Unlocking the power of Tier 1 Universal Instruction

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In the famous episode of I Love Lucy titled “Job Switching,” Lucy and Ethel are working in a chocolate factory as part of a job exchange with their husbands, Ricky and Fred. The factory line speeds up, and the women struggle to keep up with wrapping the chocolates. As the chocolates come faster and faster, they start stuffing them in their mouths, clothes and even their hats to hide the evidence. Eventually, the entire scene becomes a hilarious mess, with Lucy and Ethel trying to hide their mistake while the men catch on to what’s happening. It’s one of the most iconic and slapstick moments in TV history! 

It’s also how many of us feel in the classroom daily. As a teacher, you are responsible for a class full of learners with different needs. Welcome to Tier 1 Universal Instruction — the everyday teaching that happens for all learners. It’s the magic that lays the foundation for student success. 

In this blog post, we’ll explore why Tier 1 Universal Instruction is essential, and we’ll give you a step-by-step guide for implementing it in classrooms.

What is Tier 1 Universal Instruction?

Do not think of Universal Instruction as “teaching to the middle.” It’s about designing learning experiences that are high-quality, inclusive and responsive to the needs of all learners. Effective Universal Instruction refers to high-quality teaching practices that are designed to meet the needs of all students in a classroom, regardless of their abilities, backgrounds or learning styles. It’s often discussed in the context of Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS) or Response to Intervention (RTI) as Tier 1 Instruction.

Universal Instruction is what “all” learners receive in the form of academic and social-emotional instruction and supports. It focuses on the implementation of state standards and your district’s core curriculum. It is also the first intervention for all learners and is our largest opportunity to have an impact on student achievement. 

Characteristics of effective Tier 1 Universal Instruction

Here are just a few characteristics of effective Tier 1 Instruction:

• Standards-aligned: Lessons and instruction are aligned with grade-level standards and learning objectives.
• Data-driven: Instruction is informed by frequent assessments and observations to monitor progress and adjust teaching as needed.
• Evidence-based: Uses teaching methods and strategies that are proven through research to be effective.
• Differentiated: Teachers adapt content, process, and product based on student readiness, interest and learning profile.
• Engaging and Interactive: Uses active learning strategies to keep students engaged and involved in the learning process.
• Clear and Consistent: Expectations, routines and instruction are clearly communicated and consistently implemented.

Strategies for providing Tier 1 Instruction daily

How can you provide rock-solid Tier 1 instruction daily to your diverse learners? In quoting the late, great Toby Keith in the song “Somewhere Else,” you must plan “’Cause if you don’t know where you’re goin’, You might end up somewhere else.” 

The A-Team also put it best when using their popular catchphrase, “I love it when a plan comes together.” Our plan consists of creating objectives or learning targets, as well as learning goals and success criteria. 

Learning targets should always be grounded in the academic content standards required by your state. The first step is to analyze your standard and chunk it into knowledge and skills, also called “knows and shows.” 

Here is an example of a Texas math standard organized by knowledge (what learners need to know) and skills (what learners need to be able to do). (You can also use AI to help with this task as well.) 

Often, you can rewrite the standard into “I can” statements for learners. For example, a generic reading objective might say “students will be able to use strategies before, during and after reading to aid in the construction of meaning.” This can easily be reworded to an “I can” statement and posted for learners.

🎥 Here is an idea for sharing via Google Classroom and Freeze Tabs

After developing your “knows and shows,” it is time to further dive into backward design, as coined by Wiggins and McTighe. Assessments guide decision-making in Universal Instruction. Review data (perhaps from BOY, MOY, or EOY) to inform instructional decisions and identify gaps, or work through sample assessment items from benchmarks or state tests. 

Analyze those test items, and revisit your “knows and shows.” Make adjustments to sequence or depth and complexity after reviewing the assessment items. Then, anticipate the “gaps.” Plan learning activities that can serve as formative assessment. 

Using a variety of pre-assessment strategies 

Use a variety of pre-assessment strategies to engage learners and provide a more personalized assessment experience. Here are just a few of my favorite pre-assessment activities.

Question stems

I used to keep these in old coffee cans at the learners’ stations. They used chopsticks to select a question and discuss it as a table group. (Pro tip: Search using “Bloom’s question stems” or “DOK question stems” to create an anchor chart of question stems, allowing students to turn and talk, or Mix, Mingle, Freeze and discuss their understanding.)

Digital quizzes

I use a variety of tools to create short quizzes that can be used as part of an EduProtocol called “Fast and Furious” (by Jon Corippo). Incorporate these short quizzes into station rotation or centers and celebrate success as the week progresses. 

Choice boards

I have found these to be very engaging. I allow the learner to select which tasks they wish to complete, and I usually have a mandatory task that all must complete. 

Mini-lessons

These can be used to target specific skills. If in doubt, consider using AI to help you create powerful mini-lessons. These direct teaching moments are crucial for laying a foundation to concept mastery. All learners share in the experience of the mini-lesson. 

⭐️A few other favorites include anticipation guides, RAN charts, short RAFTS, Fact or Fib, waterfall chats, and very, very informal checks for understanding, such as a simple thumbs up/down and exit tickets.

🎥 Here is an idea for sharing resources or scheduling an exit ticket daily using Guide Browsing!

Giving learners the answers

The next step in this process is to give kids the answers … I know, you are thinking, “what?” It is important that learners emulate exemplary work, and the best way to do so is by providing exemplars and success criteria. Explicit instruction paired with modeling is the best way to do this. 

Script your think-aloud

Often, I would script my “think-aloud” to ensure I explained the concepts and skills concretely and visibly, with clear language and many examples. I would create an exemplar with the learners during the direct teach, again sharing my thought process as we go. I often created this ahead of time to ensure that it demonstrated full mastery of the objective, illuminated the work done to solve the problem or write to the prompt, and aligned to the ideal exit ticket response (or assessment item). 

It also had to contain evidence of all success criteria. I struggled to do this “on the fly,” so I often created one ahead of time, then used it during my mini-lesson to ensure everything was covered. The success criteria and exemplars allow learners to see what success looks like, rather than guess. If stuck, consider using AI to assist with this task. 

Provide an opportunity to show what they know

After modeling, the next step is to provide learners the opportunity to show what they know. 

These learning experiences should include the following for application and guided practice:

• Manipulatives
• Visual aids and cues
• Flexible grouping formats
• Students engaged
• Teacher engaged
• Active participation

It is important to use evidence-based high-yield teaching strategies that involve differentiation. My favorite (and a strategy with very high efficacy) is the Jigsaw Method.

🎥 Here is a great way to do a paperless jigsaw activity using Hāpara Teacher Dashboard and Groups!

Planning the reteach during Tier 1 Instruction

The last step — Plan the reteach! After reviewing data, if needed, revisit the exemplar to address student work and where it may fall short of reaching mastery. Again, I would script another exemplar (ahead of time) and use that to create a brief mini-lesson. I would follow a step-by-step procedure, use language specific to the demonstration of that skill or concept, and check frequently for student understanding, providing targeted feedback along the way. 

I would repeat this cycle as often as needed to ensure 80% of mastery in my classroom. Here is a graphic of the process, including the attributes of a strong daily objective. Strong Tier 1 Instruction is crucial for improving outcomes by allowing teachers to personalize learning, track student progress toward objectives and make informed decisions about teaching strategies. 

Reach out to us for additional ideas, resources or professional development supporting effective Tier 1 Instruction today!