DIRECT INSTRUCTION (DI)

Presented by:

Sarah Giordano, MA

Carbone Clinic Summer Institute

Valley Cottage, NY

July 15-26, 2013

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Overview

• What is Direct Instruction?

• Project Follow-Through

• Direct Instruction Features & Philosophy

• Commercially Available DI Curricula

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WHAT IS DIRECT INSTRUCTION (DI)?

• An evidenced-based instructional model that emphasizes the use of explicit and systematic teaching procedures to improve student performance.

• It is a behavioral approach to learning/teaching that can be used to teach a variety of academic skill repertoires (e.g., reading, writing, math, spelling).

• DI developed out of the work of Carl Bereiter and Siegfried Engelmann at the University of Illinois in the 1960s.

• http://www.ADIhome.org

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COMMON APPROACHES TO INSTRUCTION

• Behavioral approach, which is based on the belief that all behaviors are learned

• Cognitive approach, which is based on the sequence of normal cognitive growth

• Psychodynamic approach, which is based on the idea that the development of the “whole child” is essential for educational improvement

(Adams & Engelmann, 1996)

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PROJECT

FOLLOW-THROUGH

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PROJECT FOLLOW-THROUGH Background:

• Largest educational study in U. S. history

• Took place from 1968 to 1976

• Examined low-income, at-risk students

• 75,000 students in 170 communities were involved

• Students participated from K – 3

• Examined effectiveness of 9 educational models across 3 outcome measures

Adams, G. L., & Engelmann, S. (1996). Research on Direct Instruction: 25 years beyond DISTAR. Seattle, WA: Educational Achievement Systems.

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PROJECT FOLLOW-THROUGH

9 Models of Instruction:

• Basic Skills Models:

– Direct Instruction Model

– Behavior Analysis Model

– Language Development Model (Southwest Lab)

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PROJECT FOLLOW-THROUGH

Models of Instruction:

• Cognitive/Conceptual Skills Models:

– Cognitively-Oriented Curriculum

– Parent Education Model (Florida)

– Tucson Early Education Model

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PROJECT FOLLOW-THROUGH

Models of Instruction:

• Affective Skills Models:

– Bank Street College Model

– Open Education Model

– Responsive Education Model

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PROJECT FOLLOW-THROUGH

Research Findings:

• Only the Direct Instruction Model had positive scores on all three types of outcome measures (i.e., Basic Skills, Cognitive, and Affective).

• Direct Instruction was the highest on all three types of measures.

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PROJECT FOLLOW-THROUGH

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PROJECT FOLLOW-THROUGH

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PROJECT FOLLOW-THROUGH

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PROJECT FOLLOW-THROUGH

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PROJECT FOLLOW-THROUGH

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DIRECT INSTRUCTION (DI)

– FEATURES &

PHILOSOPHY

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DIRECT INSTRUCTION (DI)

• Direct Instruction is an explicit, intensive, teacher-directed instructional method of teaching developed by Siegfried Engelmann and his colleagues in the 1960’s.

• All DI programs are based upon the same philosophy and

incorporate a set of common features.

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DI PHILOSOPHY

• The DI philosophy holds that the single most decisive factor in student’s performance is the quality of instruction they receive from their teachers. This philosophy is based on certain principles:

1. Learning is a behavioral process that can be observed and

directly measured.

2. All children can learn when taught correctly, regardless of past history.

3. All teachers can be successful, given effective teaching materials and presentation techniques.

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COMMON FEATURES OF DI

• Design

• Delivery

• Documentation

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COMMON FEATURES OF DI

• Design

o Prior to writing the DI programs the authors carefully analyze the

skills and strategies that must be taught. They identify all skills

that need to be taught with in a given domain/subject (scope)

and organize them in a logical and hierarchical order

(sequence). The programs that are written are designed to: Present tasks clearly in a way that allows students to understand

concepts the first time they are introduced Present new material in small increments to help students

achieve mastery Select examples and put them in a logical sequence Provide opportunities for guided practice and cumulative review Incorporate continuous assessment and management

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COMMON FEATURES OF DI

• Delivery

o How effectively students learn is a direct result of the way information is presented to them. In implementing DI programs, teachers use specific teaching practices: Give placement test so students begin at a level appropriate to

their skills Develop clear instructional objectives Follow scripted lessons to ensure consistency Use a quick pace and high rates of individual and group responses

to keep students actively engaged Implement planned correction procedures to prevent mistakes

from being rehearsed and reinforced Provide positive reinforcement to keep students motivated Frequently assess/monitor student performance

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COMMON FEATURES OF DI

• Documentation

o There are over 50 research studies documenting the effectiveness of DI programs (e.g., Adams & Engelmann, 1996; Darch & Simpson, 1990; Flores & Ganz, 2007; McKenzie, Marchand-Martella, Moore, & Martella, 2004).

o Recent research studies demonstrate DI’s effectiveness specifically with children with autism and other developmental disabilities (Flores & Ganz, 2007; Ganz & Flores, 2009; Riepl, Marchand-Martella, & Martella, 2008).

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COMMERCIALLY

AVAILABLE DI CURRICULA

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DI Curricula • All commercially available DI programs are published and developed by the scientific

research associates (SRA), a part of the McGraw-Hill School Education.

• Designed for group instruction in general education classroom, but can be used in small groups of individually with special education students.

• Reading Mastery (K – 5th) – Curriculum-based assessment and fluency system that monitors student performance

– Phonics-based instructional program to teach decoding and comprehension skills

• Language for Learning (Pre-K – 2nd) – Teaches a wide range of language concepts and skills; uses placement and progress tests to

ensure the student is learning appropriate skills and progressing at a reasonable rate

– Based on Distar Language I, but the changes made enhance this program making it more comprehensive, organized, and easier to use

• Language for Thinking (1st – 3rd) – Applies newly learned language concepts and thinking skills to problem solving

• Language for Writing (2nd – 6th)

– Teaches communication skills through writing and supports the development of specific writing skills by showing students how to write narratives, use specific words, make precise comparisons, summarize and re-tell, proof read for punctuation, grammar and word usage

• Connecting Math Concepts (K – 5th) – Ongoing development of problem solving math skills and application of mathematical

concepts

https://www.mheonline.com/discipline/tags/1/3

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o_LUgjcdS4U

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• Commercially available DI curricula are designed to teach reading,

spelling, language arts, math, and other academic subjects to

typically developing children from 4 to 18 years old (i.e., pre-

kindergarten through 12th grade).

• Pre-requisite skills o Complete or mostly complete VB-MAPP (i.e., 4 year old language

level).

Tacting parts and features of objects

Tacting adjectives

Tacting by class

Tacting yes and no

Tacting two-component labels (noun verb)

Tacting two-component labels (noun adjective)

Uses carrier phrase when labeling nouns with verbs or adjectives

Beginning to label prepositions

Beginning to label pronouns

Beginning to use appropriate autoclitic phrases/sentence structure

o With some learner’s it may be beneficial to start the program prior to

completing the VB-MAPP in order to teach some of the more

complicated Level 3 skills using the DI curricula.

LEARNER PROFILE

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3-11 1 4-5 2 4-11 3 5-5 4 5

LEVEL 3

Mand Tact Listener VP/MTS Play Social Reading Writing LRFFC IV Group Ling. Math

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○ ● ○ ○ ○ ● ○ ○ ○ ● ○ ○ ○ ● ○ ○ ○ ○ ● ○ ● ○ ● ● ○ ● ○ ○ ● ● ○ ● ○ ● ● ● ● ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ● ○ ● ○ ○ ○ ○ ● ● ○

LEVEL 2

Mand Tact Listener VP/MTS Play Social Imitation Echoic LRFFC IV Group Ling.

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n/a

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● ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ● ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ● ● ● ● ○ ○ ● ● ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○

LEVEL 1

Mand Tact Listener VP/MTS Play Social Imitation Echoic Vocal

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○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○

SR

SR

KS

4th test:

5th test:

5/12141

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TesterColor

WM1st test:

2nd test:

3rd test:

Key: Score

11/11132

11/10

5/11

DateTimmy

December 17, 2006

Child's name:

Age at testing:

Date of birth:

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PROGRAM CONTENT

• For all DI programs, the content (skills) to be taught is identified as the scope of instruction.

• This content is typically divided into tracks or strands. • The program presents skills simultaneously in parallel tracks that

may extend across lessons rather than conforming to the fixed units typical of conventional instruction.

• With this program organization, known as track sequencing, related concepts are:

o Introduced gradually through highly explicit teacher-directed instruction

o Applied systematically in an increasing number of ways o Practiced continually o Easily integrated with related skills and knowledge

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PROGRAM CONTENT

• Within a single day’s lesson various skills are being addressed. • Skills from earlier lessons, at various stages of their development,

are presented alongside the new skill that has been introduced. • As a result, students are continually reviewing what they are

learning and integrating new information with related skills.

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TEACHING EFFECTIVELY

• One of the hallmarks of DI programs is its emphasis on learning to mastery.

• When new skills are first introduced, they are errorlessly taught using modeling and prompting. The prompts are systematically faded over successive lessons.

• When students make mistakes, the teacher prompts immediately utilizing a structured errorless teaching procedure to strengthen responses and understanding before continuing through the lesson.

• Then, the activity is repeated until all students demonstrate fluency. Students practice what they learn through:

o Repetition of individual and group responses o Correction procedures for mistakes o Completion of independent work assignment o Performance of cumulative review activities, when students apply skills

in new situation

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TEACHING EFFECTIVELY

• Learners will respond with enthusiasm when the lesson is well prepared and presented with good pacing. The following are some suggestions that will help present the lesson:

• Practice the exercises • Get into the lesson quickly • Follow the scripted directions • Use clear signals

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TEACHING EFFECTIVELY

• Signals: – Language for Learning

• Pointing • Touching • Hand-drop

– Reading Mastery

• Continuous Sounds (Loop) • Stop Sounds (Slash) • Say It Fast (Hand Drop) • Blending (Fingers) • Audio (Clap-Tap) • Point/Touch

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Sample Lesson

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Sample Lesson

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TEACHING EFFECTIVELY

• Practice the signals

• Work with the children until their responses are firm and assured

• Correct mistakes immediately o Model o Lead o Test o Retest

• Pace exercises appropriately

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ASSESSMENT TESTS

• DI programs are designed to give teachers a complete, self contained system for monitoring student performance.

• They include curriculum-based Mastery Tests. • These tests, which are given to students either individually or in

groups after specified lessons have been completed, measure specific skills or concepts that have been taught during preceding lessons.

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DIRECT INSTRUCTION VIDEOS

• 1. Language for Learning- Mary

• 2. Reading Mastery Plus – Naryan

• 3. Connecting Math Concepts- Danny

• 4. Language for Learning- John Luca

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Websites on DI

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• http://www.ADIhome.org

– Trainings available

• http://www.SRAonline.com

– Information on contacting local representatives

• http://www.mheducation.com/

– Information such as types of commercially available

DI curricula, school funding, purchasing information,

and international access

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References

Adams, G. L., & Engelmann, S. (1996). Research on Direct Instruction: 25 years beyond DISTAR. Seattle, WA: Educational Achievement Systems.

Darch, C., & Simpson, R. G. (1990). Effectiveness of visual imagery versus rule-based strategies in teaching spelling to learning disabled students. Research in Rural Education, 7, 61-70.

Flores, M. M., & Ganz, J. B. (2007). Effectiveness of direct instruction for teaching statement inference, use of facts, and analogies to students with developmental disabilities and related delays. Focus on Autism and Other Developmental Disabilities, 22, 244-251.

Ganz, J.B., & Flores, M.M. (2009). The effectiveness of Direct Instruction for teaching language to children with Autism Spectrum Disorders: Identifying materials. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 39, 75-83.

McKenzie, M. A., Marchand-Martella, N. E., Moore, M. E., & Martella, R. C. (2004). Teaching basic math skills to preschoolers using connecting math concepts level k. Journal of Direct Instruction, 4, 85-94.

Riepl, J., Marchand-Martella, N., & Martella, R. (2008). The effects of Reading Mastery Plus on the beginning reading skills of students with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Journal of Direct Instruction, 8, 29-39.

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