Many popular teaching practices are ineffective, warns new report

We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. You can change your cookie settings at any time. Otherwise, we'll assume you're OK to continue. Many popular teaching practices are ineffective, warns new report Lavish praise for students is among seven popular teaching practices not supported by evidence according to a new Sutton Trust and Durham University report which reviews over 200 pieces of research on how to develop great teachers. What Makes Great Teaching , by Professor Rob Coe and colleagues at Durham's School of Education , warns that many common practices can be harmful to learning and have no grounding in research. Examples include using praise lavishly, allowing learners to discover key ideas by themselves, grouping students by ability and presenting information to students based on their "preferred learning style". On the other hand, some other teaching approaches are supported by good evidence of their effectiveness.