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Analytical architecture·Medium cognitive demand·20–40 minutes

Evidence Ladder

Progress from noticing evidence to explaining exactly how it changes the strength of a claim.

Knowledge
Evidential · Argumentative · Evaluative
Sequence
Modelling · Guided Construction · Deliberate Practice
Interaction
Medium

Progress from noticing evidence to explaining exactly how it changes the strength of a claim. Evidence Ladder is selected when its reasoning mechanism matches an accepted learning requirement and produces evidence a teacher can inspect.

01How the architecture unfolds

  1. Notice and describe the evidence precisely.
  2. Name the claim it could support.
  3. Write the warrant connecting evidence and claim.
  4. Test an alternative interpretation.
  5. Rank the evidence by argumentative strength.

02The work on each side

Teacher moves

  • Keep the target reasoning visible
  • Press for evidence at consequential decisions
  • Use the final product to diagnose the next move

Student moves

  • Notice
  • Construct
  • Test
  • Revise
  • Justify

03What would count as learning?

  • Every evidence item has an explicit warrant
  • Students distinguish relevance from strength

04Across the curriculum

History

Historical significance

Evidence Ladder applies its sequence to Historical significance so the disciplinary reasoning remains visible.

English

Literary interpretation

Evidence Ladder applies its sequence to Literary interpretation so the disciplinary reasoning remains visible.