strategies and cognitive supports:

• Visual Cues and Organization: Provide information in small chunks (5 to 7 pieces of information) and use graphic organizers, flowcharts, or mind maps to visually categorize material and demonstrate complex processes, freeing up working memory for higher-level thinking.
• Aiding Memory: Employ mnemonics, acronyms (like NASA), rhymes, and visualization techniques to aid recall, as the brain typically remembers color and unique visual content better than plain text. Even handwriting instructions clearly or adapting existing materials with adequate white space and larger font size provides essential scaffolding.
• Kinesthetic Engagement: Incorporate movement, like standing stations or acting out vocabulary words, to increase oxygen flow to the brain and engage multiple areas in the learning process, supporting kinesthetic learners and enhancing retention.
• Fostering Self-Regulation: By implementing chunked assignments with parts due at specific dates, students (especially perceptive types) can manage their workload effectively and are actively taught organizational strategies and self-monitoring skills, key components of success in a personalized learning environment.

By systematically implementing small, targeted instructional practices within the overarching MTSS framework, educators can create an inclusive environment where the focus shifts from struggling with content presentation to achieving mastery through individualized and carefully paced learning opportunities. This intentional focus on small chunks yields big gains for all students.

If you’d like more practical strategies to help your team move from awareness to action, I offer PD sessions and coaching built around the strategies outlined in Special Needs in the General Classroom. Let’s build forward—not backward.

FAQ: Microlearning, MTSS, and Inclusive Classrooms

What is microlearning in the classroom?
Microlearning in the classroom is the practice of delivering instruction in short, focused segments instead of long blocks of direct teaching. Teachers use small chunks of content, quick practice opportunities, and brief assessments to help students process information more effectively and avoid cognitive overload.

How does microlearning support MTSS?
Microlearning supports MTSS by making tiered instruction more manageable and responsive. In Tier One, it improves core instruction for all students. In Tier Two, it allows for targeted reteaching and focused practice. In Tier Three, it helps educators deliver more intensive, individualized intervention based on student data.

Why is chunking instruction effective for struggling learners?
Chunking instruction is effective because it reduces the amount of new information students must process at one time. When content is broken into smaller parts, students are more likely to understand, retain, and apply what they are learning. This is especially helpful for students with working memory challenges, attention differences, or gaps in prior knowledge.

Can microlearning help advanced students too?
Yes. Microlearning benefits advanced learners as well as struggling learners. Because instruction is clearer and more intentional, advanced students can move more quickly into application, peer support, discussion, and enrichment tasks. In an inclusive classroom, small chunks create flexibility for all learners.

What are simple microlearning strategies teachers can use right away?
Teachers can start with short direct instruction, mixed-ability practice groups, exit cards, graphic organizers, movement-based review, mnemonic supports, and chunked assignments with clear deadlines. These strategies fit well within an MTSS model because they provide immediate data and support differentiated instruction.

Additional Reading 

MTSS and RTI – Seven Keys to Success
By Susan Fitzell https://susanfitzell.com/mtss-seven-keys-successful-rti/

CLICK HERE to discover a wealth of teaching strategies and resources for maximizing student success!. Bring Susan to your campus! Featured seminar – Differentiation Strategies to Reach ALL Learners in the Inclusive Classroom

The post How Microlearning Supports MTSS in Inclusive Classrooms appeared first on Susan Fitzell.

The Hamilton Project just released a deep dive into how the grade a student was in during the COVID-19 shutdowns impacted the long-term post-COVID learning recovery for struggling students. And, while I applaud the rigor of the research, let’s get one thing straight:

Yes, grade level matters.  But if we stop there, we miss the real story.

This isn’t just about test scores. It’s about students. Struggling learners. Kids with potential buried under disruption, disengagement, and disconnection. Kids who didn’t just fall behind, they lost belief in their ability to catch up.

So here’s my take on the report, and what schools should be doing right now to get real results.

Let’s Talk About What Really Got Lost

The research confirms what educators have been saying for years now: students in upper elementary and middle school during the pandemic took the hardest academic hits, especially in math. Younger students, who started school post-COVID, seem to be recovering faster.

What the study doesn’t show – but what every teacher knows – is that what got lost wasn’t just content.

• Confidence took a hit
• Self-regulation skills unraveled
• Routines and relationships were thrown out the window
• And for many students, the identity of being a “successful learner” quietly disappeared

We’re not just rebuilding reading and math skills. We’re rebuilding kids’ belief in themselves.

The Real Shift? From One-Size-Fits-All to What-Works-for-This-Kid

For decades, our system has taught, primarily, to the verbal-linguistic, auditory learner. That approach leaves out a huge number of students in every classroom, COVID or no COVID. Now, post-pandemic, it’s even more critical to embrace differentiated instruction that actually reaches diverse learners.

“Good for all. Critical for different learners.”

This is not a time to double down on rigid pacing guides and one-way teaching. It’s a time to lean hard into:

• Chunked instruction that reduces cognitive load
• Brain-based strategies that make learning stick
• Instructional strategies that reflect the varied ways students process and engage with content.
• Choice and autonomy that fuel motivation

Why Older Students Are Struggling More, and What to Do About It

The research is clear: the older the student during COVID, the greater the drop in math and reading proficiency. That makes sense. These students had the most pre-pandemic expectations placed on them and the most complex content to master with the least support.

But here’s what matters now: How do we help these students succeed?

Start with Self-Regulation

Recovery starts with teaching students how to learn, not just what to learn.

Struggling learners don’t just need tutoring. They need tools to:

• Set goals
• Monitor progress
• Use memory and organization strategies that fit their brain

These are the skills of self-regulated learners and they’re the key to turning the curve around. 

Make Memory Strategies Visual, Vivid, and Doable

Let’s stop relying on rote memorization and start using:

• Mnemonics and acronym memory devices
• Color-coded notes and “snapshot” devices
• Visual organizers like mind maps and concept webs

Students don’t need longer assignments. They need smarter strategies.

Offer Choice. Always.

Want sustained focus? Give students control.

Even something as simple as, “Do these three tasks in any order you choose,” gives kids a sense of autonomy, and with it, increased effort and engagement. 

Let them doodle, color-code, or sit on a wobble stool. These aren’t gimmicks, they’re neuroscience in action. 

Don’t Just Track the Curve, Change the Trajectory

I appreciate the Hamilton Project’s approach. Their cohort analysis gives us a better picture of the long game. But we can’t wait for long-term studies to take action.

If we’re serious about changing student outcomes, we need to:

• Redesign instruction around how students learn best
• Build classrooms that support personalized learning and inclusion
• Focus less on where the curve drops and more on where we lift it

Final Thought: Every Learner Deserves a Win

The question isn’t just, “What grade were they in when COVID hit?”  It’s, “What support are they getting now to succeed?”

And that, friends, is a question we can answer today.

Want more practical strategies to reach your struggling learners? Explore 500+ ways to differentiate and accelerate learning in my book,  Special Needs in the General Classroom – Order here or bring me in for a PD session that turns awareness into action.
www.susanfitzell.com

References: 

https://www.hamiltonproject.org/publication/post/learning-curves-post-covid-learning-trajectories-differ-by-the-grade-a-student-was-in-when-the-pandemic-hit

Special Needs in the General Classroom, 3rd Edition: 500+ Teaching Strategies for Differentiating Instruction, 3rd Edition, by Susan Gingras Fitzell, M. Ed. (Author)

FAQ: Supporting Learners After COVID Disruptions

• Why did older students struggle more academically during the COVID-19 pandemic?
  • Older students faced greater academic challenges because they had more complex content to master and higher pre-pandemic expectations, but received less support during remote learning. The disruption affected more than grades. It also impacted confidence, self-regulation, and students’ sense of themselves as learners.
• What are the most effective strategies for helping students recover lost learning and motivation?
  • Recovery begins with explicit instruction in self-regulation. Visual supports and brain-based memory strategies matter. Students also need choice and autonomy. Chunked instruction, differentiated tasks, and predictable classroom routines help rebuild skills and confidence at the same time.
• How can schools support diverse learners in a post-pandemic classroom?
  • Schools must move away from one-size-fits-all instruction. Differentiated teaching that meets students where they are is essential. This includes varied ways to engage with content, personalized learning plans, and inclusive classroom environments so every learner has a path to success.

CLICK HERE to discover a wealth of teaching strategies and resources for maximizing student success!. Bring Susan to your campus! Featured seminar – Differentiation Strategies to Reach ALL Learners in the Inclusive Classroom

The post What COVID Learning Curves Miss: It’s Not Just About the Grade, It’s About the Learner appeared first on Susan Fitzell.

When we talk about student success, it’s easy to fall into a trap: defining learners by their deficits. But what if the real issue isn’t the learner, it’s the label? What if our system, and the expectations that come with it, are limiting the very students we’re trying to help?

As an educator, consultant, and parent of a child with learning differences, I’ve seen firsthand that when we shift how we view student potential, and provide differentiated instruction, everything changes. It’s not about doing more; it’s about doing different. And it’s not just for “special ed” or struggling learners, these strategies are good for all students, and critical for different learners.

From Labels to Learners: Changing the Narrative

Early in my teaching career, I noticed something troubling. Many of the students identified as “special needs” weren’t struggling because they lacked ability, they were struggling because traditional teaching methods didn’t match their learning preferences. Too often, we were teaching to one type of learner: those that have excellent language based and auditory memory skills. Everyone else was left behind.

My son has Central Auditory Processing Disorder as well as a form of dyslexia. I was told more than once in his school life that he did not belong in honors classes, that he was an overachiever and shouldn’t be where he is; and one teacher went as far as to say that if he continued to push himself so hard to achieve beyond his ability level that he may end up in a mental institution. But with strategic interventions, vision therapy, immersive summer programs, academic coaching, he graduated with a degree in mechanical engineering and now works as a design engineer.

So, I have a mother’s perspective of how students are often limited because of teacher expectations versus their own motivation. His story isn’t unique. It’s a testament to what’s possible when we stop limiting students with labels and start believing in their ability to thrive.

The Power of Personalized Learning

Personalized learning requires a mindset and a methodology that enables all students to succeed in the same classroom. It doesn’t mean watering down the content. It means varying how we teach, what we ask students to do, and how we assess them, based on their readiness levels, interests, and learning profiles. Most importantly, it requires students to learn how they learn.

Here’s what personalized learning looks like in practice:

• Offering Choice: Let students choose the order of tasks or how they demonstrate learning. This builds ownership and motivation.
• Teaching Strengths: Incorporate visual, auditory, kinesthetic, and interpersonal elements into your lessons. When we teach using graphic organizers, color-coding, and movement activities, we engage more learners and accelerate growth.
• Flexible Grouping: Mix students based on skill, interest, or learning style. This fosters peer learning and helps everyone find a place to shine.
• Formative Assessment & Feedback: Use check-ins and exit cards to adjust instruction in real-time, ensuring no one gets left behind.

Personalized learning doesn’t mean crafting twenty different lesson plans for twenty students. It’s about using thoughtful strategies that connect with a wide range of learners all at once.

Empower Through Self-Regulation

One of the biggest game changers for struggling learners is teaching them how to self-regulate, not just behavior, but their own learning.

Self-regulated learners:

• Set clear goals (both academic and process-based)
• Use strategies to manage time and monitor progress
• Reflect on what works and adjust accordingly

This kind of autonomy is what moves a student from struggling to thriving. And yes, it takes time, but the payoff is massive.

Start with simple strategies:

• Rehearsal (mnemonics, acronyms, rhymes)
• Elaboration (make it real, personal, and connected to prior knowledge)
• Organization (color-coded notes, visual roadmaps, and chunking information)

These are not just tools. They’re lifelines.

Let’s Stop Underestimating Kids

Before inclusion became the norm, I taught self-contained special education classes. We dumbed down the curriculum because we didn’t know better. I was doing the right thing, giving students something they could handle.

But I was wrong.

Once we integrated students with learning differences into general education classrooms, something incredible happened: They rose to the occasion. With proper support and high expectations, they learned more than we ever thought possible.

Students don’t need less. They need more opportunity, more belief, and more access to quality instruction.

Conclusion: Every Student Can Learn

What I’ve learned after decades of teaching, parenting, and consulting is this: Struggling learners don’t need to be fixed. They need to be understood. When we teach with intention and differentiate with purpose, we open the door to success for every child in the room.

Our job as educators is to believe in our students, even when they don’t believe in themselves yet. Especially then.

Let’s stop labeling students by what they can’t do. Let’s start teaching them in ways that let them show what they can do.

Call to Action

If this article resonates with you, you’re not alone, and you don’t have to figure it all out by yourself. Whether you’re a classroom teacher, instructional coach, or administrator, I offer dynamic in-person trainings and consultations that bring these strategies to life.

✅ Book me for a school in-service or district PD
✅ Explore my blog for hundreds of free articles that support students, parents, and educators.

✅ Pick up your copy of Special Needs in the General Classroom for 500+ ready-to-use strategies

Let’s work together to move students from surviving to thriving, one strategy at a time.

🔗 Visit www.susanfitzell.com to get started.

CLICK HERE to discover a wealth of teaching strategies and resources for maximizing student success!. Bring Susan to your campus! Featured seminar – Differentiation Strategies to Reach ALL Learners in the Inclusive Classroom

The post Unlocking Potential: Why Changing Our Mindset About Struggling Learners Changes Everything appeared first on Susan Fitzell.

Here’s what ChatGPT said about me:

Based on what I’ve learned about you from your writing, teaching, and professional work, I would say the cartoon character you most resemble is Ms. Frizzle from The Magic School Bus.

 

Here’s why:

• Energetic Teacher and Guide: Your books show that you thrive on teaching others, whether it’s children, paraprofessionals, or business leaders. Like Ms. Frizzle, you’re not just instructing—you’re guiding people to think for themselves and explore.

• Creative Problem Solver: In your productivity and entrepreneurial writing, you emphasize creative strategies and tools to overcome challenges. That’s very Ms. Frizzle, who always finds a surprising way to solve a problem.

• Encourager of Independence: You often stress helping students (and adults) become independent learners and thinkers. Ms. Frizzle’s motto—“Take chances, make mistakes, get messy!”—echoes that same spirit.

• Adventurous Spirit: From your descriptions of working on the road, exploring, and embracing challenges, you clearly enjoy adventure and discovery. That lines up perfectly with Ms. Frizzle’s curiosity and boldness.

So, if you were a cartoon character, you’d be Ms. Frizzle—compassionate, knowledgeable, adventurous, and always helping others discover their own strengths.

 

Would you like me to sketch a playful illustration of you as Ms. Frizzle, blending your real-life look with her iconic flair?

I said yes and this is what ChatGPT created:

CLICK HERE to discover a wealth of teaching strategies and resources for maximizing student success! Bring Susan to your campus! Featured seminar – Differentiation Strategies to Reach ALL Learners in the Inclusive Classroom

The post I asked ChatGPT what cartoon character best represents me… Guess what it came up with! appeared first on Susan Fitzell.

When students in your classroom are not progressing at the same rate or better as their peers, supplement their learning with researched based strategies that increase achievement. These are also Tier Two interventions for Response to Intervention.

How to Respond to Students’ Needs While Making Progress Together

When students in your classroom are not progressing at the same rate or better as their peers, supplement their learning with research-based strategies that increase achievement. These are also Tier Two interventions for Response to Intervention (RTI).

Use classroom adaptations that do not reduce content, yet make the curriculum more accessible using readability tools and scaffolds:

• Ensure instructional materials are accessible using readability tools and adjust where appropriate.
• Ask students to repeat instructions to ensure understanding.
• Use books on tape to allow students who benefit from extended time or auditory supports to keep up with the reading.
• Provide an outline or a copy of notes and teach students how to make notes memorable rather than taking class time to engage students in the mechanical act of copying.
• Encourage the use of word-processing software with auditory feedback so students can use higher-level cognitive skills without being hindered by writing difficulties.
• Use proofing aids: proofreader buddy, spell checker, a grammar checker.
• Use tools that support visual organization and reduce cognitive load: graph paper, vertical lines, darkened horizontal lines.

Streamline Instructions for Clarity and Equitable Access

Look for confusing directions in handouts, tests, and especially project descriptions. Even if unclear aspects are discussed in class, some students will miss the clarification. Provide the opportunity for success by ensuring the written instructions are very clear.

• Look for confusing directions in ready-made handouts.
• On worksheets, put each specific instruction with the activity being instructed.
• Do not put all the instructions for one worksheet at the top of the page with two or three activities below it when each activity requires a different instruction.
• Use simple terminology in the instructions. Words with double meanings cause confusion. Some students will struggle to demonstrate their understanding because they did not understand the language in the instructions.
• Break instructions down into bullets. Paragraph form invites the student to miss instructions.
• Provide examples whenever possible.
• When assigning projects, use exemplars to clarify expectations and reduce ambiguity. How often do we, as adults, need to see examples of resumes, letters, finished décor, constructed furniture, etc., before we can do it ourselves? Yet we routinely require students to create results from purely verbal instructions.

The Power of Explicit Expectations

My perspective on expectations shifted when I began tutoring students using another teacher’s assignment materials. I found myself asking the same questions my students had. What exactly does the teacher want here? Is this a formal paragraph, or a list? Do they want a citation? It was a humbling reminder: when instructions are unclear, students are left guessing. Now, I consistently double-check my own assignments—not just for content accuracy, but for clarity of expectations.

Pattern Recognition Strengthens Memory and Deepens Conceptual Understanding

One of the most underutilized learning tools is pattern recognition. Students remember information more effectively when it’s grouped and connected in meaningful ways. Use storytelling instead of lectures. Integrate timelines, cause-and-effect diagrams, or sequencing activities that help students visualize relationships. These aren’t just supports—they are tools that strengthen conceptual understanding and transfer learning into long-term memory.

Amplify Feedback with Audio Coaching

One of the most innovative ways to provide feedback is through audio recordings. This approach allows students to hear your thinking in real time and review your comments multiple times. Simply have students submit a flash drive (or use a shared cloud folder) with their drafts. As you review, record audio notes about content, grammar, or revision strategies, then return the audio files along with the written work. Students experience your feedback as a conversation, not just a critique—an approach that builds trust and fosters growth.

Conclusion: Progress Without Compromise

The myth that we must choose between supporting struggling learners and maintaining high expectations is outdated—and harmful. With strategic, accessible adaptations, we can make space for every learner to grow. Responding to student needs doesn’t mean slowing down the entire class. It means ensuring that each student has what they need to keep moving forward.

The challenge isn’t whether we should adapt; it’s whether we’re willing to believe that all students are capable of success when instruction aligns with how they learn best. We don’t need to lower the bar. We just need to build better ladders.

📣 Call to Action

If this article resonates with your classroom experience, don’t wait for a formal IEP meeting or benchmark report to guide your next steps. Choose one adaptation or strategy to implement this week—just one. Then observe what changes: in engagement, in comprehension, in confidence. And when it works (because it will), share it. With a colleague. On your school’s PD day. In the break room. This is how we scale transformation: one student, one strategy, one shift at a time. Let’s move forward—together.

Ready to make your classroom a space where every student can thrive?

👉 Try one new strategy from this post in your next lesson.

👉 Share your results or insights in the comments—what worked? What did you adapt?

👉 Want more strategies that help struggling learners succeed? [Subscribe here] or [download your free Differentiation Toolkit] to get started.

Let’s keep building a classroom where all learners move forward—together.

CLICK HERE to discover a wealth of teaching strategies and resources for maximizing student success!. Bring Susan to your campus! Featured seminar – Differentiation Strategies to Reach ALL Learners in the Inclusive Classroom

The post Meeting Student Needs and Moving Forward: Strategies That Work appeared first on Susan Fitzell.

What can teachers do?

• Give students activities that let them move safely more often, like role-plays, skits, and stretching.
• Have students who chronically rock balance on a rocking board while doing worksheets on a podium. It helps them to concentrate and keeps them from fidgeting.
• Build a small under-desk version of a rocking board. Students sit at their desks with their feet on a rocking board underneath and it keeps them from rocking back in their chairs.

You can find detailed instructions here: http://sawdustmaking.com/Foot%20Rest/footrest.html

Can’t build the rocking board yourself? Just ask the teacher of a woodworking class within your district or at a local tech school to build one for you.

CLICK HERE to discover a wealth of teaching strategies and resources for maximizing student success!. Bring Susan to your campus! Featured seminar – Differentiation Strategies to Reach ALL Learners in the Inclusive Classroom

The post A Solution for Students Who Rock and Fidget in Their Seats appeared first on Susan Fitzell.

Dear Susan: I have some flexible seating available for my students. Do you have any suggestions on how to manage it when it becomes more of a distraction for the other students?

A: Implementing flexible seating can be a great way to help students refocus their energy and concentrate on the lesson being taught. If you have just a section of the classroom designated as a flexible area, it can be a nice change of perspective for students. And with the addition of unique seating like exercise balls, cushions, or rockers, students can release pent-up energy and focus on the lesson.

However flexible seating needs to be designed with a goal in mind so that students’ energies are directed in the way you want them to be. For example, a section of the class that is set up as a collaboration area – say, with a small table surrounded by cushions or stools where the students face each other – is great for independent study or group activities. It may not be the best setup if you want students to pay attention to you during a direct teaching session, however.

Dianna Radcliff, a 5th-grade ELA teacher, turned her entire classroom into a flexible seating space and says that she has very few problems keeping students engaged. Her suggestions for doing this successfully work just as well with classrooms that are part traditional, part-flexible seating.

• Visualize the end goal of the flexible seating arrangement. Is it to go along with a trend or to facilitate a genuinely student-centered environment?
• Research similar flexible seating arrangements by other teachers and ask questions about how and when the seating is used and what to do when the seating arrangement is disruptive to others.
• Allow kids to help make the rules about who gets to sit in the flexible seating area and when.
• Make modifications when needed, such as when a new student joins the class, an IEP student needs an accommodation, a new school year begins, and so on.
• Evaluate whether the flexible seating is working and decide whether to continue it.

What if the students are still arguing over who gets the flexible seating, are being disruptive, or even worse, damaging the seating after the rules are made? You’ll need to remove that seating and remind students of the rules temporarily.

The blog Tame the Classroom discusses this problem and teacher solutions in a real-life classroom.

“First, a student poked a hole in one of our stability balls on a day that I had a substitute teacher. … We had a funeral for the stability ball and replaced it with a chair. I was very stern in reminding the students that our stability balls cost money. They also realized that was one less option that they could choose from.”

When students were rushing to be first to the classroom’s Hokki Stools during transitions, the teacher temporarily brought back assigned seating. “I encouraged them to use the time that they were banned from exercising their choice to choose a seat to think about our rules.” Having students take the consequences for their poor choices is a vital and necessary part of their moral development and maturity. 

Flexible seating in higher grades can be problematic as well. Kayse Morris found that her eighth-grade students didn’t follow the rules about rotating their seating each day, and worse, they didn’t listen to her lecture. Many of them slept in class, tucked into sofa cushions out of sight. Some cheated on tests.

For Morris, the distractions caused by flexible seating outweighed the benefits to the students, and she decided to return to a traditional seating arrangement. But you don’t have to completely abandon the idea: Take a look at the current setup, write down what is working and what isn’t working, and consider whether you need to simply enforce the rules or revamp the layout of the flexible seating section. Sometimes, it’s about finding the balance between traditional seating time and flexible seating time. Also, know your students. Teens and couches in the classroom probably won’t work out most of the time.

Image credit: Kayla Dornfeld

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The Importance of Unified Training

During my coaching work, I often see the high cost of having teachers attend training without their principals or department leaders. For example, I did long-term coaching at a high school that started co-teaching to meet AYP goals with their subgroups. We focused on differentiated instruction strategies and collaborative techniques. I led initial trainings that teachers were required to attend, but no administrators or departmental leaders were present. These leaders were also responsible for evaluating the teachers.

The Impact of Absent Leadership

After the initial training, I worked in-house with the school, observing teachers in the classroom and coaching them to improve their teaching. On one visit, I observed a teacher in the morning and then waited for our debriefing session in the afternoon. When she arrived, she seemed upset. As I gently asked how things were going, she stayed silent. I had seen some great activity in her classroom and started to share my positive feedback. Instead of brightening up, she burst into tears.

Misalignment and Misunderstandings

I asked her what was wrong. She said she had implemented many of my suggestions and strategies from the training and coaching sessions. She felt good about the changes in her classroom. However, her departmental coordinator evaluated her and criticized her for having “too much fluff” and not enough rigor. He also said she lacked good classroom management because her class was too noisy. She had been using color and visual images to enhance her instruction and incorporated group work into her lessons. The group work was noisy, which he didn’t like.

The Need for Administrator Training

I was outraged. This teacher was doing what the latest brain research shows increases student achievement. Yet, she was being chastised by an evaluator who hadn’t attended my training and didn’t understand the latest educational research. I realized I couldn’t make progress in this district unless the administrators understood differentiated instruction, knew what to look for in a differentiated classroom, and were familiar with the latest brain research. So, I developed a training for administrators and strongly suggested that all school administrators and leaders working with me in the district attend.

Defining Rigor and Effective Instruction

Many school leaders know they should require rigor, but the definition of rigor is often confusing. Rigor is the high standard or level of knowledge we expect from our students. How we achieve that rigor, the methods we use, and the brain-based research we apply in our classrooms are crucial. If a teacher requires students to understand high-level content and use critical thinking, and they use methods like nonlinguistic representation and cooperative learning, it might look like fluff to an onlooker. In reality, it is excellent instruction.

The Path to Success

In my 25 years of experience as a consultant and coach, I’ve seen that there is success when principals, assistant principals, and departmental coordinators are on board with an initiative. When everyone is on the same page and committed to coaching and supporting teachers, success is inevitable. Schools fail when leadership expects a consultant to coach and instruct teachers on best practices while doing nothing to support that process. Successful schools have strong leaders who know how to motivate people positively and constructively. School administrators who leave the hard work to others rarely succeed long-term. There are some teachers who will succeed despite the odds, but most will wait for their leadership to move on to another district and continue as they always have.

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The post Creating Cohesion: Why Principals and Leaders Must Join Teacher Trainings appeared first on Susan Fitzell.

Introduction: 

Teaching fractions to third graders can be a dynamic and engaging experience when co-teaching strategies are thoughtfully implemented. Co-teaching offers a powerful way to reach diverse learners by leveraging the strengths of two educators working collaboratively. This lesson plan integrates two highly effective co-teaching approaches—One Teach, One Summarize and Teach Half Then Switch—Skills & Rigor—to ensure that all students develop a strong foundational understanding of fractions. These strategies not only enhance student engagement but also allow for differentiated instruction that meets the needs of learners at varying levels of readiness.

In the One Teach, One Summarize approach, one teacher delivers the primary instruction while the other teacher listens actively, takes notes, and then summarizes key points to reinforce learning. This method strengthens student comprehension by allowing them to hear the information twice, in two distinct ways. Teach Half Then Switch—Skills & Rigor divides the class into two groups, with each teacher delivering instruction focused on a specific skill or concept. After a set time, students switch groups, ensuring that they receive well-rounded instruction in multiple formats. This approach allows students to interact with both teachers and engage in different types of learning experiences.

By incorporating these co-teaching strategies, we create a lesson that is not only structured and effective but also fosters collaboration, active engagement, and a deeper understanding of fractions. This lesson is designed to support educators in making fractions meaningful and accessible for all students, while also strengthening the partnership between co-teachers. Whether you are a general education teacher or a special educator, this lesson plan offers practical strategies to enhance student learning and create a supportive, interactive classroom environment.

Lesson Plan: Teaching Fractions in a 3rd-Grade Classroom

Lesson Title: Understanding Fractions Through Co-Teaching Strategies

Grade Level: 3rd Grade

Standards:

• CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.3.NF.A.1: Understand a fraction 1/b as one part of a whole divided into b equal parts.
• CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.3.NF.A.3: Explain equivalence of fractions and compare fractions by reasoning about their size.

Learning Objectives:

• Students will understand the concept of fractions as parts of a whole.
• Students will identify and represent fractions using models and number lines.
• Students will compare simple fractions and recognize equivalent fractions.

Co-Teaching Strategies:

1. One Teach, One Summarize
2. Teach Half Then Switch—Skills & Rigor

Lesson Sequence:

Warm-Up (10 Minutes) – One Teach, One Summarize

• Teacher A presents a short introduction to fractions using visuals (e.g., pizza slices, fraction bars).
• Teacher B listens and takes notes to summarize key points.
• Teacher B then provides a concise summary of what was just taught and checks for understanding through student responses.
• Quick question prompts:
  • “What is a fraction?”
  • “Can someone describe 1/4 using an example?”
  • “Why do we need fractions in real life?”

Direct Instruction (15 Minutes) – Teach Half Then Switch

• Class is split into two groups.
• Teacher A teaches one half of the students using visual fraction models.
• Teacher B teaches the other half using number lines.
• After 10 minutes, students switch teachers and learn the other method.
• Mini-checks for understanding: Students solve a simple problem related to each method.

Guided Practice (15 Minutes) – Teach Half Then Switch

• Teacher A leads a hands-on fraction activity with half of the students using fraction circles.
• Teacher B guides the other half in a comparison activity using fraction strips.
• After 7-8 minutes, students switch groups and complete the alternate activity.

Independent Practice (10 Minutes) – One Teach, One Summarize

• Teacher A provides students with practice problems to reinforce learning.
• Teacher B walks around to check for understanding and takes notes.
• At the end, Teacher B summarizes the main takeaways and provides quick review questions.

Closure (5 Minutes)

• Review key concepts as a class using a fraction quiz game.
• Ask students to reflect on their learning: “What was easy? What was challenging?”
• Assign a simple take-home activity: Draw a picture representing a fraction and write a sentence about it.

Assessment:

• Informal assessment through teacher observations and questioning.
• Exit ticket: Write one thing you learned about fractions today.
• Review independent practice work to check understanding.

Materials Needed:

• Fraction circles, bars, and strips
• Whiteboards and markers
• Chart paper for visual modeling
• Printed fraction number lines
• Small dry-erase boards for quick checks

Differentiation Strategies:

• Provide extra support with manipulatives for students struggling with fraction concepts.
• Offer challenge problems for advanced students (e.g., introducing mixed numbers).
• Use visual aids and interactive activities to engage all learning styles.

This lesson effectively uses co-teaching strategies to maximize student engagement and comprehension of fractions. By implementing these collaborative techniques, educators can create an inclusive and supportive learning environment where every student has the opportunity to succeed. With thoughtful planning and execution, co-teachers can build a classroom that not only strengthens mathematical understanding but also fosters a spirit of teamwork and shared responsibility for learning.

CLICK HERE to discover a wealth of co-teaching strategies and resources to maximize student success!. Bring Susan to your campus! Featured seminar – Best Practices in Co-teaching and Collaboration: the HOW of Implementing the Models

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