What is pedagogy? A teacher’s guide to evidence-informed teaching
Pedagogy explained: its meaning, the main teaching approaches, Rosenshine’s Principles of Instruction and how to choose what works for your learners.
Key takeaways
- Pedagogy is the theory and practice of teaching: how teachers plan, explain, question, assess and respond to learners.
- No single approach works for everything. Explicit instruction and inquiry each suit different goals and stages of learning.
- Rosenshine’s Principles of Instruction summarise ten research-backed habits, from daily review to scaffolding and weekly review.
- Formative assessment, retrieval practice and metacognition are among the most transferable evidence-informed practices.
- Good pedagogy starts with the learning objective and the learners in front of you.
Pedagogy: a definition
Pedagogy is the method and practice of teaching. It covers the decisions a teacher makes about how students will learn: how new ideas are introduced, what students do with them, how understanding is checked and what happens next. Pedagogy draws on theory about how people learn and on the professional judgement of teachers who know their subject and their learners.
You may also see related terms. Andragogy refers to the teaching of adults. Didactics, common in European traditions, focuses on the content of teaching and how a subject is made learnable. Pedagogical content knowledge, a term introduced by Lee Shulman, describes the knowledge of how to teach a particular subject, such as the common misconceptions students hold about fractions.
Major pedagogical approaches
| Approach | Core idea | Often useful for |
|---|---|---|
| Explicit instruction | The teacher models, explains in small steps and guides practice before independent work | New or complex content; novice learners |
| Inquiry-based learning | Students investigate questions, gather evidence and build explanations | Applying knowledge; scientific and historical thinking |
| Social constructivism | Learning happens through interaction, with support in the zone of proximal development (Vygotsky) | Discussion, collaborative problem solving |
| Differentiated instruction | The route varies while the learning goal stays shared | Mixed-attainment classes |
| Universal Design for Learning (UDL) | Plan multiple means of engagement, representation and expression from the start | Inclusive classrooms |
| Culturally responsive teaching | Connect learning to students’ languages, cultures and experiences | Diverse and multilingual classrooms |
These approaches are not rival camps. Many strong lessons move from explicit explanation and guided practice towards more open inquiry as students gain knowledge.
Rosenshine’s Principles of Instruction
In 2012, Barak Rosenshine brought together research on cognitive science, observations of effective teachers and studies of cognitive supports in a short article that has become a staple of teacher education. His ten principles are:
- Begin a lesson with a short review of previous learning.
- Present new material in small steps, with student practice after each step.
- Ask a large number of questions and check the responses of all students.
- Provide models and worked examples.
- Guide student practice.
- Check for student understanding.
- Obtain a high success rate.
- Provide scaffolds for difficult tasks.
- Require and monitor independent practice.
- Engage students in weekly and monthly review.
Three practices that transfer across subjects
- Formative assessment: gather evidence of understanding during learning and use it to adapt teaching. See formative assessment and retrieval practice.
- Retrieval practice: recalling knowledge from memory strengthens learning more than rereading.
- Metacognition: teaching students to plan, monitor and evaluate their learning. See metacognition and self-regulated learning.
Why pedagogy matters more after PISA 2025
PISA 2025 recorded the lowest OECD averages yet in reading, mathematics and science. It also found that classroom factors, including disciplinary climate, teacher support and study help such as peer tutoring, are positively associated with performance. Students’ curiosity, perseverance and help-seeking also matter. These are areas where pedagogy makes a difference.
Pedagogy and AI
AI can draft lesson plans, examples and questions in seconds, but it cannot decide which example will unlock understanding for a particular class. Treat AI as a drafting partner: use pedagogical principles to judge and improve its output. For example, check that an AI lesson plan begins with review, introduces content in small steps and includes checks for understanding. See a connected AI workflow for the teaching week.
Frequently asked questions
What is pedagogy in simple words?
Pedagogy is the method and practice of teaching: how teachers help students learn, from explaining and questioning to assessing and giving feedback.
What are the main types of pedagogy?
Common approaches include explicit instruction, inquiry-based learning, social constructivism, differentiated instruction, Universal Design for Learning and culturally responsive teaching.
What are Rosenshine’s Principles of Instruction?
Ten research-based teaching principles published by Barak Rosenshine in 2012, including daily review, presenting material in small steps, asking many questions, providing models, guiding practice, checking understanding and regular review.
What is the difference between pedagogy and andragogy?
Pedagogy usually refers to teaching in general, especially of children, while andragogy refers specifically to teaching adults.