The impact of checklist-based training on teachers' use of the zone defense schedule.

Amore et al. (2011) worked with three preschool teaching teams. Each team had two adults watching a classroom.

The authors taught the teams to use a zone defense schedule. This means each adult watches a set area, not specific kids.

Training was a short checklist plus feedback. They used a multiple-baseline design across teams.

Every team hit 80 % correct steps for three visits in a row after the checklist training.

Gains showed up quickly, within a few sessions. No team needed extra booster training.

Yaw et al. (2014) saw the same jump when they added feedback to in-service training for residential staff. Both studies show brief feedback turns training into real skill.

Moss et al. (2009) meta-analysis said in-service plus on-the-job coaching works best. Amore et al. (2011) is a live example of that recipe in a preschool.

RFerguson et al. (2025) later used repeated formative checks with dental students and also hit 100 % mastery. The idea keeps working across ages and jobs.

You can copy the whole package on Monday: hand the team a one-page zone defense checklist, watch once, give verbal praise and one correction, then watch again. It takes 15 minutes and you leave with 80 % fidelity. Use it any time you need staff to share space or supervise recess, lunch, or gym.