Creating Strategy Charts¶

Strategy · All strategies
Evidence · 3 claims (3 for) · 9 studies (3 review, 2 causal, 2 quant-synthesis, 1 associational, 1 theoretical), q2–q4 · 1 of 9 report an effect size

Description¶

A strategy chart is a co-constructed visual reference — an anchor chart, poster, or shared document — that lists the problem-solving strategies a class has generated and named together. Learners return to the chart when stuck, using embedded language prompts ("What have I tried? What's another way?") to articulate their thinking and connect struggle to a strategic next move.

Design Implications¶

Strategy charts externalize the strategic repertoire that experts hold internally, reducing the working-memory and retrieval burden of deciding what to do when stuck Chunking reduces working memory load. [+M]. Their distinctive feature is co-construction: strategies named by learners, in learners' words, are more likely to be recognized as applicable in the moment than strategies handed down by the teacher [~W]. The chart also functions as a metacognitive scaffold — a persistent prompt for self-monitoring and strategy selection that supports learners until they internalize the routine Self-monitoring improves self-regulation. [+M].

Context¶

Requirements¶

• Time for collaborative chart-making and a classroom culture that treats struggle as normal and strategic
• Strategies phrased in learners' own language, with talk prompts for self-talk or partner discussion
• A visible, permanent location and a routine of referring to the chart at the moment of being stuck, not only during its creation
• Periodic revisiting: adding strategies as they emerge from Class Discussion and Coaching

Constraints¶

• Charts created once and never referenced become wallpaper; effectiveness depends on an established use routine [-W]
• A long, undifferentiated list of strategies can overwhelm novices, who lack the judgment to select among options; grouping strategies by situation (e.g., "when the problem makes no sense" vs. "when I have an answer but I'm unsure") mitigates this [~M]
• If the chart substitutes for explicit teaching of when and why each strategy works, learners apply strategies mechanically without conditional knowledge [-M]
• Whole-class charts may not match individual needs; personal copies or differentiated versions are often necessary

Implementation Variability¶

• Co-constructed anchor charts (elementary classrooms): built over days as strategies emerge during work
• Strategy menus (secondary/higher ed): a curated list of heuristics for a domain, e.g., Polya-style problem-solving steps in mathematics
• Digital charts: shared documents or LMS pages that learners can annotate and extend
• Personal strategy cards: individualized versions for learners who need a narrower, tailored set

Target Learners¶

• Novices who do not yet have an internal repertoire of moves when stuck Chunking reduces working memory load. [+M]
• Learners developing self-regulation, who benefit from external prompts for monitoring and strategy choice Self-monitoring improves self-regulation. [+M]
• Learners who struggle to articulate their thinking; the language prompts supply sentence frames for Self-Explanation [+S]
• Less necessary for experts, who already generate strategies spontaneously [~W]

Target Learning Goals¶

• Metacognitive strategy use: knowing what to do when stuck and how to talk about it
• Self-regulated problem solving: connecting affective experience ("I'm frustrated") to strategic action
• Mathematical and scientific practices: persevering, trying alternative representations, checking work
• Academic language: building shared vocabulary for discussing thinking processes

Instructions¶

1. Elicit strategies from learners after a genuine struggle, using Class Discussion — "What did you do when you got stuck?"
2. Name and record each strategy in learners' words, grouping related ones to manage list length Chunking
3. Add language prompts beside each strategy for self-talk or partner talk, so the chart supports Articulation of thinking, not just action
4. Post the chart visibly and establish a routine: when stuck, consult the chart before asking the teacher, then Apply a chosen strategy
5. Revisit and extend the chart regularly through Coaching and reflection, retiring strategies learners have internalized
6. Provide Feedback on strategy use itself — not just on answers — to reinforce conditional knowledge about when each strategy helps

Related Strategies¶

• Strategy charts pair naturally with routines that make thinking visible and with explicit teaching of when to deploy each listed strategy; see Explicit Teaching for the direct instruction that gives chart strategies their conditional "when and why."
• Guide students to select, match, and adapt writing strategies to situations

Examples¶

• Elementary mathematics (Cognitively Guided Instruction classrooms): an anchor chart titled "What Can I Do When I'm Stuck?" lists strategies such as "draw a picture," "use manipulatives," "start with a smaller number," each with a talk prompt like "I'll try ___ because ___."
• IMPROVE program (Mevarech & Kramarski, 1997): printed self-questioning prompts — comprehension, connection, strategy, and reflection questions — function as a portable strategy chart embedded in every worksheet, improving mathematical reasoning doi:10.3102/00028312034002379
• Reading workshop anchor charts (Teachers College Reading & Writing Project): co-created charts of decoding and comprehension strategies ("flip the sound," "back up and reread") that students reference during independent reading

Key Sources¶

• Mevarech, Z. R., & Kramarski, B. (1997). IMPROVE: A multidimensional method for teaching mathematics in heterogeneous classrooms. American Educational Research Journal, 34(2), 365–394. doi:10.2307/1163362
• Dunlosky, J., Rawson, K. A., Marsh, E. J., Nathan, M. J., & Willingham, D. T. (2013). Improving students' learning with effective learning techniques. Psychological Science in the Public Interest, 14(1), 4–58. doi:10.1177/1529100612453266
• Palincsar, A. S., & Brown, A. L. (1984). Reciprocal teaching of comprehension-fostering and comprehension-monitoring activities. Cognition and Instruction, 1(2), 117–175. doi:10.1207/s1532690xci0102_1
• Pressley, M., Woloshyn, V., et al. (1995). Cognitive strategy instruction that really improves children's academic performance (2nd ed.). Brookline Books.