Development of the MSS strategies was guided by … Makes Sense Strategies Extensive body of research on critical pedagogy Research-based “best practices” for teaching vocabulary, content- subjects, reading, and writing Specific studies evaluating impact of specific MSS tools on student learning and performance Research evaluating impact of graphic organizers & think-sheets on content-subjects, reading, and writing outcomes 3 Click here for written review of research (pdf file, 98 pages) Click here PP presentation on research-based statements about using graphic organizers Click here PP presentation on MSS outcome data

There are three VERY powerful ways to increase reading comprehension Summarizing Questioning Visualizing Predicting / Forming Inferences 2. Provide on-going, explicit instruction in use of cognitive reading strategies 3. Use Graphic Organizers 1. Increase reading fluency Combine the two = VERY powerful synergy Evidence-based statement about using think-sheets

Teaching students to use graphic organizers to plan writing significantly increases the quality and quantity of students’ essay writing Vocabulary is significantly enhanced when think-sheets are used that focus students attention on … “Critical” or “distinctive” features Examples & Non-examples Hierarchical categoriesPersonal knowledge connections Students learn and remember significantly more content subject-matter and are considerably more able to explain main ideas when graphic organizers are used

Development of the MSS strategies was guided by … Extensive body of research on effective instruction Makes Sense Strategies Evidence-based statements about the effectiveness of Graphic Organizers on content- learning… 1 2 Differentiating Making information more learnable Using brain- based pedagogy curriculum