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Many of our previous posts have encouraged educators to pair interventions in domains such as handwriting, mathematics, and reading with explicit instruction. We have repeatedly referred to explicit instruction for one simple reason: It works. Research has linked explicit instruction to improved outcomes across multiple academic areas (Bogaerds-Hazenberg et al., 2021; Graham & Perin, 2007; Stevens et al., 2018). Unfortunately, many core reading programs do not include elements of explicit instruction (Dewitz et al., 2009; Reutzel et al., 2014). This post defines explicit instruction, describes examples of its use in practice, and provides links to a free eLearning module and fidelity assessment tool.
Explicit Instruction—An Overview
In terms of defining explicit instruction, we can do no better than Hughes and colleagues (2017, p. 143):
Explicit instruction is a group of research-supported instructional behaviors used to design and deliver instruction that provides needed supports for successful learning through clarity of language and purpose, and reduction of cognitive load. It promotes active student engagement by requiring frequent and varied responses followed by appropriate and corrective feedback, and assists long-term retention through use of purposeful practice strategies.
This definition elaborates on the common characterization of explicit instruction as “I do, we do, you do”—an approach in which the teacher demonstrates and then gradually transfers responsibility for a task to students. This shorter description conceals much of the complexity and many of the benefits of the practice (Baumann, 1988). Importantly, teacher support and procedural guidance are crucial elements of explicit instruction, distinguishing it from methods that minimize teacher support, such as inquiry-based learning and others (Kirschner et al., 200k; Powell et al., 2022).
Notably, explicit instruction is more effective for novice learners and those with limited proficiency, whereas advanced learners benefit from greater opportunities for independent practice (Mayer, 2004; Zhang et al., 2022). This “expertise reversal effect” appears to suggest a balanced approach to instruction—instructor guidance followed by opportunities for student exploration (Sweller et al., 2023). However, the effect of guidance for novices outweighs the advantages of independence for experts (Tetzlaff et al., 2025). Given that national assessments routinely indicate many students struggle in fundamental areas of reading and math (e.g., National Center for Education Statistics, 2024), we strongly encourage educators to integrate explicit instruction in their classrooms.
Using Explicit Instruction in Practice
Practice-oriented descriptions of explicit instruction align with Hughes and colleagues’ broader definition. Johnson and colleagues (2017) developed a rubric for assessing the use of explicit instruction along seven dimensions: (1) identifying and communicating objectives, (2) alignment of objectives with instruction, (3) clear and accessible teaching procedures, (4) guiding practice, (5) student-responsive pacing, (6) maintaining student engagement, and (7) monitoring and feedback.
The next section describes each component of explicit instruction in greater detail with examples from a lesson in which students identify the main idea of a passage. In practice, explicit instruction serves as a flexible framework for designing a variety of lessons across subjects and content domains.
Identifying and Communicating Objectives
When using explicit instruction, lesson objectives should be specific, observable, and communicated clearly to students. Additionally, teachers should describe the rationale behind the lesson—why it matters—to students.
Example
A teacher opens class by clearly describing the goal of instruction as: “Today we will identify the main idea of the passages we read and share them with our groups. We do this because strong readers understand text and use key details to explain their thinking—skills you’ll need for reading in other subjects like science and social studies, note-taking, and writing summaries.”
Alignment
Teachers focus their instruction, materials, and assignments on the lesson objectives. Additionally, teachers should align the lesson with the instructional level of all students, ensuring examples and assignments are neither too easy nor too difficult.
Example
Returning to the objective identified in the earlier example, all instruction—including modeling, discussion, guided reading, and partner activities—should pertain directly to identifying the main idea, and the passage must suit this purpose. Students should be able to read the text fluently and recall basic elements of the narrative.
Teaching Procedures
Teaching procedures in explicit instruction encompass a range of techniques. In contrast to the emphasis on teacher knowledge implied in the “I do, we do, you do” framing, explicit instruction engages students’ background knowledge in the learning process. In addition, the teacher should clearly demonstrate new skills and accompany more complex skills with multiple demonstrations. Throughout the lesson, the teacher should use language that is both precise and unlikely to confuse students. When necessary, the teacher provides support such as prompts, simplified examples, and think-alouds to help students learn. One essential adaptation involves breaking complex skills into small steps to help students process the task. After individual steps are mastered, the entire task is practiced.
Example
In our example, this might begin by reviewing passage features such as the title, figures, or headings, and predicting the content of the piece using students’ prior knowledge. The teacher then models the skill using think-alouds while annotating a short paragraph, drafts a clear main-idea sentence with a frame (“This passage is mostly about ___; it explains that ___”), and checks that each chosen detail supports the sentence and that no key detail contradicts it. Students try the same steps with a shorter, heavily guided and supported paragraph using prompt cards and then repeat with a second example as prompts are faded.
Guided Practice
Once student performance improves, the teacher gradually withdraws supports provided in initial lessons to foster independence. This will eventually extend beyond simple models to applied exercises. Throughout applied activities, teachers provide prompts to help students use newly acquired skills.
Example
When reading to learn the main idea, the teacher returns to the same short passage used in modeling and leads the class through the steps with light prompts (“What is this mostly about?”). Students first respond together and then in pairs using the same organizer and sentence frame from the model. On a second, comparable paragraph, the teacher fades support while circulating to give quick corrections. To close, partners apply the routine to a brief, level-appropriate passage from the same text set, write one clear main-idea sentence with two text-based supporting details, and turn in an exit slip to confirm readiness for independent practice.
Pacing
Explicit instruction requires teachers to maintain an efficient pace while also providing students with ample time to process new information and respond throughout the lesson. The pace supports the lesson objectives by minimizing digressions and distractions.
Example
Returning to our example, the teacher paces the lesson so time is spent only on identifying the main idea and supporting details. The teacher’s model of the routine with a short paragraph might take no more than three minutes before immediately moving on to several cycles of guided practice. The teacher uses clear transitions, provides 3-5 seconds of wait time for each prompt, and redirects digressions back to the objective (“That’s interesting, but right now we’re deciding what the passage is mostly about”). When several students hesitate, the teacher quickly models a single step rather than restarting the whole routine. The final two minutes are reserved for a concise application to a new, level-appropriate paragraph—keeping a brisk tempo without rushing comprehension.
Engagement
Effective lesson design increases the likelihood that students remain engaged. Explicit instruction provides students with several opportunities to speak, write, gesture, use manipulatives, collaborate with peers, or otherwise respond over the course of the lesson. Instructional routines, or approaches to activities that are repeated across several lessons without variation, allow students to focus with minimal distractions. Teachers should also continually monitor students and provide redirection as needed.
Example
For our main ideas lesson, the teacher builds frequent, varied opportunities to respond into the same routines. During the model, students track print and signal with a finger when they spot the main idea; on cue they give a brief choral response, then show a thumbs-up when they hear the most important idea. Brief turn-and-talks and a timed 30–45-second partner share keep the pace brisk. Throughout, the teacher actively circulates, praises on-task behavior, and maximizes engagement.
Monitoring and Feedback
Providing students with opportunities to respond also allows teachers to check for understanding throughout the lesson. Responses should be met with specific, informative feedback to support accurate practice, confidence, and independence. Finally, teachers adjust instruction based on student performance and pause or re-teach lessons to ensure understanding.
Example
If the teacher notices students are missing steps when applying the main idea strategy, they give precise, actionable feedback tied to the routine. Feedback is brief and specific: If several pairs show the same error, the teacher re-models that step with a short, similar paragraph. If accuracy remains low, the teacher initiates an extra guided cycle and swaps in a slightly easier paragraph before returning to the day’s text. If accuracy is high, the teacher fades prompts and students proceed to independent practice.
Resources
Explicit instruction is a fundamental practice underpinning many reading interventions (Hughes et al., 2017). Later this month, the IRRC will release an eLearning module to assist teachers in acquiring the key steps of explicit instruction. Additionally, in our fidelity measurement application, Measure FIRST, coaches will be able to access a prepared fidelity rubric as they prepare educators to use explicit instruction in their classrooms. Both the eLearning module and fidelity rubric will be accessible through the Measure FIRST webpage starting December 16th, 2025.
Explicit instruction encompasses practices that make lessons clear, efficient, and effective. Instructors can apply the general framework across a range of interventions, subjects, and strategies. Helping students make gains in reading involves meeting them where they are and providing the support they need to excel.
Acknowledgements
We thank Corey Peltier, associate professor of special education at the University of Oklahoma, whose commentaries on explicit instruction greatly informed this post.
References
Baumann, J. F. (1988). Direct instruction reconsidered. Journal of Reading, 31(8), 712–718.
Bogaerds-Hazenberg, S. T., Evers-Vermeul, J., & van den Bergh, H. (2021). A meta‐analysis on the effects of text structure instruction on reading comprehension in the upper elementary grades. Reading Research Quarterly, 56(3), 435–462. https://doi.org/10.1002/rrq.311
Dewitz, P., Jones, J., & Leahy, S. (2009). Comprehension strategy instruction in core reading programs. Reading Research Quarterly, 44(2), 102–126. https://doi.org/10.1598/RRQ.44.2.1
Graham, S., & Harris, K. R. (1997). It can be taught, but it does not develop naturally: Myths and realities in writing instruction. School Psychology Review, 26(3), 414–424.
Graham, S., & Perin, D. (2007). Writing next: Effective strategies to improve writing of adolescents in middle and high schools – A report to Carnegie Corporation of New York. Alliance for Excellent Education.
Hughes, C. A., Morris, J. R., Therrien, W. J., & Benson, S. K. (2017). Explicit instruction: Historical and contemporary contexts. Learning Disabilities Research & Practice, 32(3), 140–148. https://doi.org/10.1111/ldrp.12142
Johnson, E. S., Crawford, A. R., Moylan, L. A., & Zheng, Y. (2017). Explicit instruction rubric manual. Boise State University.
Kirschner, P. A., Sweller, J., & Clark , R. (2006). Why minimal guidance during instruction does not work: An analysis of the failure of constructivist, discovery, problem-based, experiential and inquiry-based teaching. Educational Psychologist, 41, 75–86. https://doi.org/10.1207/s15326985ep4102_1
Mayer, R. E. (2004). Should there be a three-strikes rule against pure discovery learning?. American Psychologist, 59(1), 14. https://doi.org/10.1037/0003-066X.59.1.14
National Center for Education Statistics. (2024). The nation’s report card: 2024 reading—grade 12. U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences. https://www.nationsreportcard.gov/reports/reading/2024/g12/
Powell, S. R., Hughes, E. M., & Peltier, C. (2022). Myths that undermine maths teaching. Centre for Independent Studies. https://www.cis.org.au/publication/myths-that-undermine-maths-teaching/
Reutzel, D. R., Child, A., Jones, C. D., & Clark, S. K. (2014). Explicit instruction in core reading programs. The Elementary School Journal, 114(3), 406–430. https://doi.org/10.1086/674420
Stevens, E. A., Rodgers, M. A., & Powell, S. R. (2018). Mathematics interventions for upper elementary and secondary students: A meta-analysis of research. Remedial and Special Education, 39(6), 327–340. https://doi.org/10.1177/0741932517731887
Tetzlaff, L., Simonsmeier, B., Peters, T., & Brod, G. (2025). A cornerstone of adaptivity–A meta-analysis of the expertise reversal effect. Learning and Instruction, 98, 102142. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.learninstruc.2025.102142
Zhang, L., Kirschner, P. A., Cobern, W. W., & Sweller, J. (2022). There is an evidence crisis in science educational policy. Educational Psychology Review, 34(2), 1157–1176. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10648-021-09646-1