Low Prep Strategies to Boost Independence and Productive Struggle

by Sarah B. Ottow

Many educators I work with want to see more productive struggle in their classrooms—especially when working with diverse learners, including multilingual students and students with special needs. Yet, one common challenge is what can be deemed as learned helplessness, where students rely heavily on teacher guidance instead of developing the independence and critical thinking skills needed to engage deeply with content. At the same time, many schools are using more programs, or high quality instructional materials, and they aren’t sure how to adjust the lessons to meet their students’ needs.

So how can we embed more independence, higher-order thinking and increased Depth of Knowledge (DOK) 3 and 4 into everyday instruction—without overhauling our lesson plans? Below are some simple, no-prep strategies that help students analyze, justify, and create as they engage in three common areas I hear about: 1) phonics intervention, 2) text-dependent questions and 3) constructed responses. These small shifts build confidence and resilience while ensuring all students have access to meaningful, rigorous learning.

For more on why productive struggle matters and how to foster it through student-centered discussions, check out this article.

1. Phonics Intervention Lessons → Add DOK 3 & 4 Thinking

Phonics instruction often stays at DOK 1-2, but you can push students beyond decoding by embedding analysis and application.

Low Prep Strategies to Try:

• Word Investigation (DOK 3) → Instead of just reading words, ask:

  • What do you notice about these words?

  • How are "predict" and "prediction" alike? How are they different?

  • Can you find a pattern among these words?

• Phonics in Context (DOK 3-4) →

  • Take decodable words and challenge students to create a short, meaningful sentence or mini-story using them.

  • Give students two sentences and have them swap out a word with a different word using the same pattern (e.g., replace “hop” with “drop” and explain the meaning shift).

  • Challenge students to sort words in multiple ways (sound-based, meaning-based, syllable-based).

• Justify & Defend (DOK 4) → Ask:

  • Which phonics rule is most useful for a first grader learning to read? Why?

  • Which of these spelling patterns is more efficient to teach? Defend your answer to a peer.

2. Text-Dependent Questions for a Grade-Level Passage (with Reading Variability)

Since students read at different levels, a multi-entry approach keeps everyone engaged at DOK 3-4.

Low Prep Strategies to Try:

• Ask "Why" 2-3 Times (DOK 3-4)

  • Start with a basic question: Why did the character do X?

  • Follow up: But why do you think that mattered in the story?

  • Dig deeper: How does that connect to something you've read before?

• Sentence Starters for Peer Discussions (DOK 3)

  • "What if ___ had happened instead? How would that change the outcome?"

  • "What is the best piece of evidence to support ___? Why?"

  • "How does the author show ___ without directly saying it?"

• Multiple Perspectives (DOK 4)

  • Have students answer from a different character’s point of view or rewrite a key part from a new perspective.

  • Compare two texts: How is the theme of "perseverance" shown differently in these passages?

Bonus: Building Independent Learners (to Reduce Learned Helplessness)

• Always ask more of students: Instead of just seeking an answer, consider asking students to:

  • Answer in a complete sentence!

  • Explain how they know

  • Elaborate on their answer/response

• Use simple protocols for peer feedback. Get students learning from each other by:

  • “Glow and Grow” Feedback → Have students provide one “glow” (something strong) and one “grow” (something to improve) when reviewing a peer’s response. This keeps feedback positive, specific, and actionable.

  • “TAG” Feedback (Tell, Ask, Give) → Teach students to TELL what their partner did well, ASK a clarifying question, and GIVE a suggestion for improvement. Example: “You made a strong argument. How could you add more evidence? Maybe you could use a quote from the text.”

  • Color-Coded Revisions → Have students underline or highlight a peer’s strongest evidence in one color and parts that need more explanation in another. This visual approach helps students see their strengths and areas for growth.

• Student-Created "Anchor Charts" → Instead of the teacher giving all the strategies, have students create mini visual guides for what to do when they get stuck (e.g., "How to break down a tough question" or "Ways to use evidence in responses").

• "Ask 3 Before Me" → Before asking the teacher, students must:

  1. Try to answer based on class notes or materials.

  2. Ask a peer for clarification.

  3. Check an anchor chart or example.

Conclusion

By making small, intentional shifts in how we ask questions, structure discussions, and design responses, we can break the cycle of learned helplessness and build truly independent learners. These no-prep strategies don’t require extra planning but instead invite students to do more of the thinking, helping them engage in deeper learning at DOK 3 and 4 levels.

When students take ownership of their learning, we see a shift: more curiosity, more perseverance, and ultimately, more growth. By embedding productive struggle into daily instruction—whether in phonics intervention, reading comprehension, or writing tasks—educators create an environment where all learners can shine.