DIRECT INSTRUCTION - PART 1

Karen Kauo
Oct 28, 2024
6 min read

Updated: Apr 5

There are a variety of different instructional methods that can be used to guide students towards mastery of grade level standards.

I am certain you have implemented one or more within your classroom at some point in time and can likely find an educator that will argue for the benefits of one over the other.

DIRECT INSTRUCTION

Multiple research studies have come to the conclusion that Direct Instruction has the best overall impact on increasing student achievement.

Hattie’s effect size is Direct Instruction 0.60 using Explicit Teaching Strategies 0.57

Learn about John Hattie’s Visible Learning!

As a comparison…

0.40 and above have a positive effect on student achievement

Direct Instruction 0.60	Inquiry Based Learning 0.40	Cooperative Learning 0.40
Collaborative Learning 0.34	Problem Based Learning 0.26	Discovery Learning 0.21

Direct instruction is essential when teachers present NEW content to students.

When information is NEW, students process it best in small, understandable pieces.

Learners can only hold small amounts of information in their working memories.

It is best to present content in small parts - chunks - for students.

GRADUAL RELEASE OF RESPONSIBILITY/SCAFFOLDING

Another essential element of Direct Instruction is the scaffolding of content. Gradual Release of Responsibility is an instructional style that transitions the responsibility of learning from the teacher to the student.

The model emphasizes scaffolding, where support is provided at the start and then gradually removed as learners become more knowledgeable and independent.

John Hattie: Visible Learning – Scaffolding has an effect size of 0.82

DIRECT INSTRUCTION LESSON PLAN

OPENING

Inform students about what materials they will need & the expectations for behavior.
Present the Learning Target: “Today we are going to learn…”
Discuss the relevance of the Learning Target: Why is this skill important? How will this skill be used once it is mastered?
Review critical Prerequisite Skills/Background Knowledge: a review can be done to verify that ALL students can perform a needed skill.

TEACHER – I DO

Modeling - Demonstrate the skill and describe (think aloud) what is being done.

Be Clear. Be Consistent. Be Concise. Provide several models. Involve students in the models.

Ask students to help as you do the think-aloud.

TEACHER AND STUDENTS - WE DO

Guided Practice - Students complete a skill with the teacher providing step-by-step guidance. Physical prompts, visual prompts, spoken prompts are used.

The teacher monitors for student understanding and gives immediate feedback for errors.

STUDENTS - YOU DO TOGETHER

Paired or Cooperative Practice – Allow students to practice the skill and share responses with a partner or table group. Students can give each other feedback on accuracy and discuss solutions.

STUDENTS – YOU DO ALONE

Independent practice is done while still in the instructional group. Monitor students closely and give feedback. Students do ONE item at a time, followed by checking answers and giving feedback until students are consistently performing accurately. You do not want students practicing incorrectly.

CONCLUSION

Provide a review of what was learned & involve the students to check their understanding.
You can give a brief preview of what will be learned next.
Assign additional independent work!

LESSON OPENING

Prior to the start of any lesson, students need to know what is expected of them in regards to the materials they will use (ex. pencil, crayons, workbook, notebook, glue, scissors) and behavioral expectations (ex. name on your paper, do not begin cutting till I say so, turn to page 32).

In my classroom, students are not allowed to take any action during a lesson without my permission. This keeps students engaged as active listeners to hear my directions and avoids the students that assume what will happen next and move on.

LEARNING TARGET

At the start of a lesson, clearly communicate to students the objective/learning target. Lessons need clear learning intentions with goals that clarify what success looks like. Lesson goals always explain what students need to understand, and what they must be able to do.

You can post the learning target for students to see during the lesson or acknowledge it verbally. Either way, periodically throughout the lesson, repeat the objective to the students and have them repeat back to you. What are we learning?

Hattie found an effect size of 0.56 for setting goals.

PREREQUISITE SKILLS/BACKGROUND KNOWLEDGE

Teachers should know before the start of a lesson, which students have mastery of the prerequisite skills needed to learn the new standard and which students have unfinished learning.

Unfinished learning should be addressed beforehand, but if this is not possible or if intervention has been provided and a student is working to master skills, they still need to be exposed to new grade level content. If the lesson you are teaching is part of your instructional sequence, this can also apply to student understanding of skills from previous lessons.

Have students activate their background knowledge to give them a frame of reference for the new learning target. If there is a specific prerequisite skill, like “adding on a number line”, you can do a quick review at this time. If you are beginning to read a book set on a ship in the 1800s, determine if any students have background knowledge that will assist with their understanding.

Then proceed to give students information, visuals, and essential vocabulary to ensure they can access and comprehend content. If you are teaching a lesson as part of your scope and sequence, review the learning from the previous lesson.

John Hattie: Visible Learning, activating prior knowledge has an effect size of 0.93

LEARNING PROGRESSION AND SUCCESS CRITERIA

Students should be aware of the progression of knowledge they are expected to master and what grade level work looks like. Explain what future lessons will entail and provide examples of student work showing proficiency.

If students can make connections between the skill/content and how they will need it for future learning, they are more likely to engage in the work. This can happen at any time during the lesson. Examples of proficiency can be presented during the I DO part of the lesson.

John Hattie: Teacher clarity has an effect size 0.75

TEACHER EXPLAINS AND MODELS – I DO

Once students know the purpose of the lesson, what they will learn and why, the teacher models the process necessary to understand the skill/concept for the students as a whole group. The teacher explains the reasoning behind these steps, along with helping students see what they should notice and remember.

Students cannot just be “told” what they need to know, as that is not effective - they also have to “see” it.

SHOW AND TELL with MODELING, WORKED EXAMPLES, and a THINK-ALOUD

The teacher talks through the process/content as a THINK-ALOUD and breaks it down into steps. The teacher can also demonstrate the skill through MODELING with a WORKED EXAMPLE.

A worked example is a demonstration of the steps required to complete a task or solve a problem. Worked examples represent what success looks like, and how to achieve success.

This reduces the cognitive load for students by helping them focus on the process required to complete a task or find the solution to a problem. If worked examples are added to an interactive notebook or turned into an anchor chart, students can use the worked examples later during independent practice to confirm their own understanding.

VISUALS, WORKED EXAMPLES, and ANCHOR CHARTS, provided or created during lesson modeling, are visual reference points for students to access key information, concepts, and strategies throughout a learning. They empower students to own their learning. When students know where to look for help independently, they don't always have to ask you.

STUDENT ENGAGEMENT - STUDENT RESPONSE

As the teacher models, students who are passive learners will disengage. It is good to require student responses throughout this step to ensure active listening.

Periodically, stop to ask students to repeat parts of the think-aloud, share what they notice, or explain steps to a partner. Repeat this pattern over and over. The most engaging instruction is interactive!

Student response is beneficial because in the act of responding, students must retrieve, rehearse, and practice the information being taught. This increases the probability of information retention. You can check the clarity of your teaching at this time. Check for understanding and clear up misconceptions. You can acknowledge correct responses and give praise.

Frequent opportunities to respond results in higher task engagement, higher academic achievement, and lower rates of inappropriate behavior.

Hattie found an effect size of 0.57 for worked examples.

Students can respond in a variety of ways…