evidence-based classroom – A weekly roundup is drawing instructors toward evidence-linked classroom strategies—from Dylan Wiliam’s formative assessment work and retrieval practice resources to a pointed critique of universal phonics evidence after Grade 6.
By the time the week ends. many teachers are already scanning the next set of teaching moves—what to use tomorrow. what to revisit. what to trust. This week’s classroom instruction resource list leans hard into evidence-based practice. with an extra pulse of urgency around what happens when students move past the early grades.
At the center of the roundup is Dylan Wiliam’s book. “Formative Assessment. Feedback. and Self-Regulated Learning: Making Learning Visible. Equitable. and Sustainable.” It’s being added to a “best resources” list focused on formative assessment. signaling where the emphasis is landing for teachers looking to strengthen classroom feedback without losing sight of student ownership of learning.
Another pick is “Retrieval Practice. ” published through DistillED. added to a dedicated collection on helping teachers build instruction around recall and strengthening memory. The list also includes “13 Tips to Quickly Deliver Super Effective Feedback” from Edutopia. added to a “best resources” page for learning how to give feedback to students—an approach that has long appealed to teachers because it promises practical steps they can apply immediately.
Not all of this week’s attention stays strictly inside classroom technique. “Is ‘effective teaching’ at odds with evidence-informed practice?” appears in “From Experience To Meaning.” It’s paired with a suggested read: “The Difference Between ‘Good’ Teaching & ‘Successful’ Teaching – And What This Means For The Next School Year.” Together. they frame a familiar tension teachers carry in their own planning—whether what feels right from experience always matches what evidence supports.
That tension sharpens in a post shared by Krystle M. on January 6, 2026, which points to a “critical evidence” in Shanahan’s latest blog post. The post says universal phonics evidence is described as robust for K-2. but that @WhatWorksED data shows a sharp decline in “Strong” evidence for universal phonics once students hit Grade 6. It also claims many curated programs show only marginal gains for older students.
Taken together, the items in this week’s roundup don’t just offer reading lists. They map a push toward classroom practices that can be measured—feedback that changes learning. retrieval that improves memory. and instruction shaped by the evidence. even when that evidence complicates approaches teachers may have relied on in the early grades.
classroom instruction resources formative assessment feedback self-regulated learning retrieval practice universal phonics evidence-informed practice Shanahan WhatWorksED
So teachers are just doing “evidence-based” stuff now? Cool I guess.
I read “universal phonics” and instantly thought it was gonna be another debate. Like how can it be good for K-2 but suddenly not good by Grade 6? Seems like they’re changing the goalposts.
Wait, is this saying phonics is bad? My kid’s school uses that and I feel like it helped, not gonna lie. Also, the “feedback” part sounds like they’re just telling teachers to write better notes… like okay.
Evidence-based feedback sounds nice but teachers already drown in paperwork. And “retrieval practice”?? Isn’t that just like quizzing? Half the time kids freeze when there’s testing vibes. Plus I saw something about Shanahan and “strong evidence” dropping after Grade 6, but I don’t know if they mean the programs or the method or what. Universal phonics vs whatever else… seems like it’s all gonna confuse parents anyway.