Doug Lemov's field notes

Reflections on teaching, literacy, coaching, and practice.

04.25.23 Show Call, Collectively Worked Examples and the Transient Information Effect

  Cognitive load theory describes the relationship between Working and Long-term Memory during learning. Understanding cognitive load theory and its implications for the classroom is one of the most important things teachers can do to improve their instruction.  Cognitive load theory focuses us on understanding and addressing the importance of building Long-term Memory. Kirschner, Sweller and…


03.20.23 Show Calling Exemplars To Build “Writing Culture” w Spencer Davis

Show Call is one of my very favorite teaching techniques and if you’re a reader of this blog you know that Spencer Davis is one of our favorite teachers to study. So what could be better than a video of Spencer modeling Show Call. Context:  Spencer’s sixth graders are reading Wonder. They’ve just read a passage…


09.07.22 How Brittany Carson Starts the Year with Show Call

Up here at TLAC Towers, Show Call is one of our very favorite techniques. Think of it as a visual Cold Call with a whole lot of additional benefits. In a Show Call you present a piece of student work, chosen at your discretion and regardless of who volunteers, to look at and study as a…