When students struggle to apply strategies after a math lesson, what should the teacher do next?

Providing additional modeling and extended guided practice is crucial when students struggle to apply strategies after a math lesson. This approach ensures that students receive the support they need to reinforce their understanding and build their confidence in the material.

Modeling involves demonstrating the strategies clearly, allowing students to see the process in action. This can clarify any misconceptions and give students a concrete example to follow. Extended guided practice means that the teacher stays involved, offering assistance, answering questions, and checking for understanding as students attempt to utilize the strategies on their own. This additional practice time helps solidify the skills they're struggling with by offering immediate feedback and support, which is vital for their learning process.

The other options, while they may promote different aspects of learning, do not address the immediate need for reinforcing strategies. Allowing independent practice without enough guidance might lead to further confusion. Postponing practice activities could hinder students' progress and take away their opportunity to apply what they’ve learned. Offering encouragement and partner practice can benefit students, but without the foundational reinforcement through modeling and guided practice, they may not fully develop the necessary skills. Thus, the most effective approach is to combine detailed modeling with extended guided practice to help students overcome their struggles.