Sharing Success Criteria: An Explicit Teaching Strategy Every Maths Teacher Should Use

In explicit teaching, students shouldn’t have to guess what quality work looks like. They need a clear understanding of what they’re learning, why it matters and, importantly, what success looks like.

That’s where success criteria come in.

Success criteria are a core component of explicit teaching. They help translate a learning intention into clear, achievable actions students can use while they’re learning, not just after they’ve finished. Rather than simply aiming to “get the right answer”, students understand the thinking, processes and behaviours that demonstrate successful learning.

In mathematics, where students often focus solely on the final answer, success criteria shift attention towards reasoning, strategy and mathematical communication.

What are success criteria?

Learning intentions explain what students are learning.

Success criteria explain how students will know they’ve been successful.

The NSW Department of Education describes success criteria as statements that outline what students need to do, say, make or demonstrate to achieve the learning intention. Rather than remaining hidden in the teacher’s expectations, they are shared explicitly with students so everyone understands what quality work looks like.

For example:

Learning intention

We are learning to solve two-step equations.

Success criteria

Students can:

• identify the operations in the equation
• apply inverse operations in the correct order
• show each step clearly
• check that their solution satisfies the original equation.

Instead of asking students to simply “solve the equation”, the success criteria provide a roadmap for success.

This clarity reduces uncertainty and gives students something concrete to refer back to throughout the lesson.

Why success criteria matter in mathematics

In mathematics, success isn’t just about arriving at the correct answer.

A student may reach the correct solution using an inefficient or unreliable strategy, while another student may make a small arithmetic error despite demonstrating strong mathematical reasoning.

Success criteria help students understand that quality mathematics involves the process as much as the answer.

For example, when comparing fractions with unlike denominators, success might involve being able to:

• identify whether the denominators are different
• find a common denominator
• create equivalent fractions
• compare the numerators
• explain which fraction is greater and why.

These criteria make mathematical thinking visible. Rather than guessing what the teacher is looking for, students know exactly what they should be focusing on throughout the lesson.

This also creates opportunities for richer classroom discussions, as students begin evaluating their own work against clear expectations instead of relying solely on teacher feedback.

Bringing success criteria to life

Success criteria have the greatest impact when they’re woven throughout the lesson rather than displayed once and forgotten.

An explicit teaching lesson might begin with the teacher introducing both the learning intention and success criteria before modelling a worked example.

Imagine a lesson on calculating the area of triangles.

The learning intention might be:

We are learning to calculate the area of triangles.

The success criteria could include:

• identify the base and perpendicular height
• select the correct formula
• substitute values accurately
• calculate the area correctly
• include the correct square units.

As the teacher models the example, they deliberately connect each step to the success criteria.

“First I’m identifying the base and perpendicular height. That’s our first success criterion.”

“Now I’m substituting the values into the formula. That’s our third criterion.”

Rather than existing as a checklist on the board, the criteria become part of students’ mathematical thinking.

Success criteria and the gradual release of responsibility

Success criteria fit naturally within the I do, We do, You do structure of explicit teaching.

During I do, the teacher demonstrates what successful thinking looks like by modelling each step while referring back to the success criteria.

During We do, students apply the criteria alongside the teacher. They might evaluate a worked example together, identify a missing step or explain why a solution meets the criteria.

During You do, students use the same criteria independently to monitor their own work before seeking teacher support.

This consistency helps students become increasingly independent because they always have a clear reference point for what successful learning looks like.

Common mistakes teachers can avoid

Like any explicit teaching strategy, success criteria are only effective when they’re used intentionally.

One common mistake is introducing them at the beginning of the lesson but never referring to them again. When this happens, they quickly become another item displayed on the classroom wall rather than a tool students actively use.

Another challenge is making the criteria too broad.

For example:

I can solve equations correctly.

While technically true, this doesn’t help students understand how to succeed.

A more useful version might be:

• identify the operation
• apply the inverse operation
• show each step clearly
• check the solution.

Specific criteria provide students with clear actions they can monitor throughout the learning process.

Effective success criteria are:

• written in language students understand
• specific to the mathematical thinking required
• connected to modelled examples
• revisited throughout the lesson
• used to support feedback and self-assessment.

Using success criteria to strengthen feedback

Success criteria also make feedback more meaningful.

Without clear criteria, feedback often becomes general:

“Check your working.”

“Be more careful.”

When students understand the success criteria, feedback becomes far more specific.

Instead of saying:

“You made a mistake here.”

A teacher might say:

“You’ve correctly identified the operation and shown your working. Now check whether you’ve applied the inverse operation in the correct order.”

Students know exactly what they have done well and what they need to improve because the feedback is anchored to shared expectations.

Supporting success criteria with Mathspace

Success criteria become even more powerful when students receive opportunities to apply them while learning.

During modelling, teachers can use Mathspace’s worked examples and step-by-step solutions to demonstrate what successful mathematical thinking looks like, explicitly connecting each step back to the success criteria.

As students move into guided practice, immediate feedback and hints help them recognise misconceptions while they’re still working through the problem. Rather than waiting until work is marked, students can compare their approach against the success criteria and adjust their thinking immediately.

During independent practice, Mathspace reporting gives teachers visibility into how students are progressing. If several students are struggling with the same part of the success criteria, teachers can pause, revisit the concept and provide additional modelling before misconceptions become embedded.

In this way, success criteria remain active throughout the lesson rather than being something students only see at the beginning.

Making success visible

Sharing success criteria is one of the simplest ways to strengthen explicit teaching.

When students understand exactly what successful learning looks like, they are better equipped to monitor their own progress, engage more confidently with challenging tasks and become increasingly independent learners.

In mathematics, where reasoning and process are just as important as the final answer, success criteria help make mathematical thinking visible.

When introduced clearly, modelled explicitly and revisited throughout the lesson, they provide a practical framework that supports teaching, guides feedback and helps every student move towards success.