Direct instruction 

Direct instruction teaching is a “fully guided, [and] teacher led” (Boxer and Bennet, p. 12, 2019) method of instruction. Teachers lead a specific sequence of events, and make learning goals evident to the learners, instead of directing them towards their own discovery. As they design a lesson, the teachers plan to explain, model and demonstrate concepts (Hollingsworth and Ybarra, 2009). Unlike inquiry-based learning, the teacher chooses the content and direction of lessons (Hollingsworth and Ybarra, 2009).  

Engelmann and Steely (2004) explain that if you teach children a pattern explicitly, they will look for it. Explicit instruction, therefore, reduces misinterpretation and ensures that learning is consistent amongst a population. Direct instruction has the potential to more efficiently teach students who are struggling to synthesize information because they can rely on teacher explanations (Steely and Ybarra, 2009). 

As students master skills, teacher can slowly fade away and encourage students to explore the parameters of what they have learned. For example, if students are learning about flotation, the teacher might bring a tub of water and a variety of objects to the learning setting. The teacher will explain that some things, like rubber duckies, float because they are lighter than the water they displace while others, such as rocks, sink because they weigh more than the water they displace. The teacher would then would model their thought pattern by theorizing if the next object, say, a piece of wood, will float or sink.  Students will rely on background knowledge about the wood and apply it to the pattern they are learning. As they make predictions the students know that they are learning about displacement and weight. When the teacher put the wood in the water, the teacher demonstrates how the new skill is applicable to real life. The teacher may guide through a couple more examples then, allow the students to experiment with new objects. They teacher may ask guiding questions to ensure the learners understand. As the student progress, the teacher might then introduce another liquid, such as oil, and ask the students why the oil goes on top of the water.  

Teachers who employ direct instruction techniques frequently use examples to demonstrate what something is, and what something isn’t. Examples make learning more concrete, as children can understand how to apply the new knowledge (Boxer and Bennett, 2019).“Non-examples” (Boxer and Bennett, p. 13, 2019) define the boundaries of a concept so learners know whether or not something is universally applicable. As students become comfortable with new concepts, examples and metaphors guide students to making their own examples and connections, which encourages higher-level processing skills. 

If teachers choose to use examples, they should use common applications so the learning is tangible to the students (Engelman and Steely, 2004). For example, if a teacher sought to teach basic addition, it would make more sense to use dice than to use stars. Students are likely to encounter dice in their day to day lives, and need basic addition skills, however stars cannot be added on a small level, and the students will not need to count stars in their day to day lives. 

Application To Our ILR 

We do not use direct instruction as our primary teaching method in our interactive learning resource, however we do incorporate some key aspects. In each stage, students have full access to the learning outcomes and assessment plan so they can mold their project to suit the needs of the curriculum. The students cannot move on to the next stage of their project if they do not complete the expectation list. If they are comfortable with the tasks, they will not need additional support. However, if they do not meet the expectations the educator can directly support them by demonstrating how to use technologies, or by providing examples of past projects.  

Other than instances that are student initiated, teachers primarily teach skills, not content, throughout the project. Each student’s project is individually relevant, so it is impossible for the teacher to ensure content consistency amongst the students. The final presentation of the project is an open-ended presentation which students create to match the community they researched, so it is difficult for a teacher to provide non-examples. If students are able to justify their choices, the options for presentation are, essentially, limitless. 

Works Cited 

Boxer, A., & Bennett, T. (2019). ResearchED guide to explicit and direct instruction: An evidence-informed guide for teachers. John Catt Educational, Limited. 

Engelmann, S., & Steely, D. G. (2004). Inferred functions of performance and learning. Lawrence Erlbaum Associates. 

Hollingsworth, J., & Ybarra, S. (2009). Delivering information to students: explaining, modeling, and demonstrating.  Corwin Press, https://www.doi.org/10.4135/9781452218977.n6