How do teachers increase student engagement and learning? Consider a sixth-grade science classroom exploring rock classification.

Ms. Rivera gathers students around mystery rock samples and asks, “What do you notice? What clues do these rocks give you?” When a student suggests the rock might be mica, she follows up by asking how the student arrived at that conclusion and what evidence supports it.

She then invites others to agree, challenge, or add evidence, prompting students to examine their samples, reference data, and explain their reasoning. Throughout the discussion, Ms. Rivera presses students to articulate not just what they think, but how they know.

By the end, students are building on one another’s ideas, refining claims, and using scientific evidence with greater confidence. Ms. Rivera’s probing questions create space for students to surface their thinking and develop understanding together.

What makes Ms. Rivera’s teaching powerful is her effective use of high-leverage practices (HLPs), such as eliciting and attending to student thinking and facilitating a productive discussion, to support student learning. 

What are High Leverage Practices?

Experts, including teams at the University of Michigan’s TeachingWorks and the Council for Exceptional Children/CEEDAR Center, have been studying high leverage practices for decades. While the broader education field recognizes multiple classifications of HLPs, researchers at ETS have distilled a focused set of eight, including: leverage practices for decades.

• building positive classroom climate;
• engaging students with subject matter;
• leading discussions;
• eliciting and interpreting student thinking;
• checking for understanding;
• providing effective feedback;
• supporting productive group work; and
• managing routines and behavior. 

Why High Leverage Practices are so important?

1. Better student outcomes. Many educators emphasize that regularly eliciting and exploring student thinking can support learning. According to research by the CEEDAR Center, students are more likely to succeed when teachers regularly offer positive, specific feedback. 

2. Improved classroom dynamics. Classrooms that run smoothly are usually led by teachers adept in HLPs. Practices like establishing clear routines, setting expectations, and actively engaging all students create a respectful, organized learning environment. This not only reduces disruptions but also opens up opportunities for every student to contribute. 

3. Higher teacher confidence and retention. When teachers develop the knowledge and skills to leverage HLPs — such as leading discussions, eliciting student thinking, checking for understanding, and supporting positive classroom interactions — they feel more confident and more likely to stay in the profession, according to research synthesized by the Annenberg Institute at Brown University.

How Praxis helps educators master HLPs

HLPs represent the foundational skills all educators need, and Praxis applies these principles directly within its preparation and assessment tools. The first integration of ETS‑developed HLPs into the Praxis portfolio focuses on paraprofessionals.

Aspiring paraeducators may enhance their classroom skills through an optional HLP training module, offered as a supplemental professional learning resource to ParaPathways. It guides them through realistic, AI-supported scenarios to practice skills such as leading small groups, supporting positive behavior, and engaging students with subject matter.

In the future, Praxis is looking to advance HLP integration with immersive, AI‑powered teaching simulations. Rather than answer multiple-choice questions about teaching, a candidate will ask a student avatar questions to probe their understanding, then respond appropriately. 

These innovations in teacher licensure will support teacher preparation programs in emphasizing HLPs in the curriculum with the goal of helping better prepared teachers step into classrooms on day one. 

Raising the bar for readiness

Teaching is a skilled profession. Like medicine or aviation, it demands not only knowledge but the ability to effectively apply that knowledge in real time. As the education field increasingly recognizes HLPs as central to improving student outcomes, Praxis is laying the groundwork for future assessments that bring these practices to life. This ongoing work aims to support more confident educators, stronger classroom environments, and a more resilient education system overall.

To learn more about the first phase of this work, focused on paraeducators, explore our high leverage teaching practice modules.