I attended a National School Improvement Colloquium earlier this week and I was struck by how many sessions were devoted to explicit instruction and how schools were implementing this approach to fit their context.
I am a huge advocate of explicit instruction and whilst trends in education come and go, it appears clear to me that the evidence supporting explicit instruction stands the test of time.
At St Brigid’s we have moved to delivering much more explicit instruction and outlined below is some information on what this teaching approach is and the benefits of it.
Explicit instruction is a teacher-directed approach to learning that is structured, sequential, and designed to build on previous learning. It is a purposeful way of overtly teaching students, and it includes both instructional and delivery procedures. Here are some benefits of explicit instruction:
- Engages students: Explicit instruction engages students, teaches them the process of learning, and helps build decision-making and social skills.
- Clear instructions: Explicit instruction makes learning crystal clear, and it gives kids lots of opportunities to practice skills and get feedback.
- Effective for struggling learners: Explicit instruction is effective for students with exceptionalities, in particular students with learning differences.
- It is also essential for struggling readers and aligns with what we know students need to break the reading code.
- Reduces cognitive load: For students who struggle with working memory, explicit instruction reduces the load on working memory. By freeing up some of the required working memory, we free up cognitive resources for the learning itself.
- Increases performance: Explicit teaching is effective in fast-tracking student performance. It aims to move beyond rote learning and to attempt to sequence learning for students.
- Clear expectations: Explicit teaching is a useful teaching strategy for making sure all students are clear about the criteria. Part of the process is setting the scene for each lesson, recapping previously taught information and stating aims and objectives moving forward.
- Systematic and sequential: Explicit teaching is always systematic and sequential. By directly supporting guided practice using a series of steps, it’s ideal for teaching.
In summary, explicit instruction is an effective teaching approach that engages students, provides clear instructions, and is especially helpful for struggling learners. It reduces cognitive load, increases performance, and provides clear expectations. It is always systematic and sequential, making it ideal for teaching.
