Tactics are more powerful interventions than skills. A tactic may be defined as an action used to enrich or strengthen the application of a strategy. Examples of tactical interventions include the employment of “Think-Pair-Share” or “brainstorming”, but a particularly powerful tactic is the employment of a graphic or visual organizer to enable students to learn. For example, the use of a Venn diagram might be thought of as traditionally the preserve of the Maths class. Yet, as a means of helping students to understand the similarities and differences between Hitler, Stalin and Mussolini in a History lesson, it can be a very effective visual device. Many different types of graphic organisers exist which can be applied to various subject areas and enable students to go beyond text or notes-based resources to learn effectively.
with thanks to The ETBI Instructional Leadership Programme