The best evidence syntheses (BESs) bring together research evidence about ‘what works’ for diverse (all) learners in education. Recent BESs each include a number of cases that describe actual examples of professional practice and then analyse the findings. These cases support educators to grasp the big ideas behind effective practice at the same time as they provide vivid insight into their application.
This case vividly illustrates the difference between an effective teaching approach, which actively engages learners (for example, through the use of simulation), and a less effective teaching approach that relies substantially on teacher talk, textbooks, and students copying notes. While the case has relevance for teaching across the curriculum, the specific context is a history unit on civil rights and racism. As such, the case also has important implications for culturally responsive teaching.