High leverage practices are teaching practices that have a strong evidence-base supporting the impact of the teaching practice on student learning. Teaching Works, has identified 19 high leverage practices for teachers. In addition, the Council for Exceptional Children has identified 22 teaching practices that special educators should be equipped to implement specially designed instruction. All of these high leverage practices require teachers to use the Elements of Teaching and Agile Teacher Thinking.
Hunter College Learning Lab identified seven high leverage practices that are often used to implement evidence-based individualized interventions. These teaching practices can also be leveraged during daily inclusive tier 1 lessons. The seven practices use the mnemonic SEISMIC – standing for Strategic, Explicit, Individualized, Systematic, Multiple Pathways, Intense, and Collaborative. There are many more teaching practices to learn, however, SEISMIC, provides teachers with a foundational tool box of high leverage teaching practices. It is important to consider how the Essential Elements of Teaching are used to implement each high leverage practice. Every teaching practices consists of Elements, Tools, and Agile Teacher Thinking.