Instructional Strategies to Move Learning Forward : 50+ Tools That Support the Gradual Release of Responsibility

 50+ Instructional Strategies for Developing Independent Learners

Discover over 50 strategies to meet your students where they are and help them succeed.

Every teacher faces a recurring question in the classroom: What strategy will help this student learn right now? With hundreds of potential strategies available, the challenge lies in choosing the right approach at the right time. Instructional Strategies to Move Learning Forward does exactly that, equipping educators with thoughtfully curated instructional strategies designed to advance learning for all students. Grounded in the Gradual Release of Responsibility (GRR) framework, this book empowers you to select and implement purposeful strategies that address your students′ specific needs at a specific moment in their learning while ensuring long-term success.

This content-rich guide provides practical tools and insights that emphasize why, when, and how instructional strategies can move learning forward, with:

• Research-informed rationale for why each strategy works and how each supports meaningful learning
• Detailed step-by-step guidance for implementation, ensuring every strategy can be immediately applied in your classroom
• Adaptability across contexts: Strategies designed for use across grades, content areas, and student needs―including multilingual learners and those requiring differentiated support
• Connections for each strategy to the GRR framework for cohesive lesson planning and consistent results

Douglas Fisher is a professor and chair of educational leadership at San Diego State University and a teacher leader at Health Sciences High and Middle College. Previously, Fisher was an early intervention teacher and elementary school educator. In 2022, he was inducted into the Reading Hall of Fame by the Literacy Research Association. He has published numerous articles on reading and literacy, leadership, and curriculum design, as well as books such as Your Introduction to PLC+, Welcome to Teaching, How Feedback Works, Teaching Reading, and RIGOR Unveiled. Fisher loves being an educator and hopes to share that passion with others.

Nancy Frey is a professor of educational leadership at San Diego State University and a teacher leader at Health Sciences High and Middle College. Her published titles include The Courage to Learn, The Art and Science of Coaching, How Scaffolding Works, and The Illustrated Guide to Visible Learning. Frey is a credentialed special educator, reading specialist, and administrator in California and learns from teachers and students every day.

Kierstan Barbee holds a doctoral degree in educational leadership and literacy from the University of Houston. She brings  20 years of education-related experience in PreK-12 settings. She has served as a secondary English Language Arts teacher, academic coach, and professional development supervisor in urban districts as well as a project manager of assessment for learning, which involved creating system-wide professional learning programming for central staff and campuses that promoted the spread of research- and evidence informed practices to maximize teaching and learning. Through an emphasis on relationship-building and human-centered design principles, Kierstan has coached PreK-12 principals, teachers, and district leaders on pedagogical practices that promote equity and student agency in learning.

Sarah Ortega, EdD, is a credentialed bilingual teacher and administrator in California.  She served as a classroom educator for 19 years before moving into various leadership positions at the site and district level.  In 2023, Sarah was recognized as the Chula Vista Elementary School District Teacher of the Year.  Her teaching videos have been featured in professional development training and educator magazines. She is a professional learning consultant and works with schools and districts to design and implement learning solutions that support the emotional, behavioral, and instructional needs of students.  She is a co-author of Teaching Foundational Skills to Adolescents and Instructional Strategies to Move Learning Forward.