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Explicit Instruction:
when, where, and how?
Baltimore City
Public Schools
Professional Norms
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 Engage in the activities
 Limit “techno-stractions”
 Maintain a solution oriented posture
 Honor time limits
* Parking lot for questions & feedback
Session Goals
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Participants will…
 Articulate the district’s definition of Explicit Instruction
 Identify where Explicit Instruction can be utilized within the
district’s Instructional Model for Literacy
 Identify teaching elements used within a Focus Lesson that
are examples of Explicit Instruction
 Make connections between Explicit Instruction and district
wide initiatives
Stop and Jot
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On the index card provided respond to the
questions below:
What do you know about Explicit Instruction? What
do you think should be happening? (3 minutes)
Share your response with a partner (2 minutes)
Explicit Instruction…
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is a structured, systematic and effective methodology for
teaching academic skills. It is called explicit because it is an
unambiguous and direct approach to teaching that includes
both instructional design and delivery procedures. Explicit
instruction is characterized by a series of supports or
scaffolds, whereby students are guided through the learning
process with clear statements about the purpose and
rationale for learning the new skill, clear explanations and
demonstrations of the instructional target, and supported
practice with feedback until independent mastery has been
achieved (Archer & Hughes, 2011).
Explicit Instruction…
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is a structured, systematic and effective methodology for
teaching academic skills. It is called explicit because it is an
unambiguous and direct approach to teaching that includes
both instructional design and delivery procedures. Explicit
instruction is characterized by a series of supports or
scaffolds, whereby students are guided through the
learning process with clear statements about the purpose
and rationale for learning the new skill, clear explanations
and demonstrations of the instructional target, and
supported practice with feedback until independent
mastery has been achieved (Archer & Hughes, 2011).
Model of Explicit Instruction:
Gradual Release of Responsibility
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TEACHER RESPONSIBILITY
Focus Lesson
Model
“I do it”
“We do it”
Guided Instruction
Collaborative
“You do it
together”
Independent
Share
“You do it
alone”
STUDENT RESPONSIBILITY
Fisher, D., & Frey, N. (2008). Better learning through structured teaching: A framework for the gradual
release of responsibility. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.
What it’s not: The Sudden Release of
Responsibility
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TEACHER RESPONSIBILITY
Model/ Focus Lesson
“I do it”
Model
“You do it
alone”
Independent
STUDENT RESPONSIBILITY
Fisher, D., & Frey, N. (2008). Better learning through structured teaching: A framework for the gradual
release of responsibility. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.
Gradual Release of Responsibility
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 The gradual release model of instruction suggests that the
cognitive load should shift slowly and purposefully from
teacher as model to joint responsibility to independent
practice and application by the learner (Pearson and
Gallagher 1983)
“ effective instruction often follows a progression in which the
teachers gradually do less of the work and students gradually
assume increased responsibility for their learning. It is
through this process of gradually assuming more and more
responsibility for their learning that students become
competent, independent learners”. (Graves and Fitzgerald
2003)
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Model / Focus Lessons
Explicit
Instruction and
the Gradual
Release of
Responsibility
Guided
Independent
Shared/ Collaborative
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Professional Reading
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Directions:
 Read pages 4 – 10 (top of page) and code the text using the
punctuations below. Summarize and share ideas with a
partner. (20 minutes)
!= Important
* =Interesting
?= Questions
Our Mission…
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Baltimore City Schools will prepare critical and
analytical thinkers for the 21st century who read with
comprehension and enthusiasm; listen with
understanding and empathy; speak with conviction
and authority; and write with clarity and purpose. We
will achieve this mission by providing and supporting a
comprehensive literacy instructional model for
teachers, school leaders, and communities.
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Inside the Instructional Model:
Whole Group Reading Instruction
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Whole Group
Reading
Instruction
(daily)
10-20 minutes
- Focus Lessons (explicit teaching of a reading
strategy, skill, or concept)
- Interactive Read-alouds
- Think-alouds
- Shared Reading
- Close Reading
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VideoLook
Look For’s
Video
For’s
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 As you watch the video use the look for sheet to
capture any evidence of the gradual release of
responsibility.
Video
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Model/ Focus Lesson
What is the
teacher doing?
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What are the
students doing?
 Focusing on a single teaching point
 Watching what the teacher is doing
 Explicitly showing the students a
 Preparing to participate
learning behavior through modeling
 Using only 10‐15 minutes of
instructional time
Guided
What is the
teacher doing?
 Providing opportunities for students
to verbalize thoughts
 Listening in to conversations to
assess understanding
 Inviting students to “give it a try”
scaffolding release of some
responsibility for learning to students
 Differentiating through adapting
content, process, or product
 Making thinking visible with some
form of writing
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What are the
students doing?
 Practicing modeled skill or behavior
 Turning & Talking
 Making thinking visible with some
form of writing
Shared/Collaborative
What is the
teacher doing?
 Creating opportunities for student
collaboration
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What are the
students doing?
 Discussing ideas and concepts
 Practicing a previous teaching point
 Taking anecdotal notes
 Making connections between
 Facilitating or scaffolding small

group work

 Listening to students


content and their own lives
Explaining processes
Checking each other’s
understanding
Making a contribution to the joint
effort or project
Reflecting upon & assessing group
and personal learning
Independent
What is the
teacher doing?
 Conferring with students
 Observing and taking anecdotal
notes
 Assessing individual student
responses
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What are the
students doing?
 Strategically and independently
applying strategies & skills in
authentic situations
 Taking responsibility for learning
 Keeping records of learning
 Reflecting upon personal growth
 Assessing personal progress
Gradual Release of Responsibility Model
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TEACHER RESPONSIBILITY
Model
“I do it”
Focus Lesson
“We do it”
Guided Instruction
Collaborative
“You do it
together”
Independent
Share
“You do it
alone”
STUDENT RESPONSIBILITY
Fisher, D., & Frey, N. (2008). Better learning through structured teaching: A framework for the gradual
release of responsibility. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.
Inside the
A Closer
Look
Instructional
Teach
Plan
P1
Know your students
P2
Set and track goals based on
student performance levels
P3
T1
Communicate standards-based
lesson objectives
T2
Present content clearly
T3
Use strategies and tasks to
engage all students in rigorous
work
Use evidence dependent
questioning
Develop standards-based units
and long-term plans
T4
Design lessons to meet learners’
unique needs
T5
P5
Use and align resources
strategically
T6
P6
Mobilize families and
stakeholders in support of
student success
T7
Organize classroom space and
materials
T9
P4
P7
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Framework
T8
Check for understanding and
Provide specific, academic
feedback
Facilitate student-to-student
interaction and academic talk
Implement routines to maximize
instructional time
Build a positive, learning focused
classroom culture
Reinforce positive behavior,
redirect off-task behavior, and deescalate challenging behavior
Reflect &
Adjust
RA 1
Analyze student progress
toward goals
RA 2
Modify instruction in
response to data
RA 3
Assess and refine classroom
space and culture
RA4
Partner with students and
families to reflect on
student’s progress
Explicit Instruction: A Daily Practice
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Take-Away’s
What resonated with you?
How has your thinking
changed or been challenged?
Implications for my work
How can I use my current
resources?
What can I try immediately?
Thoughts to ponder…
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“Explicit teaching is not just merely giving students
clear directions or even stating the learning goals
at the beginning of a lesson – it is a way of
thinking about and acting out teaching and
learning in a principled way throughout the lesson
(from assessment through to planning
implementation and review).” (Christine
Edwards‐Groves 2002)
Closing
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Please fill out the evaluation!