The Power of Explicit Instruction
Seems like a great scene right? Eager students with their hand raised hoping to get called on by the teacher. I know it seems like a picture-perfect classroom. I promise you it isn’t.
Don’t be fooled...
Lectures with hand-raising are educational traditions that do not lead to learning and mastery. Why?
Because learning requires the repeated, reinforced practice skills.
EVERY student in a classroom deserves the opportunity to respond and receive feedback from the teacher – not just the lucky one chosen to answer.
The school day involves teachers doing a lot of talking with the occasional opportunity for students to raise their hands. When teachers do all the talking, students don’t do much learning.
Students spend most of the school day staring into space daydreaming, fidgeting, or sleeping.
Discovery-based models also dominate education. In this scenari the teacher gives clues and students guess answers. The result? Learners without a firm mastery of essential academic skills and a tragic lack of confidence.
Explicit Instruction
Explicit instruction involves explicitly stating the concept to be learned and having the class repeatedly state it back until they can do so fluently and without prompting. It is fast, effective, fun, and engaging It also ensures that every student in a class learns AND masters the concept.
Characteristics
- Clear, concise communication of concepts to be learned
- Active, choral responding by the entire class
- Immediate feedback provided by the teacher
- Rapid pace
- Repeated practice opportunities
Coaching experience that speaks to you
Expert performers don’t strive for average, and you shouldn’t accept that for your child’s academic skills either. Click the link below to find out more or schedule a call with one of our experts. Let us help your child discover their greatness.
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.