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“Direct Teaching” is a structured approach to teaching which involves a high level of
interactivity. It is not seen as the single best model, but one of
several approaches. This paper complements other parts of the
Learning and Teaching Toolkit which deal with other approaches, such as
independent learning.
The term
“Direct Teaching”
can also be used in a looser way to describe a teaching style which is strongly
teacher-directed and involves ‘direct’ communication with a pupil, group of
pupils or class. In the late 1990s, HMI in Scotland began to
re-emphasise the importance of direct teaching in reaction to a sterile
worksheet based approach. This should not be seen as an argument for
unrelieved ‘top down’ whole class teaching.
Points Arising from Research
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The Direct Teaching approach is particularly effective in the teaching of skills
rather than knowledge |
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The teacher needs a very good level of knowledge and understanding of the topic
and a very easy control of the ideas. |
Key Elements
of Direct Teaching
The
Madeline Hunter model:
Hunter is
associated with the following teaching system, which emphasises modelling,
guided practice and then independent practice.
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There are 7 stages: |
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Establish the objectives of
the teaching
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Draw the pupils into the topic (referred to as the “anticipatory set” and
sometimes placed first in order here)
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Make expectations and assessment standards clear to pupils
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Teach the topic:
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Deliver the input
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Provide modelling/demonstrations
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Give directions for pupils
Check for pupils’ understanding (See
Toolkit section on
Questioning)
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Give guided practice in
the task
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Draw teacher-controlled
work to a close
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Provide independent practice
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This process is highly
structured or “scripted” |
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The order of elements can be changed according
to the specific situation |
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In some situations it may be that not all
elements will be present |
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It will be used most commonly in the whole
class situation, but can be used with groups |
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Active pupil involvement takes this form:
Watch how I do it >>> Help me do it
>>> I’ll watch you do it >>> You do it alone |
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The approach involves a high level of active
participation by pupils |
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At the end of the process it is important to
check pupils’ knowledge/understanding |
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Independent practice must be monitored to
ensure that pupils are doing it correctly |
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The learned skills must be transferable to
other situations |
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To help with this, Bloom’s Taxonomy may be
used to indicate the levels of learning which are necessary (See reference
to Bloom in the Toolkit section on
Questioning) |
Other
interpretations of the process
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Introduce the skill >>> Explain the skill
>>> Demonstrate/model the skill
>>> Review what has been done
>>> Apply the skill >>>
Reflect on the process, identifying next steps for improvement |
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Directing pupils on to task >>> Specific
instruction >>> Demonstration
>>> Explanations/illustrations
>>> Questions/discussion
>>> Consolidation >>> Evaluation |
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Goals
>>> Modelling/input >>>
Practice/feedback >>> Differentiation
>>> Review |
Characteristics of effective instruction and explanation
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Clear
and well structured |
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Kept
short (3-5 mins for lower Primary pupils, up to 10-15 mins for upper
Secondary) |
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Pupil
time on task will be maximised |
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The
teacher’s enthusiasm will be conveyed |
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Attention maintained through varied tone, use of humour etc |
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Good
examples used which seem relevant to pupils’ lives |
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Language
used which is appropriate for the pupils |
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Lessons
delivered at a brisk pace and accompanied by checks on pupil understanding |
Other
features
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“Scaffolding” (additional
support) will be needed for less structured skills |
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Pupils learn best in the
Zone of Proximal Development (from Vygotsky)
which means that the teacher needs to know pupils’ current level of
understanding and their potential to learn – and tailor the teaching
accordingly. |
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Parents or peer tutors may
be able to use a Direct Teaching model with guidance |
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Teacher-pupil interaction
is important in informing, explaining, modelling, listening, demonstrating,
describing, questioning, coaching |
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Differentiation is
important in the process, particularly for less structured skills: |
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Tasks to be graded in difficulty and to increase in difficulty
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Texts may be varied to match reading ages
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Outcomes may be varied to suit aptitudes (eg oral, written, visual
art….)
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Difficult areas need to be anticipated
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Teachers must have sound knowledge of pupils’ abilities, aptitudes
and preferred learning styles (see Toolkit section on Learning Styles)
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Appropriate models need to be talked through
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Appropriate support for pupil practice is needed
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Pupils reach a stage where they can proceed unaided at their optimum
highest level
Some
reservations
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There is
a danger of teaching skills without pupils understanding why they are
valuable |
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There is
a danger that skills taught in this way will not transfer to other contexts |
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Decontextualising the skills will improve potential for transfer (ie
presenting them to pupils in unfamiliar contexts to see if they are
understood out of normal context) |
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Direct
Teaching strategies work best when objectives are clearly identifiable and
achievable, but less so when they are more experiential and less concrete |
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Pupils
may become too reliant on information delivered by the teacher |
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We must
be aware of the need to promote intrinsic motivation |
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Direct
Teaching should be complemented by (and can prepare for) self-directed study |
Reflection
and Discussion
To what
extent do you use Direct Teaching approaches in your classroom?
Do you use or
could you use a very structured, “scripted” approach?
Are some
curricular areas more suited to such approaches?
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Some Activities
Relating To the Issue of Direct Teaching |
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Key element |
Objective |
Action |
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Some examples and
suggestions |
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The Madeline
Hunter Model |
This process is highly structured or “scripted” |
Most teachers feel comfortable with the idea of direct teaching.
However, it can be seen as a process which must follow closely a
clear set of “rules”. Consider how your own teaching matches this
pattern. Are there some elements of your teaching which are more
suited to the approach than others? “Script” a 7-stage approach for
a specific topic (bearing in mind the flexibility which it offers). |
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Other interpretations of the process |
Three different descriptions |
Consider some elements of your course and reflect on how your
delivery of them matches the various patterns. Is there scope for
rethinking any aspects? |
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Effective instruction and explanation
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Use good examples which seem relevant to pupils’ lives |
Consider the ways in which you explain things to pupils. Can you
build in any illustrations which are more closely related to pupils’
lives? Perhaps you could ask them to come up with such examples
themselves. |
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Some reservations |
Decontextualising the skills will improve potential for transfer |
It is important to teach skills in context. How, then, can we
ensure that pupils will be able to transfer them to other contexts –
in other curricular areas and out-of-school contexts? Consider how
you might adapt teaching to ensure that key skills can more easily
be transferred. Having a look at Bloom’s Taxonomy may
help. |
Selected References
Further Reading
Many books on teaching give advice on direct teaching approaches. For example,
the following book looks at many different aspects of teaching in the
whole-class context:
Active Whole-Class Teaching by Robert Powell, Robert Powell
Publications, ISBN 1901841 057
Contains many practical suggestions for effective whole-class work
Direct Interactive Teaching, Published by the Scottish Council on the
Curriculum (2000) ISBN 185955 6876
Gives advice on teaching approaches, emphasising the interactive elements of
direct teaching. Contains suggestions for teachers to reflect on their current
practice.
Websites
www.adprima.com/direct.htm
University of Phoenix site which introduces the Hunter model and provides
links
www.humboldt.edu/~tha1/hunter-eei.html
Humboldt University site which gives a clear, thorough, but concise
explanation of Hunter’s model
www.angelfire.com/co/Mozz/presentation.html
Notes for a presentation on direct teaching issues. Site seems to be
connected to Sunderland University
http://agpa.uakron.edu/k12/best_practices/direct_teaching.html
American site which comments on and gives a slightly different take on the
Direct Teaching model
www.standards.dfes.gov.uk/numeracy/teaching_resources/reception_to_year6/teaching_mathmatics/5759
Gives an account of direct teaching approaches in Maths
www.aea11.k12.ia.us/prodev/subauthorization/strat2/strat2handout07.pdf
Gives an explanation of Hunter’s
model, explaining the flexibility with which it can be used |
