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Understanding Tiers of Instruction: A Guide to Effective Teaching Practices
Traditionally, Response to Intervention (RTI) is often visualized as a pyramid, with Tier 1 at the base, encompassing the largest group of students, and Tiers 2 and 3 narrowing towards the top, representing progressively smaller groups needing more intensive support. This model can sometimes lead to an over-reliance on remediation, with many students requiring additional…
Empowering English Learners for State Testing Success
Building Confidence Through Comprehensive Test Prep Test preparation is vital for helping English Learners (ELs) perform their best on assessments that include speaking, listening, reading, and writing components. State tests, or standardized tests for ELs assess language proficiency across these domains, and targeted test prep helps familiarize students with the format, question types, and expectations,…
Preparing Students for Success: Test Preparation and EDI
The Importance of Test Prep for Students The Role of Test Preparation in Academic Achievement Test preparation is essential for helping students perform at their best during assessments. Whether for state exams, standardized tests, or subject-specific assessments, test prep familiarizes students with the format, question types, and expectations. This reduces anxiety and boosts confidence. Reinforcing…
In the Spotlight: Dataworks featured on TJIPCAST
In the podcast, Silvia Ybarra and John Hollingsworth co-authors of Explicit Direct Instruction (EDI) and EDI for English Learners, share their expertise on applying EDI effectively in classrooms and across entire school systems. Together, they discuss the origins of EDI, how it evolved, and why it drives educational improvement. Silvia and John emphasize EDI’s structured…
EDI AND HIGHER-ORDER QUESTIONING: BUILDING CRITICAL THINKERS
EDI AND HIGHER-ORDER QUESTIONING: BUILDING CRITICAL THINKERS Structuring Lessons with Thought-Provoking Questions As an educator focused on effective instruction, the transformative power of Explicit Direct Instruction (EDI) is evident in how it elevates classroom questioning from basic recall to deep critical thinking. This approach reshapes traditional questioning methods into a structured process that promotes deeper…
From Incorrect to Correct: The Power of Effective Feedback
As educators, we all encounter moments when students struggle to answer questions correctly. So, what can we do when they don’t get it right? How can we help them move from confusion to clarity? The answer lies in effective feedback when checking for understanding.
How John Gets All Students to Speak English In High School
I have been working with high schools with high percentages of English Learners. In many classrooms, lessons were being taught in English and then retaught in Spanish. The English Learners did not participate in the English lesson as they waited for the Spanish version, and they ended up using any English while in class. I…
All Students Speak English
I have been working with schools with very high percentages of English Learners. Classes were being taught in English and then retaught in Spanish. Were the English Learners using any English? No, they sat and waited for the Spanish translations. When I started my rounds of K to 12 Explicit Direct Instruction demo lessons, I…
A New Take on Classroom Observations
“There are two types of Principals. One who focuses on Operations or one who focuses on Instruction. You want to be an Instructional Leader if you want to change instruction and ultimately classroom results.” –John Hollingsworth, Co-Author of Explicit Direct Instruction Administrators Can Become More Effective Instructional Leaders Instructional Leadership programs usually involve a series…
The Death of Homework
How Chat AI will end homework and make classroom instruction more important Let’s begin with the purpose of homework; Educators assign homework for different reasons and purposes. Homework is assigned either as practice, preparation, extension, or integration of grade-level skills and concepts. Practice Homework reinforces learning from the skills and concepts already taught in the classroom.…
Learning Objectives vs Standards
Learning ObjectivesvsStandards Standards are often confused with Learning Objectives. Standards are the content and skills students need to know by the end of a school year. Learning Objectives are the content and skills students need to know by the end of a lesson. Perhaps most importantly, a Learning Objective defines the purpose of the lesson,…