Effective instruction is key to student success. To provide effective instruction, teachers need to consider what they want students to learn, how they will know whether students have learned it, how they will design instruction to promote the learning, and how they will respond to students who are not making progress.

When planning what students will learn, teachers identify the main concepts and skills described in the curriculum expectations, consider the contexts in which students will apply the learning, and determine students’ learning goals.

Instructional approaches should be informed by the findings of current research on instructional practices that have proved effective in the classroom. For example, research has provided compelling evidence about the benefits of the explicit teaching of strategies that can help students develop a deeper understanding of concepts. Strategies such as “compare and contrast” (e.g., through Venn diagrams and comparison matrices) and the use of analogy give students opportunities to examine concepts in ways that help them see what the concepts are and what they are not. Although such strategies are simple to use, teaching them explicitly is important in order to ensure that all students use them effectively.

A well-planned instructional program should always be at the student’s level, but it should also push the student towards his or her optimal level of challenge for learning, while providing the support and anticipating and directly teaching the skills that are required for success.

An understanding of students’ strengths and needs, as well as of their backgrounds and life experiences, can help teachers plan effective instruction and assessment. Teachers continually build their awareness of students’ learning strengths and needs by observing and assessing their readiness to learn, their interests, and their learning styles and preferences. As teachers develop and deepen their understanding of individual students, they can respond more effectively to the students’ needs by differentiating instructional approaches – adjusting the method or pace of instruction, using different types of resources, allowing a wider choice of topics, even adjusting the learning environment, if appropriate, to suit the way their students learn and how they are best able to demonstrate their learning. Unless students have an Individual Education Plan with modified curriculum expectations, what they learn continues to be guided by the curriculum expectations and remains the same for all students.

Effective lesson design involves several important elements. Teachers engage students in a lesson by activating their prior learning and experiences, clarifying the purpose for learning, and making connections to contexts that will help them see the relevance and usefulness of what they are learning. Teachers select instructional strategies to effectively introduce concepts, and consider how they will scaffold instruction in ways that will best meet the needs of their students. At the same time, they consider when and how to check students’ understanding and to assess their progress towards achieving their learning goals. Teachers provide multiple opportunities for students to apply their knowledge and skills and to consolidate and reflect on their learning. A three-part lesson design (e.g., “Minds On, Action, and Consolidation”) is often used to structure these elements.

Instruction in Grade 11 and 12 Canadian and world studies should help students acquire the knowledge, skills, and attributes they need in order to achieve the curriculum expectations and to be able to think critically throughout their lives about issues related to economics, geography, history, law, and politics. Effective instruction motivates students and instils positive habits of mind, such as curiosity and open-mindedness; a willingness to think, question, challenge, and be challenged; and an awareness of the value of listening or reading closely and communicating clearly. To be effective, instruction must be based on the belief that all students can be successful and that learning in Canadian and world studies is important and valuable for all students.

Students’ views of and attitudes towards Canadian and world studies can have a significant effect on their achievement of expectations. When students believe that these subjects simply represent a body of preordained knowledge about certain topics, they may question the relevance of their studies or may not approach their investigations with an open and inquiring mind. Students must be given opportunities to see that inquiry is not just about finding what others have found, and that they can use the inquiry process not only to uncover knowledge but also to construct understandings and develop their own positions on issues. Learning should be seen as a process in which students monitor and reflect on the development of their knowledge, understandings