If you’re an instructional coach, you already know the pattern.
A new initiative rolls in with big promises and a polished slide deck. Teachers try it with varying levels of buy-in. The data is unclear. And within two years, it’s replaced by the next “next big thing.”
The goal isn’t to try more strategies—it’s to use the ones that actually work, consistently.
Meanwhile, students are still struggling with the same foundational gaps.
Here’s the good news: what actually works in classrooms isn’t a mystery anymore.
In this guide, you’ll see how to apply evidence-based teaching practices across reading, writing, math, and science—so you can support stronger instruction in every classroom you coach.
While this post focuses on reading, writing, math, and science, these same research-based principles apply across all content areas—including social studies.
Why Research-Based Teaching Strategies Matter More Than Ever
Educators today have more resources than ever—curriculum options, technology tools, and professional development.
The problem isn’t access. It’s clarity.
Which practices are actually worth the time?
Evidence-based instruction answers that question. It’s grounded in strategies proven effective through peer-reviewed research—not tradition, preference, or whatever happens to be trending.
That distinction matters in coaching conversations.
When a teacher asks, “Why do we need to change what we’re doing?”
The answer isn’t pressure from above.
It’s evidence.
What It Looks Like in Reading and Literacy
Reading is where the research conversation is loudest right now—and for good reason.
As of 2024, 38 states and the District of Columbia have passed policies tied to evidence-based reading instruction.
The research consistently points to one approach: structured literacy.
Structured literacy is:
- Explicit
- Systematic
- Cumulative
- Diagnostic
It directly teaches students how to read—rather than assuming they’ll figure it out.
What this means in practice:
Teachers model skills clearly. Students practice with guidance. Feedback is immediate and corrective.
What coaches should look for in walkthroughs:
- Are phonemic awareness and phonics explicitly taught?
- Is instruction building on prior knowledge?
- Is feedback timely and specific?
If the answer is “not consistently,” you’ve found your entry point.
→ A deeper breakdown of what structured literacy looks like in real classrooms (and how to coach it) is coming soon.
What It Looks Like in Writing
Writing instruction is where classrooms often drift furthest from the evidence.
Students are asked to write. But they’re rarely taught how.
That gap matters.
Research shows that strong writing instruction is:
- Explicit
- Structured
- Built from sentences upward
Sentences are the foundation of all writing. When students can’t construct them well, everything else breaks down.
High-impact classrooms don’t assume writing—they teach it.
That includes:
- Modeling sentence construction
- Teaching planning and revision strategies
- Giving specific, actionable feedback
What coaches should look for:
- Are teachers modeling writing, not just assigning it?
- Is the process taught step-by-step?
- Does feedback guide improvement—or just evaluate?
Shifting writing instruction—even slightly—can have a massive impact across all subjects.
→ A guide to research-based writing instruction (with classroom examples and coaching moves) is coming soon.
What It Looks Like in Math
Math instruction often swings between two extremes:
- Heavy procedural drilling with little understanding
- Open-ended exploration with little structure
The research supports a balance of both.
Students need:
- Clear, explicit modeling
- Structured practice
- Opportunities to apply learning independently
One of the most effective combinations is:
worked examples + problem-solving practice
This pairing strengthens both retention and transfer.
What coaches should look for:
- Is the teacher thinking out loud while modeling?
- Do students get guided practice before working independently?
- Is academic math language explicitly taught?
When those elements are in place, math instruction becomes both rigorous and accessible.
→ A deeper dive into high-impact, research-based math instruction is coming soon.
What It Looks Like in Science
Science instruction is shifting—from delivering content to building understanding.
At the center of that shift is phenomenon-based learning.
But this is often misunderstood.
It’s not just hands-on activity.
It’s structured inquiry.
Instruction starts with a real-world phenomenon and builds toward explanation through:
- Observation
- Questioning
- Evidence
- Reasoning
Students don’t just learn science—they do science.
A key part of this is scientific argumentation:
Students make claims, support them with evidence, and evaluate competing ideas.
What coaches should look for:
- Are phenomena driving instruction—or just serving as a hook?
- Are students making and defending claims?
- Is the teacher facilitating thinking, not just delivering answers?
Without that connection to reasoning and evidence, science instruction falls short.
→ A complete guide to phenomenon-based science instruction and classroom implementation is coming soon.
Small, research-based shifts in instruction—applied consistently—create the biggest gains for students.
Coaching Moves That Support the Shift
Knowing the research is one thing.
Helping teachers implement it—without resistance—is another.
Here are four coaching moves that consistently work:
1. Start with observation, not evaluation.
Ground conversations in what’s actually happening. Evidence builds trust.
2. Name the “why” before the “what.”
Teachers are more open to change when they understand the research behind it.
3. Focus on one practice at a time.
Improvement happens through focus, not overload.
4. Use student work as the anchor.
Nothing makes the case for change more clearly than what students can—and can’t—do.
Key Takeaways
- Research-based strategies aren’t trends—they’re proven over time.
- Structured literacy, explicit writing instruction, and balanced math practices have strong evidence behind them.
- Science instruction is most effective when it centers on inquiry and evidence-based reasoning.
- These same principles extend across all content areas, including social studies.
- Coaching works best when it starts small, stays focused, and is grounded in real classroom evidence.
The best time to ground your coaching in research was years ago.
The second-best time is your next walkthrough.
Pick one subject.
Focus on one practice.
Start the conversation.