Overview
Explicit instruction involves breaking down what students need to learn into smaller learning outcomes and modelling each step so that students can see what is expected of them. Providing explicit instruction limits the mental effort for students allowing them to process new information more effectively.
Australian Professional Standards for Teachers
Research
Explicit instruction has a strong evidence base that meets our highest standards of evidence. For more information about the evidence base, see below.
Tried and Tested practice guide
Annotated reference list
Using the practice
To be effective, explicit instruction needs to be implemented well. See below for more information on the ‘things to know’ when using the practice.
Planning for explicit instruction
Archer and Hughes (2011) provide a useful planning guide with their 6 teaching functions of explicit instruction. By cycling through this planning process, you can deliberately embed explicit instruction in your lesson processes.
To plan explicit instruction activities and supports as referenced by Archer and Hughes, it may also be helpful to work backwards from where you want your students to be at the end of the learning session to see how you can slowly remove scaffolds and supports to enable student mastery.
Using modelling
Snapshots of practice
Explicit instruction may look different in different contexts. See below examples of explicit instruction in a variety of classrooms and settings.
Teaching vignette
Explicit instruction at Loxton Primary School
Implementation tools
Here you will find tools to help you implement explicit instruction in your classroom or setting.
Implementation checklist
