A study on the importance of effective teaching conducted by Marzano (2003) revealed that teachers who were rated "most effective" increased student's achievement by 53 percent, whereas teachers who were rated as "least effective" increased student's achievement by 14 percent, over the course of a year. Marzano identified nine instructional strategies that positively affect student learning. These nine strategies are: teaching comparison of similarities and differences; improving students ability to take notes, summarize and comprehend content; using homework to invoke practice; reinforcing students' learning through recognition; differentiating instruction to accommodate varied learning styles; goal setting; using prior learning and experience as a premise for new concepts; teaching scientific thinking of objective analysis and critical thinking; and promoting collaborative classroom learning.
Effective leadership positively affects student learning. In fact, according to a report by the University of Minnesota and Toronto (2004), effective leadership is the second most important school-related influence on student learning and is responsible (either directly or indirectly) for students' learning. Effective leadership involves leaders who set directions, develop staff and ensure the organizational effectiveness. Leaders are the key factor in making reforms work. School leadership must understand and be capable of implementing reforms and school improvement. Under-performing schools or those facing challenging circumstances see the greatest positive impact on student learning from effective leadership.
Parental involvement in a student's learning has been repeatedly shown to positively affect his learning. According to David Topor et al (2010), "Specifically, children whose parents are more involved in their education have higher levels of academic performance than children whose parents are involved to a lesser degree." With school-age children spending only 30 percent of their day in school, it makes sense why 86 percent of the public believes that parental support is the biggest factor in improving schools. According to the National PTA, decades of research indicate that students with involved parents benefit with higher academic achievement, increased motivation and better school attendance. Parental involvement is considered a direct influence on student learning.
While little emphasis has been placed on studying a foreign language for cultural or linguistic reasons, recent research suggests a new reason to learn a foreign language. Students who study a foreign language are advantaged when it comes to learning other subjects that are mandatory. Foreign language learners score higher on academic proficiency tests, demonstrate higher cognitive abilities and have a greater sense of self-achievement. Cincinnati implemented a foreign language program among a minority and reduced or free lunch majority student population. These students performed far above normal academic achievement in both math and reading and it has been attributed to the study of foreign language.
Teachers who have relationships with their students that are characterized by open communication and caring, and the absence of reliance on the teacher and conflict, have positive student-teacher relationships. Positive student-teacher relationships positively affects student learning, in fact, David Topor et al (2010) writes this relationship is "an important predictor of a child's academic performance." Sara Rimm-Kaufman, Ph.D. (2011) explains that positive student-teacher relationships engage students in learning and motivate them to learn. Additionally important is that positive student-teacher relationships are related to parental involvement, a key factor in student learning.