Post 4 - Direct Instruction in the Classroom

Description

Direct Instruction is a blueprint for an effective lesson plan.  It focuses on clearly stating learning expectations, reviewing prior skills, teaching new material, and finally, reinforcing the newly introduced information.

Analysis

Slavin (2015) states that lesson that use Direct Instruction (DI), “transmit information directly to students, structuring class time to reach a clearly defined set of objectives” (pp.162).  The lesson has seven basic parts:

1.      Orienting students towards the upcoming lesson and clearly stating learning objectives

2.      Reviewing prior skills and knowledge needed that day

3.      Introducing the new information

4.      Ask searching questions to test the level of understanding

5.      Have the students do independent work to test their acquisition of knowledge

6.      Asses their work and give the students constructive feedback

7.      Give the students addition individual practice and review the material from the day

The key is to understand what you, as the teacher, want students to walk away from your class knowing or being able to do (Slavin, 2015, pp.216).  Once we know, our job is then to clearly state those expectations to our students.  Not only do the students need to know the goals of the lesson, but they need to be primed to learn – a phrase that Slavin (2015) calls a positive “mental set” (pp.165).  We need to focus their attention on what is important because they need help in deciphering what material is crucial and which is not (Slavin, 2015, pp.127).  A well-organized lesson plan, where the most important information bookends the lesson on the front and back ends, the teacher clearly states the transitions during the lesson, and the teacher emphasizes the important points (Slavin, 2015, pp.168). 

Once the new material has been presented to the students, assessments of the students’ understanding is crucial if retention is our ultimate goal.  If students did not understand it on the initial introduction, we must solidify their understanding before we move on.  Learning probes, whether verbal or written questions, are to simply test whether or not students understand what was just presented to them (Slavin, 2015, pp.170).  Once we are satisfied that they have a fundamental understanding of the principles, then independent practice can be introduced to them.  Independent practice involves students working autonomously.  Independent practice is most useful in subjects that use skills like math and science, but less effective in more conceptual subjects like social studies (Slavin, 2015, pp.173).  The work must be collected and graded so as to reinforce the significance of it. It is important that we, as teachers, review material over and over again.  Reviewing material from early lessons enhancing a student’s retention of the material (Slavin, 2015, pp.177).

Reflection

Reading this chapter has made me realize how unorganized I am in my lessons and how detrimental it is to the progress of my students.  I am quick to blame them but I am beginning to see more and more that it is I who need to change before I can look at them.  How often do I get off on tangents and leave the main points of the lesson behind?  It has been humbling and empowering reading about direct instruction.  I have known that I want to use technology in the classroom, but I am beginning to see that I need to clearly state my lesson goals and procedures if that technology is to be any help.  The technology does not solve the problem if my lessons are not organized well.  Because I teach special education, I am teaching students who struggle with many areas, but the most common are reading and writing disabilities. Cuillo, Falcomata, and Vaughn (2015) found that graphic organizers and explicit instruction increased retention and showed higher overall achievement for fourth and fifth graders with learning disabilities (p.15).

References

Cuillo, S., Falcomata, T., Vaughn, S. (2014). Teaching Social Studies to Upper Elementary Students with Learning Disabilities:  Graphic Organizers and Explicit Instruction. Learning Disability Quarterly, 38(1), 15–26.

Slavin, R.E. (2015). Educational Psychology: Theory and Practice. (11^th ed.). Boston, MA. Pearson Education. Kindle Edition.