Explicit Direct Instruction and Cognitive Processing: A Perfect Pair for Learning In today’s fast-changing world of education, teachers need to know not just what to teach, but also how students learn and remember new information. Using the Information Processing Model along with Explicit Direct Instruction (EDI) gives teachers a strong way to improve student learning.…
Maximizing Student Achievement with Hattie’s Research and EDI: Practical Insights for School Leaders In the pursuit of effective teaching, educators continuously seek strategies that yield the highest impact on student learning. Two highly influential approaches in educational research—John Hattie’s Visible Learning and Explicit Direct Instruction (EDI) —offer compelling insights into maximizing student achievement. By integrating…
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…
The Problem with ELD Instruction Imagine being dropped in the middle of a foreign country where you don’t know the language. Now, imagine that you have been placed into a high school English class and the assignment is to analyze the metaphors in chapter 4 of The Grapes of Wrath. Except you don’t understand the…
What makes an effective literacy program? As an adult, you already know how to read and write. You were given skills and tools in school to master reading and writing. These skills and tools came from a literacy program. A literacy program contains all the components necessary for you to master reading and writing. However,…
A surprising powerhouse In 2012 while working with Nazarbayev Intellectual Schools (NIS) Center of Excellence in Astana, Kazakhstan, as an educational consultant, I started to do reports and work on research, specifically, “Best Practices” methodologies. NIS wanted Kazakhstan to become a leader in education in Asia and the world. My colleagues and I started to…
What Makes a Good Principal? After many years of teaching at all levels of education, I distinctly remember the principals I served under. My first principal was a nice guy but very defensive. Another was very supportive of me, but never came into my classroom. Another liked to discuss educational problems and issues with me.…
How does a human being learn? That question has intrigued and stumped educators for thousands of years. We all know we learn, but how does it happen? If we knew that, then we could maximize our learning, right? The problem is there are so many theories of learning. To make sense of this, we can…
Deeper Learning is a term that represents a new direction in education that goes beyond the knowledge of content, to something which usually is hard to measure. What is beyond content? Skills like problem-solving, critical-thinking, creativity, and collaboration. The Hewlett Foundation has commissioned a major study of Deeper Learning, and is now committed to promoting…
In the United States, compulsory public schooling started in Massachusetts in 1852, and then spread to other states. By 1918, all states required it. Since that time, there has been constant discussion about what constitutes Better Education. Is it reading, ‘riting, and ‘rithmetic? Is it class size? Is it the teacher? Is it the books…