Classroom Instruction
...Name and define the specific events of
instruction that would be included in
your model of direct instruction and give
an example of a teacher behavior and a
student behavior for each event.
Developed by W. Huitt (1998)
Direct Instruction
In the U. S. the most often used measures of
student learning are scores on standardized
tests of basic skills.
Using this criteria as the desired student
outcome, one set of models, labeled direct or
explicit instruction (Rosenshine, 1995), has
developed overwhelming research support in
the past 25 years.
Rosenshine, B. (1995). Advances in research on instruction. The Journal of
Educational Research, 88(5), 262-268.
Direct Instruction
Rosenshine’s model of direct instruction includes
seven events (specific teacher or student activities):
1. Provide overview.
2. Review, checking previous day's work.
3. Present new content & skills.
4. Initial student practice, checking for
understanding, feedback & correctives.
5. Independent practice.
6. Frequent tests.
7. Homework; weekly and monthly reviews.
Direct Instruction
These are very similar to the events suggested
by Slavin (1994):
1. State learning objective and orient students.
2. Review prerequisites.
3. Present new material.
4. Conduct learning probes.
5. Provide independent practice.
6. Assess performance and provide feedback.
7. Provide distributed practice and review.
Slavin, R. (1994). Educational psychology (5th ed.). Boston: Allyn &
Bacon.
Direct Instruction
It should be noted that both Rosenshine and
Slavin, as well as other researchers such as
Gagne and Briggs (1979), Good and Grouws
(1979), and Hunter (1982) have looked at the
same research literature and generated
comparable, but different, models of direct
instruction.
Gagne, R., & Briggs, L. (1979). Principles of instructional design (2nd
ed.). New York: Holt, Rinehart, & Winston.
Good, T., & Grouws, D. (1979). The Missouri Mathematics
Effectiveness Project: An experimental study in fourth-grade classrooms.
Journal of Educational Psychology, 71, 355-362.
Hunter, M. (1982). Mastery teaching. El Sequndo, CA: TIP
Publications.
Direct Instruction
However, all of these models have a common
viewpoint that the teacher should be the focus
of the process of instruction.
The Transactional Model of Direct instruction,
an adaptation of a model developed by
Caldwell, Huitt & French (1981), focuses
additionally on the interactions of teachers and
students at each event of instruction.
Caldwell, J., Huitt, W., & French, V. (1981). Research-based classroom
modifications for improving student engaged time. In D. Helms, A.
Graeber, J. Caldwell, & W. Huitt (Eds.). Leader's guide for student
engaged time. Philadelphia: Research for Better Schools, Inc.
A Transactional Model of Direct Instruction
The transactional model includes four major
categories of instructional events:
• Presentation
• Practice
• Assessment & Evaluation
• Monitoring & Feedback
A Transactional Model of Direct Instruction
Each category includes specific events of
instruction that incorporates both a teacher
behavior and a student behavior for that event.
A Transactional Model of Direct Instruction
Presentation includes five events, three of which
are considered together in a subcategory labeled
“Overview.”
* Overview
• Review
• What
• Why
• Explanation
• Demonstration
Direct Instruction: Presentation
Overview: Review
Teacher
Student
Provides an opportunity for
students to recall &/or examine
what they have already learned
in preparation for current
lesson
Focus on prerequisite skills and
concepts; check homework; link
the lesson to previous ones;
review the previous lesson
Direct Instruction: Presentation
Overview: What
Teacher
Student
Presents the specific
concept(s) and skill(s) to be
learned
Read a stated objective for
the lesson; hear what the topic
of the lesson is; see what they
will be able to do at the end of
a lesson
Direct Instruction: Presentation
Overview: Why
Teacher
Student
States a reason or a need for
learning the skill(s) or
concept(s)
See how the lesson is related to
the real world; relate the
lesson to their own interests;
discuss how the skill
or concept can be applied to
other
Direct Instruction: Presentation
Explanation
Teacher
Student
Develops or explains the
concepts and skills to be
learned
Hear an explanation; use
manipulative materials; have
class discussions; watch
videos; read explanations in
textbooks; interact with
computer
Direct Instruction: Presentation
Demonstration
Teacher
Student
Probes students as to their
initial understanding of
concepts and skills
Answer teacher questions;
verbalize understandings;
model demonstrated
processes; generate examples
and non-examples of a concept
Direct Instruction: Practice
Practice includes three events:
• Guided Practice
• Independent Practice
• Periodic Review
Direct Instruction: Practice
Guided Practice
Teacher
Student
Closely supervises the students
as they begin to develop
increased proficiency by
completing one or two short
tasks at a time
Read a paragraph aloud;
complete one or two math
problems; complete an activity
on the board, while others do
the same activity at their seats
Direct Instruction: Practice
Independent Practice
Teacher
Student
Allows students to work with
little or no teacher
interaction
Complete seatwork
assignments; complete
homework assignments; play
games related to specific skills
or concepts
Direct Instruction: Practice
Periodic Review
Teacher
Student
Provides students opportunity
to have distributed practice on
previously covered content
and skills
Demonstrate retention of
previously learned concepts
and skills
Direct Instruction: Assessment & Evaluation
Assessment and evaluation includes two events:
• Daily success
• Mastery
Direct Instruction: Assessment & Evaluation
Daily Success
Teacher
Student
Checks students work each
day and offers corrective
instruction as necessary
Complete independent
work at or above a given
level of proficiency
Direct Instruction: Assessment & Evaluation
Mastery
Teacher
Student
Checks students work at the
end of each unit of
instruction
Demonstrate knowledge and
application of concepts and
skills at or above a given level
of proficiency
Direct Instruction: Monitoring & Feedback
Monitoring and feedback also includes two
events:
• Cues and prompts
• Corrective feedback
Direct Instruction: Monitoring & Feedback
Cues & Prompts
Teacher
Student
Provides students with
signals and reminders
designed to sustain the
learning activity and to hold
students accountable
Attend to signals and/or
reminders continue working
on assigned activity
Direct Instruction: Monitoring & Feedback
Corrective Feedback
Teacher
Tells students whether their
answers are correct or
incorrect and why
Student
Read correct answers aloud;
write correct solutions to math
problems on board; support
answers to reading
comprehension questions by
reading aloud from the text
Direct Instruction
In general, all direct instruction models have the
following common principles:
• More teacher-directed instruction (>
50%) and less seatwork (< 50%)
• Active presentation of information (could
be by teacher, computer, another student)
•Clear organization of presentation
• Step-by-step progression from subtopic to
subtopic (based on task analysis)
Direct Instruction
In general, all direct instruction models have the
following common principles:
• Use many examples, visual prompts, and
demonstrations.
• Constant assessment of student understanding
(before, during and after the lesson).
• Alter pace of instruction based on assessment
of student understanding
• Effective use of time and maintaining
students' attention