There are many ways to engage and teach students, but the most common form of teaching has been direct instruction. What is direct instruction, and how is it different from other forms of teaching?
The direct instruction definition can vary, but in all cases, direct instruction is an evidence-based method that falls under the category of Applied Behavioral Analysis (ABA). Direct instruction ABA is the use of straightforward teaching techniques that focus on one specific skill or concept at a time. The teacher stands at the front of the room and speaks directly to the class providing relevant information so that the students can comprehend the new concept or skill.
In this direct method of teaching, the focus is on the teacher presenting the material they want students to learn. For example, if an English teacher wants to teach the students about metaphors, she would give the students the definition and provide numerous examples.
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This method differs from other models of teaching where students are the focus. Constructivism, which gained traction in the late 19th century, puts the onus on the students. Instead of having the teachers engage the students directly, constructivism has the students engage with the content directly by having students actively participating in the learning process, which removes passivity.
The goal of constructivism is to make learning more enjoyable and have students work together in groups or complete project-based learning tasks as opposed to listening to a teacher speak. Instead of telling students directly that magnets attract metals that contain iron, the teacher would give students a magnet and have them explore different items in the classroom to see which objects connect to the magnet. In science classes, this is often called the inquiry-based learning method where students come up with a hypothesis and test their ideas experientially through the scientific method.
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The direct instruction model is based on the teacher giving students the information they need to learn a new skill or concept while scaffolding information to help students grasp each step or task. Teachers directly present the information they want students to learn while providing time and space to practice the new concept or skill.
Teachers who use the direct instruction model do the following:
The direct instruction model is best suited for teaching small amounts of information, such as a math formula, spelling lesson, vocabulary, or literary device. Check out the examples below to better understand how and when to use direct instruction.
Direct instruction can be used in any subject area but should be modified based on the skills or concepts being taught and the background knowledge of the students. Read the direct instruction examples below to see how the direct instruction steps come to life in the classroom and the various direct instruction activities that can be used.
An instructor wants to teach their students about suspense in literature. Using the direct instruction reading method, the task can be laid out in various steps to ensure students are eventually able to master the concept on their own.
Once students begin to master the task on their own, the teacher can start adding to this lesson on suspense. The teacher could then ask the students how the author creates suspenseful moments using different literary devices and have them write about it.
An instructor wants to teach their students the FOIL (First, Outer, Inner, Last) method. Using the same direct instruction method steps, the instructor can scaffold the process to help students master the skill set.
From here, a teacher can begin to add difficulty to the FOIL tasks and make the problems more complex as students progress.
Direct instruction strategies will vary depending on subject matter and age group, but all teachers can use the strategies below in some form to help their students succeed in the direct instruction model.
While there is value in having students engage in the learning process, direct instruction is still an integral part of the process. The direct instruction model allows time and space for the teacher to give the students background information they need to understand the topic along with important vocabulary, formulas, and time to ask questions.
Even with student-centered learning, direct instruction is necessary to ensure students have the knowledge they need to complete the task, especially when it comes to students who are on Individualized Education Plans (IEPs) and 504s. Direct instruction scaffolds the skill or concept to ensure students are comprehending each step of the way when it comes to a method or strategy and ensures all students have the information they need, presented in various ways, to access and master the curriculum.
Direct instruction has been the norm for some time, but the teaching method has been criticized in recent decades. The main criticisms are:
While these criticisms are valid, this is not the whole story of the direct instruction model. Direct instruction does have students passively follow along with the teacher. However, in most learning environments, even when a teacher is using another method of teaching, there is ultimately some type of direct instruction taking place in the form of instructions, objectives, demonstrations, etc.
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Most students are not capable of paying attention to a lecture for an hour at a time, especially in the younger grades, but it seems in the 21st century that a mix of direct instruction and other teaching methods has naturally become the norm.
Direct instruction is a teaching method in which a teacher stands at the front of the classroom and provides students with the information they need to understand a new concept or skill. While focusing on one specific skill or concept at a time, the teacher will break down the information the students need to complete the task and help them master it with modeling and feedback.
The direct instruction method follows these steps:
While there is debate between whether the direct instruction model is better than constructivism, where students engage in the content directly through an inquiry-based learning method, it seems there is value in both methods, especially when combined. The trick is to use both in ways that help all students access and master the curriculum at hand.
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