Using the Instructional Hierarchy to teach math with Brendan Lee (Ep 53)

In this episode, Anna Stokke chats with Brendan Lee, a teacher and educational consultant focused on bridging the gap between educational research and classroom practice. They discuss the instructional hierarchy and how teachers can tailor their teaching based on where students are in their learning journey––whether it’s the acquisition, fluency, generalisation, or adaptation stage. Brendan shares practical strategies and actionable advice that teachers can immediately apply in the classroom to better support student learning. This is an insightful discussion that will leave educators feeling informed, inspired, and ready to take on their next lesson.

Brendan Lee’s website: www.learnwithlee.net

This episode is also available in video at www.youtube.com/@chalktalk-stokke

TIMESTAMPS

[00:00:23] Introduction

[00:03:15] Understanding the Instructional Hierarchy

[00:04:40] The acquisition stage

[00:08:28] Teacher’s Talk Radio

[00:10:39] Students’ struggles in the acquisition stage

[00:12:48] Effective teaching techniques in the acquisition stage

[00:19:37] Think-alouds: The meaning and purpose

[00:23:45] Concrete-Pictorial-Abstract

[00:33:47] Backwards fading method

[00:34:58] Make or break method

[00:36:50] Fluency stage: what teaching techniques work best

[00:47:34] Generalization/adaptation stage

[00:55:11] When to use teaching tools

[01:00:55] Advice for new teachers using the Instructional Hierarchy

RELEVANT PREVIOUS EPISODES

Reclaiming learning time to boost literacy and numeracy with Ross Fox https://www.podbean.com/ew/pb-bpy4n-188c9c5

Supporting students with math difficulties with Sarah Powell https://www.podbean.com/eas/pb-ciqgm-17def6b

Math fact crisis: Strategies for improving numeracy with Brian Poncy https://www.podbean.com/ew/pb-u9y84-165d773

Math fluency matters with Brian Poncy https://www.podbean.com/ew/pb-pj6z6-166741e

Cognitive load theory in math class with David Morkunas https://www.podbean.com/eas/pb-znh5k-15f793

EPISODE TRANSCRIPT

https://www.annastokke.com/transcripts/ep-53-transcript

MUSIC

Intro and Outro: Coma Media – Catch it

Website: www.annastokke.com

X: @rastokke

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/anna-stokke-3a1b4c

Bluesky: @rastokke.bsky.social