Why Explicit Instruction?

Summary

The video script emphasizes the importance of explicit instruction in education, which is direct and unambiguous teaching aimed at ensuring student understanding. It clarifies misconceptions about explicit instruction versus discovery learning, suggesting a continuum rather than a dichotomy. The script highlights that explicit instruction is particularly beneficial for novice students and those learning new subjects, as well as for struggling students. It outlines the design and delivery of explicit instruction, advocating for a structured approach involving demonstration, guided practice, and checking for understanding. The necessity of deliberate, spaced practice, and interactive teaching methods is also discussed, concluding with the importance of maintaining the 'teach' in 'teacher' to support student success.

Takeaways

• 📚 Explicit instruction is direct and unambiguous teaching aimed at ensuring student understanding and learning.
• 🔍 The concept of explicit instruction is often misunderstood and should be seen as part of a teaching continuum rather than an either/or choice with discovery learning.
• 👨‍🎓 Novice learners and those encountering new subject matter greatly benefit from explicit instruction to build foundational knowledge and skills.
• 🧩 Explicit teaching is particularly effective for students who are struggling, as they require clear guidance more than the opportunity to discover concepts on their own.
• 📈 The design of explicit instruction involves selecting important content, breaking it into manageable parts, and organizing lessons for optimal learning.
• 👩‍🏫 A key pedagogical approach in explicit instruction includes demonstration, guided practice, and checking for understanding, often summarized as 'I do it, we do it, you do it'.
• 💡 There is a common misconception that practice in explicit instruction is 'drill and kill', but research supports the necessity of deliberate and spaced practice for cognitive development.
• 🔁 The practice should be purposeful, allowing students to retrieve and apply information, enhancing their learning and retention.
• 🤝 Interactive engagement is crucial in explicit instruction, with teachers actively involving students and providing immediate feedback throughout the lesson.
• ⏱ Maintaining a lively pace during instruction helps keep students attentive and promotes an effective learning environment.
• 🌟 Explicit instruction lays the groundwork for students to tackle real-world problems, generalize knowledge, and apply what they've learned in various contexts.

Q & A

What is explicit instruction?

Explicit instruction is direct and unambiguous teaching with the goal of ensuring students understand and learn the material presented.

Why is there confusion around the term 'explicit instruction'?

There is confusion because it is often seen as being in opposition to discovery learning, creating a false dichotomy between the two approaches.

How does explicit instruction relate to discovery learning?

Explicit instruction and discovery learning should be viewed as a continuum, with explicit instruction being particularly beneficial for novice learners or when introducing new knowledge.

What is the role of explicit instruction for novice learners?

For novice learners, explicit instruction is crucial as it provides clear guidance and structure, helping them to understand and master new knowledge or skills.

How does explicit instruction benefit struggling students?

Struggling students benefit significantly from explicit instruction because it provides clarity and direct teaching, which they may have missed out on, leading to their struggles.

What are the two areas of explicit instruction mentioned in the script?

The two areas of explicit instruction mentioned are the design of the instruction and the delivery of the instruction.

What are the three major steps in teaching children skills and strategies as mentioned in the script?

The three major steps are demonstration, guided practice, and checking for understanding, often referred to as 'I do it, we do it, you do it.'

Why is deliberate practice important according to the script?

Deliberate practice is important because it allows students to practice with a purpose, spaced over time, and to retrieve information, which enhances learning and retention.

How should explicit instruction be delivered to be effective?

Effective explicit instruction should be interactive, with students actively engaged throughout the lesson, and maintain a perky pace with continuous feedback and monitoring of student responses.

What is the ultimate goal of explicit instruction as per the script?

The ultimate goal of explicit instruction is to prepare students to solve authentic problems, be successful, and generalize information to other situations.

What does the speaker emphasize about the importance of explicit instruction in a teacher's role?

The speaker emphasizes that teachers should not forget the research on explicit instruction and must provide the teaching that students need to achieve learning goals.

Outlines

00:00

📚 Explicit Instruction: The Key to Student Success

The first paragraph discusses the concept of explicit instruction, which is direct and unambiguous teaching aimed at ensuring student understanding and learning. It addresses the misconception that discovery-based learning might be more motivating, suggesting instead a continuum where explicit instruction is crucial for novice learners or when introducing new knowledge. The paragraph emphasizes the importance of explicit teaching for struggling students and outlines the components of effective explicit instruction, including well-designed lessons with demonstration, guided practice, and checking for understanding. The speaker also stresses the need for deliberate and spaced practice, as well as the importance of interactive and engaging delivery to enhance student learning.

05:00

🚀 From Explicit Instruction to Authentic Problem Solving

The second paragraph builds on the foundation of explicit instruction to emphasize the teacher's role in preparing students to solve real-world problems and apply their knowledge to various situations. It underscores the necessity of maintaining a strong teaching component, even as students become more independent learners. The paragraph concludes with an encouragement for educators to embrace the research on explicit instruction as a means to achieve the ultimate goal of student learning and success in their careers.

Keywords

💡Explicit Instruction

Explicit instruction refers to a direct and unambiguous teaching approach aimed at ensuring that students understand and learn the material being taught. In the video, it is emphasized as a crucial method, especially for novice learners or when teaching new knowledge. The speaker clarifies that explicit instruction is not opposed to discovery learning but rather exists on a continuum with it, suggesting that it is particularly effective when students are new to a subject, such as algebra or word decoding.

💡Continuum

The concept of a continuum in the video script suggests a range or spectrum of teaching methods that can be adjusted based on the learner's experience and the subject matter. It implies that explicit instruction and discovery learning are not mutually exclusive but can be appropriately balanced. The speaker uses the continuum to argue for the flexibility in teaching approaches, depending on whether the student is a novice or has prior knowledge.

💡Novices

In the context of the video, 'novices' refers to students who are new to a particular subject or skill set. The speaker highlights that novices benefit significantly from explicit instruction because they lack prior knowledge or experience. An example given is that students new to algebra or word decoding would require clear and direct teaching to grasp the concepts effectively.

💡Discovery Learning

Discovery learning is portrayed in the video as a more自主的学习方式, where students are encouraged to explore and learn through solving authentic problems. The speaker argues that while discovery learning can be motivating, it is not always the most effective method, especially for novice learners. Instead, it is presented as a viable option after students have been provided with a foundation through explicit instruction.

💡Struggling Students

Struggling students are those who face difficulties in learning and require additional support or different teaching methods. The video emphasizes that these students would benefit more from explicit instruction rather than discovery learning, as they may not have successfully learned through discovery, which is why they are struggling. The speaker suggests that providing explicit instruction can help them catch up and eventually transition to more discovery-based learning.

💡Design of Instruction

The design of instruction in the video refers to the careful planning and organization of teaching materials and lessons. It involves selecting important content, breaking it down into manageable parts, and structuring lessons to facilitate learning. The speaker mentions that effective design includes a sequence of demonstration, guided practice, and checking for understanding, which is a pedagogical approach to ensure students grasp the taught skills or strategies.

💡Deliberate Practice

Deliberate practice, as discussed in the video, is a type of practice that is purposeful, intentional, and aimed at improving performance. The speaker argues that students need more than just exposure to information; they require practice that is spaced over time and involves retrieval of information. This concept is linked to cognitive science research, which suggests that deliberate practice is essential for skill development.

💡Interactive Instruction

Interactive instruction is a teaching approach that involves students actively participating in the learning process. The video script emphasizes that all explicit instruction should be interactive, with teachers engaging students in dialogue and activities. This interactive nature helps maintain student engagement and allows for immediate feedback, which is crucial for effective learning.

💡Pace

In the context of the video, 'pace' refers to the speed at which lessons are conducted. The speaker suggests that maintaining a 'perky pace' throughout the lesson is important to keep students engaged and to ensure that the material is covered effectively. A well-paced lesson can help prevent students from becoming bored or disengaged, which is particularly important in explicit instruction.

💡Generalization

Generalization in the video script refers to the ability of students to apply what they have learned in one context to other, similar situations. The speaker argues that explicit instruction sets students up for success by enabling them to generalize information, which is a key aspect of deep learning. This concept is important because it implies that the goal of teaching is not just to impart specific knowledge but also to foster the ability to apply that knowledge broadly.

Highlights

Explicit instruction is direct and unambiguous, aiming for student understanding and learning.

There is a common confusion between explicit instruction and discovery, which should be viewed as a continuum.

Explicit instruction is particularly beneficial for novice students learning new knowledge.

Students new to subjects like Algebra or word decoding benefit from explicit teaching of information and strategies.

Discovery becomes a viable option after a foundation of explicit instruction has been established.

Struggling students gain more from explicit instruction than from discovery-based learning.

Explicit instruction involves the design and delivery of teaching, focusing on important and obtainable content.

Teaching often follows a three-step process: demonstration, guided practice, and checking for understanding.

There is a need for deliberate and spaced practice, not just 'drill and kill', to reinforce learning.

Cognitive science and learning research support the importance of practice for student success.

Explicit instruction should be interactive, engaging students actively throughout the lesson.

Instructor feedback and a perky pace are essential for effective explicit instruction.

Explicit instruction sets students up for solving authentic problems and generalizing information.

The role of the teacher is to provide the necessary explicit instruction for student learning.

Research on explicit instruction is crucial for educators to achieve the goal of learning.

Educators should thrive by incorporating explicit instruction into their teaching practices.

Transcripts

[MUSIC]

So I have the gift today of talking to you about explicit

instruction.

Explicit instruction simply is instruction that is quite

direct, it is unambiguous, with the goal that the students

would get it, would understand it, and would learn.

We have a lot of confusion around the term explicit

instruction, so let me sort of augment and add to that.

One question I'm often asked is, wouldn't it be

more motivating for students to learn it on their own,

to discover it, to use authentic problems to discover it?

And it's as if we have set up a total dichotomy between

explicit instruction and discovery.

But we really should view it as a continuum.

And when we look at the research on instruction,

we learn what are the attributes of that continuum.

For example, if you are teaching children that are novices, that

have just never learned this body of knowledge in the past,

it appears that they do much better if we explicitly teach

them the information, whether it's knowledge or skills or

strategies, that we teach it.

If they are learning a body of knowledge that they've not

learned in the past, they're brand new to Algebra,

they are new to decoding of words,

then they really benefit from very explicit instruction.

So those two things, when the student is a novice, when

the knowledge is new, explicit instruction would be desirable.

But then after you've gained lots of information,

you've gained lots of skills, then discovery is much more

a viable option, but only after you've had explicit instruction.

So one of the things that I also would be reminded of

is the research, if you happen to be a Special Ed teacher,

an Interventionist,

and you are working with struggling students.

We definitely know that they are going to gain more with very

explicit instruction than discovery.

If they had discovered it, they would not have been struggling,

and so we need to have very explicit instruction for them.

And what would that mean?

Well, we could actually take explicit instruction

and put it into two areas:

one is the design of the instruction,

and the other is the delivery of the instruction.

And the design of the instruction means that we pick

important content to teach them,

we break it down into obtainable pieces, but then our lessons

are organized so that more learning could occur.

For example, I often talk about three major steps in teaching

children skills and strategies, where I do demonstration,

guided practice, checking for understanding.

I do it, we do it, you do it.

And many of the skills and

strategies we teach would follow that pedagogy.

But it also means that the students are not only directly

taught it, but they have practice.

And actually, I'm gonna tell you,

my concern is often that we're not giving adequate practice.

I constantly hear people say, well, you know, Anita,

that is just drill and kill, drill and kill.

And I can tell you we have no reported incidents of children

dying of practice.

Instead, look at the research, the abundant research,

from cognitive science and from learning, on practice.

The students need deliberate practice,

where they're practicing with a purpose.

They need practice that is spaced over time,

not all in one session.

And they need to retrieve information in that practice.

So it's a combination of very explicit instruction,

with I do it, we do it, you do it, followed with deliberate

and spaced practice and retrieval.

But here's what I've noticed.

I've had the great blessing of teaching for 52 years

and do demonstrations all throughout every year.

And what I have noticed is that students need better

delivery skills than we've done in the past.

For example, all instruction needs to be interactive.

I say something, you say something.

I write something, you write something.

All explicit instruction would be very interactive,

with students actively engaged throughout the entire lesson.

And we'd monitor and watch their responses,

give them feedback on the responses,

and we would maintain throughout the whole lesson

a very perky pace.

So those are some of the attributes of having

very explicit instruction.

And we know that then I set you up

for your ability to solve authentic problems.

I set you up for being successful.

I set you up to generalize information to other situations.

But this means we've gotta keep the "teach" in "teacher",

and we have to provide the teaching that our students need.

So let us never forget the research

on explicit instruction, because if learning is our goal,

then a lot of explicit instruction

needs to occur there.

Bless you in your career, may you thrive as an educator.

[MUSIC]