OCTOBER 2015 EXPLICIT INSTRUCTION FOR INCREASED STUDENT SUCCESS

THAT’S ME

PURPOSE Build understanding of explicit instruction and how the use of this instruction promotes student achievement in the classrooms Gain useful ways to incorporate small group instruction for students to master skills, concepts, and standards

LEARNER OUTCOMES: By the end of our session today, participants will: ● Understand the principles of explicit instruction. ● Develop a deeper understanding of the purposes of small group instruction as part of the principles of explicit instruction. ● Internalize the scope of the impact explicit instruction/small group instruction can have on teaching and learning.

Research supports that explicit instruction is more effective and efficient, especially for struggling students, including those with disabilities Explicit instruction is instruction that does not leave anything to chance, and it does not make assumptions about skills and knowledge that children will acquire “on their own.” Through explicit and systematic teaching, teachers can actually help “rewire” the brains of struggling readers and help them overcome reading problems. Chall, The Academic Challenge: What Really Works in the Classroom

WHAT IS EXPLICIT INSTRUCTION?

DEFINITION

THE PRINCIPLES OF EXPLICIT INSTRUCTION

“UNDERPINNINGS” Optimize engaged time/time on task Promote high levels of success Increase content coverage Have students spend more time in instructional groups Scaffold instruction Address different forms of knowledge (declarative, procedural, conditional)

USING THE PRINCIPLES Explicit Instruction: Effective and Efficient Teaching by Archer & Hughes, 2011 “Just as master chefs do, master teachers rely on their knowledge of their “customers” to alter how they do things.” “…if key ingredients are left out of the recipe, the result can be disastrous.”

ELEMENTS OF EXPLICIT INSTRUCTION HOW THE PRINCIPLES ARE ADDRESSED IN DELIVERY & DESIGN OF INSTRUCTION

IMPLEMENTATION SORT Focus instruction on critical content Sequence skills logically Break down complex skills/strategies Design organized/focused lessons Begin with clear statement of lesson goals and your expectations Review prior skills & knowledge before beginning instruction Provide step-by-step demos. Use clear & concise language Provide examples & nonexamples Provide guided & supported practice Require frequent responses Monitor student performance closely Provide immediate affirmative & corrective feedback Delivery in a brisk pace Help students organize knowledge Provide distributed and cumulative practice (Archer & Hughes, 2011) Never implemented Rarely implemented Sometimes implemented Always or almost always implemented

ELEMENTS IN A NUTSHELL - OVERVIEW What do Archer and Hughes say about elements of explicit instruction? Read and mark text for the purposes of: ● ✓ Affirms prior knowledge ● ! Surprises you ● ? You wish to know more about this.

THE ELEMENTS IN ACTION Watch the videos and identify which elements of explicit instruction exist in the instruction.

ELEMENTARY & SECONDARY

STRATEGY HARVEST ● On a sticky note, list 3 that you could see yourself using with students right away. ● Talk to your table about how you would use the strategies you listed.

SUMMARIZE

CONTACT Leah Zufall Instructional Coordinator, Cabarrus County Schools Adjunct Lecturer, UNCC