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- Checking for Understanding: TAPPLE
Checking for Understanding: TAPPLE
Verify All Students Are Learning
Jamie Clark
June 07, 2025 • Estimated Reading Time: 6 minutes
👋 Hi there… Running just a bit behind this week, but I’ve got something useful for you!
In this edition of ⚗️DistillED, we explore how to make teaching more responsive and engaging by checking for understanding with a simple yet powerful routine: TAPPLE.
What is TAPPLE?
TAPPLE is an acronym for a six-step routine that helps teachers Check for Understanding (CFU) as they teach. Developed by John Hollingsworth and Silvia Ybarra, in their Explicit Direct Instruction (EDI) framework, TAPPLE helps to surface misconceptions early, keeping every student accountable for thinking, so you can adjust your teaching in real time.
Here’s what makes TAPPLE so powerful:
Teaches first, questions second – ensures students respond to taught content
Activates participation – every student engages in thinking
Catches misconceptions early – addresses errors before they spread
Ensures equity – cold calling avoids asking the same students
Enables real-time adjustment – reteach or reinforce instantly
Strengthens academic language – through structured rehearsal and talk
This strategy keeps instruction brisk, focused, and highly interactive!
Why is checking for understanding so important?
CFU is an essential instructional method because it verifies that students are grasping the material as it’s being taught. In their awesome book, Explicit Direct Instruction (EDI): The Power of the Well-Crafted, Well-Taught Lesson, Hollingsworth and Ybarra explain:
“Checking for understanding determines the pace of the lesson, makes the lesson interactive and helps to uncover misunderstandings to inform the direction of instruction.”
Barak Rosenshine, in his Principles of Instruction, reinforces this in his observation of master teachers. He notes that they regularly paused to assess whether students were learning the material—not at the end, but throughout the lesson.
Rather than moving on after one correct answer, expert teachers would ask additional students to respond, explain in their own words, or build on a peer’s answer. This frequent checking and probing allowed them to uncover misconceptions early and make timely instructional adjustments.
Think of CFU as applying the scientific method in the classroom: test student understanding, interpret the results, and adjust your approach. Here are 5 key principles for the CFU process:
So, what are the main steps for implementing Hollingsworth and Ybarra’s TAPPLE? Let’s break it down.
How do I implement TAPPLE effectively?
The table below outlines the six practical steps of the TAPPLE routine to help you check for understanding more effectively.
Step | What You Do | Why it Matters |
|---|---|---|
T Teach It First | Explicitly model the concept before asking questions. Avoid jumping to questions before instruction. | Prepares every student to respond. Creates equal access to the learning. |
A Ask a Specific Question | Pose a clear, content-based question that targets what was just taught. Avoid vague prompts like “Do you get it?” | Sharpens focus on key ideas and reveals whether learning has actually occurred. |
P Pair-Share | Give students structured time to discuss the question with a partner. Use labels (A/B) to direct turns. | Everyone rehearses, not just the confident few. Boosts thinking, talk time, and oral language. |
P Pick a Non-Volunteer | The same as Cold Calling - randomly select a student after pair-share using sticks, cards, or software. No hand-raising. | Makes participation predictable for all, not optional. Surfaces true levels of understanding. |
L Listen to the Response | Tune into the quality of the answer—are they using academic language? Are they using full sentences? Are they correct? | Informs your next move: reinforce, prompt, or reteach. Makes thinking visible. |
E Effective Feedback | Echo if correct. Elaborate if unsure. Explain or reteach if incorrect. Aim for 80% success. | Provides just-in-time support. Strengthens confidence and understanding. |
Until next time — stay curious, stay clear!
Jamie
Where can I find out more?
The Book
Explicit Direct Instruction (EDI): The Power of the Well-Crafted, Well-Taught Lesson
The Research
‘Rosenshine’s Principles of Instruction: Research-Based Strategies That All Teachers Should Know’
Checklist
This week’s ⚗️DistillED+ resource is a practical, one-page checklist to help you implement or refine the TAPPLE strategy in your classroom. Ideal for lesson planning, instructional coaching, or team discussions.
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