According to research, direct instruction is a highly effective teaching strategy. While often misunderstood, studies show that students taught using direct instruction methods perform better in reading, math, and spelling compared to those who aren’t. But what exactly is guided instruction, and how does it relate to direct instruction?
This blog post explores the principles of guided instruction in education, detailing its steps, benefits, and offering practical examples for classroom implementation.
Defining Guided Instruction
Guided instruction is a teacher-led approach where educators provide explicit, step-by-step guidance to students as they learn new concepts or skills. The teacher acts as a facilitator, gradually releasing responsibility to the students as they gain confidence and competence. It focuses on active engagement and provides a structured framework for learning.
While often used interchangeably with direct instruction, guided instruction builds upon direct instruction principles. It emphasizes student interaction and active participation more explicitly than some traditional interpretations of direct instruction.
The direct instruction method is based on two core principles:
- All students can learn when taught correctly, regardless of history and background.
- All teachers can be successful, given effective materials and presentation techniques.
The Key Components of Guided Instruction
Guided instruction, similar to direct instruction, follows a structured approach. These steps ensure that students receive the support they need to succeed. Let’s break down the typical stages involved:
1. Review and Introduction
Begin by activating students’ prior knowledge. This involves reviewing previously learned material and connecting it to the new lesson. This could be done through quick quizzes, discussions, or even using tools like exit tickets as entry tickets, gauging their understanding from the previous lesson. For instance, using the BookWidgets exit slip tool to quickly check what students remember.
2. Presentation of New Material
Present new information in a clear and organized manner. Break down complex concepts into smaller, manageable steps. Use various methods like lectures, demonstrations, or storytelling to engage students.
- Lecture Method: State the main points, introduce an organizing theme, use examples, reinforce through repetition, and summarize.
- Demonstration: Visually showcase the skill or principle in small, digestible steps.
Tools like MySimpleShow can present material in a story-like format, and BookWidgets offers photo widgets to create interactive visuals.
3. Guided Practice
This is where the “guided” aspect truly shines. The teacher and students practice the new concept together. The teacher provides support, asks guiding questions, and corrects mistakes. This phase ensures students understand the material before moving on to independent work. Think-Pair-Share activities or Buzz sessions encourage collaboration and active participation.
4. Feedback and Correctives
Provide immediate feedback to students, correcting misunderstandings and reinforcing correct responses. Adapt your approach based on student responses:
| Student answer | Teacher action |
|---|---|
| Correct, quick, and firm | Ask a new question to keep up the pace of the lesson |
| Correct, but hesitant | Provide encouragement |
| Incorrect, but careless | Simply correct and move on |
| Incorrect and lacking knowledge | Provide hints, ask a simpler question, or reteach |
5. Independent Practice
Once students demonstrate understanding during guided practice, they can begin applying the new material independently. This provides them with the repetition needed to integrate the new information or skill with previous knowledge. Resources like quizzes or worksheets created with tools like BookWidgets allow for independent application and automated feedback.
6. Evaluation and Review
Assess student learning to determine if they have mastered the concept. This can be done through formative assessments, quizzes, or even having students create mind maps. The goal is to identify any areas that need further instruction. Using digital tools, like Kahoot or BookWidgets quizzes, can provide immediate insights into student understanding.
Engaging Examples of Guided Instruction in the Classroom
Guided instruction isn’t a rigid formula; it’s a flexible framework. Here are some engaging examples that can be adapted for different subjects:
- Entry/Exit Tickets: Start with an entry ticket to review prior knowledge and end with an exit ticket to assess understanding of the day’s lesson.
- Mentimeter: Use Mentimeter for live polls and word clouds to gauge student understanding and spark discussion.
- Storytelling: Present new material through engaging stories using tools like MySimpleShow or the BookWidgets WebQuest widget.
- Photo Widgets: Use interactive image widgets like the BookWidgets Hotspot Image to explore concepts visually.
- Video Quizzes: Integrate questions into instructional videos using the BookWidgets Video Quiz to promote active viewing.
- Group Work: Facilitate collaborative learning through group activities where students apply new knowledge.
- Think-Pair-Share: Encourage discussion and critical thinking with Think-Pair-Share activities.
- Quizzes and Worksheets: Provide independent practice and assess learning with quizzes and worksheets created using tools like BookWidgets.
- Flashcards: Utilize digital flashcards for vocabulary memorization and concept reinforcement.
- Mind Maps: Have students create mind maps to synthesize and organize new information.
The Benefits of Guided Instruction
Guided instruction offers numerous benefits for both students and teachers:
- Increased Student Engagement: The interactive nature of guided instruction keeps students actively involved in the learning process.
- Improved Comprehension: The step-by-step approach and ongoing support help students grasp complex concepts more easily.
- Enhanced Confidence: As students experience success with guidance, their confidence in their abilities grows.
- Targeted Support: Teachers can provide individualized support to students who are struggling.
- Effective Assessment: Guided instruction provides opportunities for ongoing assessment, allowing teachers to adjust their instruction as needed.
Conclusion
Guided instruction is a powerful teaching approach that combines direct instruction with active learning and ongoing support. By following the key components and implementing engaging examples, teachers can create a dynamic and effective learning environment for all students. It’s about fostering a classroom where students are not just passive recipients of information, but active participants in their own learning journey. Direct instruction is not just a boring teaching strategy; it is an opportunity to teach more effectively.
