In recent months, the media has extensively reported on the value and importance of explicit instruction . Earlier this year, the Sydney Morning Herald reported on a University of Queensland study which found that Year 7 students who learnt through explicit instruction were four months ahead in their learning by Year 9.
The secretary of the NSW Department of Education, Murat Dizdar, said that explicit instruction is valuable for all students, whether they are “struggling or accelerating beyond their class or stage level”.
Regular readers of the RHAC weekly newsletter will know that our school is thoroughly committed to explicit instruction. Our teachers have been involved in targeted professional research projects to help them develop and refine their skills.
Explicit instruction involves teachers clearly outlining what students will be learning, explaining new content and concepts and checking that students understand what they are learning. Explicit instruction also involves students asking questions and being asked challenging questions by their teacher. Students are given opportunities to practice new skills and commit new content to memory.
