EDUC 5153- CHALLENGE #5

Explicit Instruction

The line between explicit instruction and direct instruction is sometimes blurred; however, there are distinct differences.  For instance, explicit instruction “demonstrates skills as wholes, and the learner acquires them by degrees rather than assembling them from subskills” (Joyce et al., p. 325).  Explicit instruction also involves segmenting complex skills, and “segmenting complex skills involves breaking down or chunking complex tasks into more manageable units, then teaching each of the individual tasks/units one by one, and finally integrating them so that students can more readily acquire the complex task” (Vaughn & Fletcher, 2021).   Although this method of instruction can help every student, students who need more help typically benefit more from explicit instruction.  It is a common practice in Tier II interventions, and it helps students who are struggling.

In simple terms, explicit instruction is “a purposeful way of overtly teaching students” (Vanderbilt University, 2024).  In explicit instruction, the teacher doesn’t assume that the student has any prior knowledge or skills.  Also in explicit instruction, students use metacognitive skills that contribute to their learning through a “high degree of consciousness” (Joyce et al., p. 324). In other words, “Termed metacognition, the essence is that when we are learning new practices, understanding the rationale and studying our application as we learn it facilitates the attainment of mastery” (Pressley & Brainerd, 1985, as cited in Joyce et al., p. 324).  Students are not merely thinking about the subject matter; they are thinking about learning the subject matter.  Therefore, in the  metacognition experienced during the explicit instruction of comprehension, students are thinking about, analyzing, and dissecting the “how” behind their comprehension.

I am a general education English teacher, and I teach a co-teach class with a special education teacher.  There are 23 students in that class, and 20 of those students receive some form of special services.  We use explicit instruction in that class even though it is technically an on-level class with an on-level curriculum.  Essentially, we teach the same things in the co-teach class as I teach in my on-level classes, but we use explicit instruction almost to the exclusion of all other methods.  For example, the last time we wrote thesis statements, we spent time on each word, dissecting the paragraphs into the basic building blocks of each sentence.  We made sure that every student understood the function of each word we used.  The goal was to be absolutely clear about the expectations, the steps involved, and the reasoning behind how we create thesis statements.

Direct Instruction

On the other hand, direct instruction involves breaking down skills " into subskills or

knowledge into segments” (Joyce et al., p. 325).  Subskills and segments are taught in order,

and the larger skills and concepts are obtained gradually.

In my regular, on-level classroom, I typically teach using direct instruction.  My Daily Learning Objective (DLO) is written on my whiteboard every day, and it is set up in an “I Do, We Do, You Do” format.  I teach my students a new concept by giving them a short lecture, and I demonstrate the new idea.  I then lead them in a guided practice before they work independently.  While my teaching strategies vary on a daily basis, the core format is almost always some iteration of direct instruction.  We build upon what we have already learned and what we are currently learning.

Role of Teachers in the Web 2.0 Era

With the rise of interactive web-based platforms and programs, some people may be

tempted to predict the future “uselessness” of classroom teachers; however, I firmly believe

that “interactive web-based content allow[s] for a more engaging and up-to-date learning

experience” (Zhu, 2025).  These opportunities do not take the place of teachers; instead,

they simply contribute to the educational environment and processes. The role of teachers

has changed, but human educators are still vitally important.

Teachers can now focus on different forms of classroom interactions with students.  One teacher said that with the growth of interactive-based learning,  “she could focus more on facilitating deeper discussions and project-based learning in the classroom” (Zhu, 2025) with the introduction of an AI program into her class.  Other teachers “reported higher job satisfaction as they could engage in more meaningful educational practices rather than repetitive instruction and grading” (Zhu, 2025).  

The role of the classroom teacher is not diminishing; rather, the classroom teacher’s primary responsibilities are simply changing to fit our digital age.  Teachers are no longer the sole dispensers of knowledge in their classrooms.  They are facilitators, guides, directors, and mentors.  Teachers must coach their students to be wise consumers of information and technologies, and they must teach them how to best leverage the enormous amounts of digital content to their advantage.  In short, “teachers are essential for curating and contextualizing the vast amount of information available, helping students navigate digital resources, and facilitating the development of digital literacy” (Zhu, 2025).

Regardless of what the naysayers claim, teachers are here to stay.

References

Joyce, Bruce, Marsha Weil, Emily Calhoun. (2015). Models of Teaching. Ninth Edition.

            New Jersey: Pearson Education.

Vanderbilt University. “What Is Explicit Instruction?” Vanderbilt University, 2024, my.vanderbilt.edu/spedteacherresources/what-is-explicit-instruction/.

Vaughn, Sharon, and Jack Fletcher. “Explicit Instruction as the Essential Tool for

            Executing the Science of Reading.” The Reading League Journal, vol. 2, no. 2, May 2021, p. 4, pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9004595/.

Zhu, Mila. Multimodal Instructional Strategies: Dances with Shackles in

            Learning Communities. Dubuque, IA, Kendall Hunt, 2025.