Teacher Accreditation 

Explicit Instruction Accreditation: 27 Techniques, 17 Practices

Good to Great Schools Australia offers members the ability to become accredited in 27 techniques and 17 practices related to explicit and effective instruction, helping educators traverse the pathway to teaching mastery. 

Progress Your Education Career in Three Easy Steps  

Gain accreditation for your explicit instruction teaching skills with our cutting-edge accreditation program, specifically designed for educators in all roles, from teaching assistants to school leaders.  

Our program offers a comprehensive path to accreditation in 27 evidence-based techniques and 17 practices, all adhering to Australian Institute for Teaching and Learning (AITSL) standards.  

Simply upload a video of yourself demonstrating one of the techniques or practices, receive a free expert review within 48 business hours, and achieve your accreditation.  

Transform your educational approach and gain recognition for your skills with our streamlined, three-step accreditation process. 

How it works: 

  • Become a member of Good to Great Schools Australia – it’s free!  
  • Complete a professional learning module that is linked to a specific technique or practice – see below.  
  • Practice the technique or practice for a minimum of 10 weeks.  
  • Create a video of yourself demonstrating the technique or practice.  
  • Upload the video to the My Learning part of My School Box.  
  • A Good to Great Schools Australia expert will review your video within 48 business hours.  
  • If you successfully demonstrated the technique or practice, you will receive your accreditation via email.  

 

Techniques Accreditation Guide

T1. Set up classroom for teaching
  • Has teaching materials at hand whenever needed during teaching. 
  • Assigns lower-performing students closest and medium and higher-performing students progressively farther away in the seating plan. 
  • Moves around to all students free of obstructions. 
  • Can see students’ work to ensure they are at the right place in the materials and following the instructions 
T2. Prepare for learning
  • Places resources in regular spaces that students can easily access, and students know where they are. (Two parts) 
  • Uses routines for the distribution and collection of resources. 
T3. Use positive motivation strategies
  • Uses one or more of the following: 
  • Teacher–Student Game. 
  • Objects in a Jar. 
  • Digital Token Economies.  
  • Star Charts. 
  • Good Work Tickets. 
  • Flight Path. 
    T4. Teach behaviour standards
    • Describes why each behaviour standard is needed and shares examples and non-examples. 
    • Says each behaviour standard and repeats with students in unison. 
    • Models the rule. 
    • Practises the rule with students two or three times. 
    • Has students performed the rule by themselves. 
    • Provides feedback, models, and practises with students if incorrect. 
    T5. Teach routines
    • Describes why and when each routine is needed and shares examples and non-examples. 
    • Models the routine. 
    • Practises each routine with the students two or three times. 
    • Has students performed the routine by themselves. 
    • Provides feedback, models and practices with students if incorrect. 
    T6. Correct signal response violations
    • Stops students immediately when an error is made.  
    • Says ‘I need everyone to answer as soon as I signal’, ‘Wait for my signal’, or ‘Make sure you say it like you talk’ and then says, ‘Let’s try that again’. 
    • Repeats the instructions with a signal. 
    • Ensures that everybody answers. 

    *1–4 must be followed in order. 

    T7. Display routines and behavioural standards and positive motivation
    • Displays daily and weekly schedule. 
    • Displays classroom rules at students’ eye level and includes picture examples. 

    The classroom data wall contains: 

    • Lesson progression goals. 
    • Exemplar work. 
    • Whole class behaviour goal or focus. 
    • Whole class rewards menu. 
    T8. Pronounce with me
    • Points to the word or asks student to touch the word in their text. 
    • Pronounces the word clearly. 
    • Provides an easily understood definition of the word. 

    *1–3 must be followed in order. 

    T9. Track with me
    • Announces ‘Track with me’ before beginning to read. 
    • Reads sentences at the appropriate year-level pace while students track with their fingers. 

    *1–2 must be followed in order. 

    T10. Read with me
    • Announces ‘Read with me’ before beginning to read. 
    • Reads sentences with students at the appropriate year-level pace. 

    *1–2 must be followed in order. 

    T11. Use academic vocabulary – Talk in complete sentences
    • Asks a question and tells students to answer using a full sentence. 
    • Listens to determine if students answer using a complete sentence. 
    • If a student provides a correct partial answer, asks another student to elaborate on the first answer in a complete sentence. 
    • If the student cannot elaborate, the teacher provides the complete sentence.  
    • Has students repeat the complete sentence. 

    *1–2, and either 3 or 4 and 5 must be followed in order. 

    T12. Paired learning –Think/Pair/Share
    • Asks a question or gives a prompt so students think about their answer before sharing. 
    • Tells students which partner should share their answer first. 
    • Allows students time to share their answers. 
    • Calls the group back together and calls on students to answer questions. 

    *1–4 must be followed in order. 

    T13. Check for understanding – Whiteboards/Chin-it
    • Gives a prompt or asks a question so students think about their answer. 
    • Signals for students to write their answers on their whiteboards. 
    • Signals for students to ‘chin-it’ or show their answers. 
    • Checks students’ answers for accuracy of 85 per cent of the group. 
    • Provides corrective feedback to the whole group for incorrect answers. 
    • Signals for students to park their whiteboards, markers and erasers when not needed. 

    *1–5 must be followed in order. 

    T14. Teach for the full period
    • Starts the lesson on time. [2 minutes] 
    • Delivers lesson components in the allocated time for that program. 
    • Follows the lesson, stays on topic and maintains an appropriate pace. 
    • Reminds students as needed of what they accomplished in a lesson and what they still need to complete.  
    • Prevents lesson disruptions from inside and outside the classroom. 
    • Implements quick and seamless transitions between activities. [1 minute or less] 
    • Teaches until the end of the period. 
    T15. Use signals
    • Initiates a signal with a phrase that is used to get students’ attention. 
    • Asks students a question and points to a word, number, sound or object. 
    • Gives appropriate think time (1–3 seconds) for the task to allow for a simultaneous response from all students. 
    • Provides a query cue. 
    • Gives a one-second interval/pause. 
    • Signals. 
    • Ensures students answer instantly after they signal. 
    • Uses consistent timing between the cue and signal (one second for 4 or more signals). 

    *1–7 must be followed in order 

    T16. Correct errors
    • Stops students immediately when an error is made.  
    • Tells students the correct answer.  
    • Says the answer with the students.  
    • Ensures that students perform the skill independently. 
    • Repeats the part.  
    • For individual errors, ensures that the whole group takes part in the correction. 

    *1–5 must be followed in order. 

    T17. Provide positive praise and affirmations
    • Makes four praise statements for each corrective statement ratio. 

    Recording area: _________________________________________________ 

    • Affirms with ‘yes’ and the correct answer. 
    • Praises students when they meet the criteria and explicitly states the exhibited behaviour, effort or skill.  
    • States how the behaviour connects to the school’s expectations. 
    • Uses age-appropriate praise. 
    T18. Teach the full lesson fluently
    • Delivers the prescribed lesson content.  
    • Follows the teaching instructions.  
    • Delivers lesson with: 
    • fluency 
    • fidelity 
    • confidence 
    • expression. 
    T19. Use individual turns
    • Announces individual turns.  
    • Focuses the group pointing to the sound, word, or problem or by asking a question. 
    • Gives appropriate think time for the task. 
    • Calls a ‘random’ student to answer. 
    • Gives 55% of the individual turns to the lowest performers. 
    • Notes who made the error during the group response and asks that student for the same task during individual turns. 
    • Keeps track of which students responded and whether they answered incorrectly. 

    *2–4 must be followed in order for three or more individual turns 

    T20. Check for mastery
    • Listens carefully for correct and incorrect answers. 
    • Corrects all errors. 
    • Repeats the parts of the lesson that are not firm or re-teaches the whole lesson. 
    • Gives individual turns when mastery is unclear for the individual or group. 
    • Notes incorrect student responses (not at mastery), who is making the errors and what types of errors are being made.  
    • Ensures that every student is answering correctly and with confidence in the exercise before moving on.  
    T21. Address specific group errors
    • Recognises a repeated group error such as word, problem or language skill. 
    • Models the correct answer. 
    • Writes the word, problem or skill on the goodbye list. 
    • Use a goal of three repetitions of the skill on consecutive days with no errors. 
    • Reviews the word, problem or skill on the goodbye list each day. 
    • Mark (using a tick) next to the item each time the group answers correctly on the first try.  
    • Mark (using x or –) next to the item each time the group does not answer correctly on the first try. 
    • Erase or cross it out when there are three consecutive tick marks; students say ‘goodbye’. 

    *1–3 must be followed in order. 

    T22. Administer independent work
    • Assigns independent work. 
    • Rotates among students to monitor work. 
    • Tells students who get stuck on an item to circle it, complete other items, and then come back to it. 
    • Walks and checks work. 
    • If correct, places a tick mark next to the correct answers. 
    • If incorrect, puts a dot in the margin and tells the student to fix it. 
    • Stops and reteaches the group if three or more students make the same error.  
    • Does not reteach individuals. 
    • Advises slow-moving students of time left to work, reiterates to move on and go back to items they are stuck on. 
    • Advises group when halfway through the independent work time. 
    T23. Administer independent work checks
    • Performs work checks as work is completed by the group or at the start of the next lesson. 
    • Ensures that students check using a coloured pen or pencil. 
    • Reads the problem/question and the correct answer aloud. 
    • Provides visual answers when appropriate. 
    • Maintains a quick pace that students can keep up with. 
    • Ensures students correct errors. 
    • Reteaches the lesson or parts of the lesson if 25% or more of the group scores less than 85% on independent work. 
    T24. Administer program assessments
    • Has documents ready to use. 
    • Administers individually or in a group when required.  
    • Adjusts seating so students cannot see others’ responses. 
    • Ensures other students cannot hear or see students’ testing responses. 
    • Establishes student motivation.  
    • Ensures students track with their fingers but does not track along with them. 
    • Ensures assessments are conducted and scored before teaching the next lesson. 
    T25. Remediate and retest
    • Remediates whole group if 25 per cent of the group does not meet criteria on a part or whole mastery test. 
    • Remediates individual students if less than 25 per cent of the group does not meet criteria on a part or the whole mastery test. 
    • Remediates according to the remediation table in a timely manner. 
    • Retests the group or individuals only on the parts where they did not meet the criteria. 
    T26. Embed behaviour standards
    • Acknowledges students for following rules correctly. 
    • Uses pre-corrections to encourage expected behaviours. 
    • Revisits and reteaches the rules: at the beginning of the school year, term, week or lesson as needed. 
    • Reiterates classroom rules as needed depending on the group’s behaviour. 
    • Uses a continuum of strategies to limit minor inappropriate behaviour: 
      • proximity 
      • non-verbal cues 
      • ignore-attend-praise  
      • re-direct or re-teach 
      • provide choice 
      • private student conference. 
    T27. Embed routines
    • Acknowledges students for following the routine correctly. 
    • Revisits and reteaches the routine: 2–3 weeks after it was established if needed, at the beginning of the school year, term, week or lesson as needed. 
    • Reiterates classroom routines as needed when students are not following them.  
    • Use pre-corrections to encourage students to follow the routine. 
    • Corrects students who breach the routine. 
    • Reteaches the routine as breaches increase. 

    Practices Accreditation Guide

    P1. Review learning progress (IC)
    • Meets with team members to review their Weekly Individual Professional Learning report.  
    • Discusses the status of completed modules. 
    • Celebrates what certification they have received.  
    • Identifies any missed targets with the team member. 
    • Collaborates with team members to adjust the timeline for completing the professional learning. 
    P2. Demonstrate teaching to mastery (IC)
    • Advises the teacher or teaching assistant of the lesson and technique they will demonstrate.  
    • Sets up technology to record the demonstration.  
    • Teaches a part of or the whole lesson demonstrating the technique or practice while the teacher or teaching assistant observes.   
    P3. Observe engagement (P)
    • Spends 5 minutes in the classroom observing each teacher and teaching assistant deliver the lesson.  
    • Completes the Teacher and Student Engagement Observation Form. 
    P4. Observe effective teaching (IC)
    • Spends 20 minutes in a classroom observing a lesson. 
    • Completes the Techniques Observation on which techniques and practices the team member has mastered and which can still develop. 
    • Demonstrates a technique or practice being done incorrectly while the lesson is underway so the teacher or teaching assistant can see how it is done with mastery. 
    • Uses gestures or verbal prompts to cue the teacher or teaching assistant. 
    • Provides on-the-spot feedback to correct technical issues impeding instruction that are easily corrected. 
    P5. Provide coaching feedback (IC)
    • Provides feedback to the teacher or teaching assistant using data from the:  
      • Weekly Classroom Data Review Report or 
      • Techniques Observation Feedback Report or 
      • Practices Observation Feedback Report or 
      • Student Engagement Observation Feedback Report. 
    • Acknowledges: 
      • what the teacher or teaching assistant has mastered 
      • what anomalies the student data indicate 
      • how the techniques and data impact student learning. 
      • Reviews improvement actions the teacher or teaching assistant needs to complete before the next feedback session. 
    P7. Display data (T)
    • Sets up and maintains a Classroom Data Wall.  
    • Updates the Classroom Data Wall at the end of the day. 
    P6. Display results (IC)
    • Sets up and maintains a School Data Wall.  
    • Places the portable whiteboard or laminated chart in a space accessible to the school team, parents, families and community.  
    P8. Celebrate achievement (T)
    • Refers to the Classroom Data Wall to encourage students to work hard and achieve their targets. 
    • Says the target before a lesson and motivates students by reminding them that each lesson completed to mastery moves them closer to their target. 
    • Celebrates with students when they achieve the target by carrying out the small fun activity they set as the award. 
    P9. Host team meeting (P)
    • Announces the top teaching and student successes of the week, using the Weekly School Professional Learning Report.  
    • Discusses the strategies used to get successful results. 
    • Discusses top challenges and draws on best practice classroom examples to discuss strategies to resolve them. 
    P10. Share experience and get insights from peers (P)
    • Presents a School Improvement Presentation on their school improvement implementation for 15 minutes at a peer forum.  
    • Invites peers to respond and ask questions to compare situations they are experiencing. 
    P11. Host lesson practice (IC)
    • Opens with a 5-minute demonstration of a technique or practice they have observed in classes that week. 
    • Answers questions to assist the practise needs of each teacher and teaching assistant. 
    • Records attendance on the Lesson Practice Form. 
    P12. Release teacher for peer lesson observation (T)
    • Observes peer for 15 minutes. 
    • Spends 5 minutes writing up the Techniques Observation Form. 
    • Discuss their observations in a Coaching Session. 
    P13. Lead positive high-expectation values (P)
    • Hosts a meeting with parents, families and community leaders. 
    • Drafts Community Compact with community input.  
    • Displays Community Compact on a large board near the school entrance. 
    P14. Review improvement report with the community (P)
    • Holds a School Improvement Forum to review the School Improvement Plan with the community.  
    • Shares the Term School Improvement Review Report. 
    • Discusses actions undertaken, what was and was not achieved and student results. 
    • Discusses progress and proposes the next steps for the school and parents to assist their students and the school in the coming term. 
    • Updates new commitments in the School Improvement Plan in consultation with the forum. 
    P15. Share student’s progress with parents (T/TA)
    • Schedules a meeting with parents to discuss their child’s progress. 
    • Talks parents through their child’s Student Profile and highlights achievements and challenges that require the parent’s attention. 
    • Discusses what the school is doing to support their child and what parents can do at home to enhance their child’s education outcomes. 
    • Follows the Three R’s for having an Honest Conversation from the Having Influencing Conversations with Parents Guide. 
    P16. Share student report card with parents (T/TA)
    • Shares the Semester Student Report Card with parents in person during an open classroom event or at home. 
    • Reviews and highlights students’ successes and areas for development. 
    • Emphasises the benefits of a parent or sibling reading with the child a few times a week. 
    • Celebrates parental success in supporting their child. 
    • Provides positive work samples to take home as a reward for the parent’s involvement in their child’s learning. 
    P17. Host parents in the classroom (T/TA)
    • Greets the parents when they arrive at the classroom. 
    • Provides their procedure for having visitors in the classroom. 
    • Points out examples of their child’s work on the student’s display board. 
    • Permits parents to sit with their child to hear them read or support them with classroom difficulties. 
    • Provides parents with a Supporting Your Child’s Education at Home brochure and encourages return visits. 

    Techniques Accreditation Guide

    Module Table
    Module T1 T2 T3 T4 T5 T6 T7 T8 T9 T10 T11 T12 T13 T14 T15 T16 T17 T18 T19 T20 T21 T22 T23 T24 T25 T26 T27
    Course Modules
    Learn Effective Teaching Essentials X X X X X X X X X X
    Build Positive High-Expectations School Communities X X X X X X X X
    Learn Cycles of School Practice X
    Deliver Effective Teaching Techniques Coaching X X
    Deliver Positive High-Expectations Leadership X X X X X X X X
    Deliver Positive High-Expectations Coaching X X X X X X X X
    Deliver Positive High-Expectations Classroom Practices X X X X X X X X
    Program Modules
    Teach Spelling Mastery X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X
    Teach RMSE K X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X
    Teach RMSE 1 X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X
    Teach RMSE 2-3 X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X
    Teach RMT 4-5 X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X
    Teach RMSE – LA K X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X
    Module T1 T2 T3 T4 T5 T6 T7 T8 T9 T10 T11 T12 T13 T14 T15 T16 T17 T18 T19 T20 T21 T22 T23 T24 T25 T26 T27
    Course Modules
    Teach RMSE – LA 1-2 X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X
    Teach RMSE – LA 3, 4, 5 X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X
    Teach RMT – LA 4-5 X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X
    Teach Language for Learning X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X
    Teach Distar X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X
    Teach Connecting Math Concepts A X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X
    Teach Connecting Math Concepts B X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X
    Teach Connecting Math Concepts C X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X
    Teach Connecting Math Concepts D X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X
    Teach Connecting Math Concepts E X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X
    Teach Connecting Math Concepts F X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X
    Teach Connecting Math Concepts G X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X
    Teach Connecting Math Concepts H X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X
    Teach Optic-science X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X
    Teach Core-English Writing (Language) X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X

    Practices

    Module Table
    Module P1-IC P2-IC P3-P P4-IC P5-IC P6-IC P7-T P8-T P9-P P10-P P11-IC P12-T P13-P P14-P P15T/TA P16T/TA P17T/TA
    Course Modules
    Learn Effective Teaching Essentials X
    Build Positive High-Expectations School Communities X
    Module T1 T2 T3 T4 T5 T6 T7 T8 T9 T10 T11 T12 T13 T14 T15 T16 T17 T18 T19 T20 T21 T22 T23 T24 T25 T26 T27
    Course Modules
    Learn Effective Teaching Essentials X X X X X X X X X X
    Build Positive High-Expectations School Communities X X X X X X X X
    Learn Cycles of School Practice X
    Deliver Effective Teaching Techniques Coaching X X
    Deliver Positive High-Expectations Leadership X X X X X X X X X
    Deliver Positive High-Expectations Coaching X X X X X X X X
    Deliver Positive High-Expectations Classroom Practices X X X X X X X X
    Program Modules
    Teach Spelling Mastery X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X
    Teach RMSE K X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X
    Teach RMSE 1 X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X
    Teach RMSE 2-3 X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X
    Teach RMT 4-5 X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X
    Teach RMSE – LA K X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X
    Module T1 T2 T3 T4 T5 T6 T7 T8 T9 T10 T11 T12 T13 T14 T15 T16 T17 T18 T19 T20 T21 T22 T23 T24 T25 T26 T27
    Course Modules
    Teach RMSE – LA 1-2 X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X
    Teach RMSE – LA 3, 4, 5 X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X
    Teach RMT – LA 4-5 X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X
    Teach Language for Learning X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X
    Teach Distar X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X
    Teach Connecting Math Concepts A X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X
    Teach Connecting Math Concepts B X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X
    Teach Connecting Math Concepts C X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X
    Teach Connecting Math Concepts D X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X
    Teach Connecting Math Concepts E X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X
    Teach Connecting Math Concepts F X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X
    Teach Connecting Math Concepts G X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X
    Teach Connecting Math Concepts H X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X
    Teach Optic-science X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X
    Teach Core-English Writing (Language) X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X