Professional Development With Explicit Direct Instruction (EDI)®
Help teachers deliver effective lessons that can significantly improve achievement for all learners, including English language learners and students with special needs.
USC Rossier School of Education is one of the graduate schools of the University of Southern California
I scoured the Explicit Direct Instruction (EDI) book. I flagged page after page because what I was reading made so much sense to me. In fact, it was a little depressing. I had been a classroom teacher for ten years and was unaware of many of the EDI strategies.
Peter Whitmore
Collaborative Coach, Menifee Unified School District
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Before Explicit Direct Instruction (EDI), our school was a ship adrift at sea with everyone rowing in different directions. EDI has provided us with a framework for instruction and a common language that allowed us to all row in the same direction. By doing so, we exited program improvement within the first two years of implementation, after having been in sanctions for the previous ten years. Additionally, using the framework and common language of EDI we were named a honor roll school by the Educational Results Partnership
Learn Explicit Direct Instruction (EDI)® From The Founders
Dr. Silvia Ybarra, PhD and John Hollingsworth are founders and co-creators of Explicit Direct Instruction (EDI)®.
EDI® focuses on improving education at the lesson level by incorporating a strategic collection of instructional practices from the work of educational and cognitive researchers such as Hattie, Rosenshine, Hunter, Sousa, and Marzano. When all of the research is combined, you get EDI®.
The extensive classroom experience of the Dataworks founders and staff has proven that direct instruction is more effective and efficient, especially for struggling students and English learners.
In fact, there is overwhelming research supporting teacher-led, explicit, direct instruction. Dataworks built upon this approach, developing and refining our own specific version of direct instruction, called Explicit Direct Instruction (EDI)®.
From John Hollingsworth:
The best school reform is not tutoring and interventions but rather ensuring that students learn effectively during initial whole-class instruction. DataWORKS started by analyzing student test scores and collaborating with approximately 600 schools. A principal once remarked, “Don’t just show me the test scores. Show me how to raise the test scores.” In 1997, that prompted us to shift our focus to research teaching students rather than merely research test data.
Does EDI® Work for High-Stake Testing?
With Assessments using Common Core State Standards, the Dataworks’ EDI® approach to teaching has become more relevant than ever before. The EDI® collection of research-based strategies includes 75% of the shifts to Common Core, such as text-based lessons, text-based answers, academic and content vocabulary, strong concepts as well as skills, and real-world connections. Recall questions are great, however, teachers need to get application-based questions for their students to be successful in the era of High-stakes testing.
In addition, EDI® Lessons and Lesson Design training have evolved to include more Informational (expository) text, more application problems, Common Core learning objectives, and Access to Common Core questions that utilize the new types of assessments. With our training in the pedagogy of EDI, High-Stake testing questions will be more doable for your students.
About Dataworks Methodology
Instruction should be a dialog that’s interactive and engaging; so students are given the opportunity to demonstrate what they are learning and teachers make instructional decisions based on the students’ responses.
We are not waiting for test results, but instead, making academic corrections to ensure the success of the lesson and ultimately releasing the students to independent practices.
How EDI® EDI Can Improve Math Instruction
In mathematics, EDI is especially effective because it breaks down complex concepts into clear, easy-to-understand steps, ensuring that all students can follow the progression from basic to advanced skills. Here’s how EDI applies to math instruction:
Structured Problem-Solving: EDI helps students approach math problems in a structured way by guiding them through each step of the problem-solving process. Teachers model each step, making sure that students understand the reasoning behind each operation.
Incremental Learning: Mathematical concepts often build on each other, and EDI ensures that teachers introduce these concepts gradually, allowing students to master one concept before moving on to the next.
Formative Assessments for Math: Teachers frequently check for understanding during lessons to ensure that all students are following along. In math, this can involve quick quizzes, asking students to solve problems on whiteboards, or using clicker technology for immediate feedback.
Addressing Math Misconceptions: Misconceptions are common in math, and EDI’s focus on checking for understanding allows teachers to identify and address these misconceptions in real-time, preventing them from becoming barriers to further learning.
EDI has been a huge part of our success. We took Datawork’s ideas and training and took ownership of them and continued to build teacher competence. EDI provided a common language for instruction and very clear steps for students to learn. EDI is our instructional method, but also the base of our PLCs and RTIs.
Educator Feedback About EDI®
Learn about the positive impact EDI® has for administrators, teachers, and students.
Our EDI implementation is going really well. Lots of our staff were so impressed with your workshop and demonstrations in the school that they had renewed energy around EDI implementation.
EDI is very concrete. You can walk into a class and recognize it right away. It enables us to give much better feedback to teachers.
Even with all my training and experience, I still learned something new daily.
EDI was the impetus for all of the progress at Sanger Unified.
The EDI® Training Includes:
- How to get 100% correct answers from all students.
- Effective lesson design and effective delivery.
- Learn ways to motivate all students.
- Get students to complete their homework.
- Brain compatible teaching that helps students learn more.
- 8 ways to create student engagement.
- Choral reading to improve student reading fluency.
- Corrective feedback strategies.
- Expand student academic vocabulary in every lesson.
- Steps for Checking for Understanding.
- Improve classroom management.
- Higher-order questions that help students learn more.
- Student whiteboards to increase student learning.
- The proper use of sentence frames in questioning.
- Supercharging concept development in every lesson.
From John Hollingsworth:
DataWORKS offers professional development, which can be delivered onsite or virtually. Our training incorporates instructional practices such as choral reading, pair-shares, and Checking for Understanding (CFU). Pair-shares are particularly crucial, and we recommend that virtual training be conducted in a large room where teachers can practice rather than logging in individually.
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Create The Foundation for Teaching Excellence
What Does Explicit Direct Instruction (EDI)® Training Cover?
Our trainers will provide coaching and feedback for the strategies covered in the workshop and participants will be asked to practice in small groups. This leads to increased teacher retention for the following:
Brain Research
Dataworks provides an overview of brain research. We explain how the human brain learns and stores information. This helps teachers understand the importance of the lesson delivery strategies in Explicit Direct Instruction EDI® .
Engagement Norms
Practice with Student Engagement Norms. Dataworks Engagement Norms are used in thousands of classrooms around the world because they work. They include eight strategies that keep students engaged and actively participating in every lesson.
Checking for Understanding
Most teachers know how to ask questions and call on students for responses. But are teachers asking the right questions to the right students? EDI® has simple tips to help teachers ask powerful, probing questions to non-volunteers that will change the culture of the classroom and accurately assess learning in real-time.
Lesson Design Components
Create a culture of instructional excellence by providing common procedures for lessons. We cover the critical components of the Explicit Direct Instruction (EDI)® lesson design; learning objective, activate prior knowledge, concept development, sill development with guided practice, relevance, and closure.
How Does EDI® Help Students?
Explicit direct instruction (EDI) is a teaching method that benefits students by providing clear learning objectives, breaking down complex concepts, and giving step-by-step guidance.
It engages students actively, offers direct teaching, and offers immediate feedback.
EDI builds skills, addresses learning gaps, boosts confidence, and teaches transferable skills. It’s efficient, focused, and helps students succeed across subjects.
From John Hollingsworth:
After professional development, DataWORKS consultants will visit your school to teach EDI lessons demonstrations to your students while teachers observe. Teachers will then co-teach the same lesson with a different class, with real-time coaching provided. A debrief at the end of the day summarizes key takeaways.
Is EDI® Training Necessary?
EDI can be particularly beneficial for students who need clear structure, guidance, and practice in mastering foundational skills. It’s effective for addressing learning gaps, building confidence, and improving student outcomes.
When To Deploy EDI® Training
It’s effective, evidence-based, and can be useful for new teachers, initial instruction, school reform, and maintaining accountability.
From John Hollingsworth:
DataWORKS can conduct classroom observations with leadership teams and coaches. Observations include calibrating observers, measuring lesson design components and delivery strategies, and addressing EL and cognitive strategies. DataWORKS’ Explicit Direct Instruction model is the foundation of our training, which can be customized for different departments.
- TEKS Alignment: Our online lessons are aligned with TEKS, and we provide training that refers to standards and meeting the rigor of grade-level skills.
- ELA Focus: Our EDI training can include an ELA focus with lesson examples and videos of ELA classrooms.
- Mathematics Focus: We provide training on designing and delivering math lessons, including the use of manipulatives to develop conceptual understanding.
- Science Focus: Hands-on activities are incorporated, with labs and conceptual teaching integrated into lessons.
EDI keeps students engaged throughout the lesson! It gives students the opportunity to speak and listen to each other during the lesson. Students discuss vocabulary and read aloud during EDI which gives them practice in Reading, Speaking, Listening, and Writing. Students do all the work during a lesson! Pair-Share is a great strategy to help English Learners with speaking and practicing the vocabulary!
Explicit Direct Instruction (EDI)® Videos
YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@dataworksed
EDI® Resources and Related Articles
Differentiation And Scaffolding With Explicit Direct Instruction®