Fads or Facts? Sifting Through the Evidence to Find What Really Works

Despite the requirement that teachers implement evidence-based instruction in their classrooms, a significant research-to-practice gap persists. Far too often, teachers resort to quick fixes found through online searches or rely on conventional wisdom to make instructional decisions. This is no surprise as identifying evidence-based interventions can be time-consuming, overwhelming, and confusing. Indeed, claims of practices being evidence based are ubiquitous, even for practices that clearly lack evidence to support their efficacy. In addition, once an evidence-based practice is selected, the process for implementing it and evaluating its effectiveness can be an additional challenge. The purposes of this article are to distinguish between an evidence-based practice as an instructional strategy and evidence-based education as a problem-solving process and to assist teachers in identifying, implementing, and evaluating evidence-based practices in their classrooms.