Models of Instruction

Direct Instruction: A Model For Learning A Skill

Direct Instruction is the model to use when we want to teach students to perform a specific skill. It gently moves from teacher modeling to independent student practice.

Inquiry Training: Teach Students To Ask Better Questions

Inquiry Training is a model of instruction that looks a lot like 20 Questions. You’ll teach your students to ask more helpful questions and to avoid rushing to a hypothesis too quickly.

My Favorite Models of Instruction

I used to teach without any structure. Just “blah blah blah”ing. Then I only knew Direct Instruction. THEN I learned that there are more than a dozen models of instruction to build my lessons around.

Scholar’s Cafe

Get students moving, thinking, writing, and reading each others’ ideas with a Scholar’s Cafe.

Concept Formation: A Model for Inductive Thinking

Here’s are the steps for running an inductive lesson based on Hilda Taba’s model of Concept Formation. Plus a sample lesson about the Nile River.

Group Investigation: Lessons Built on Curiosity

John Dewey’s Group Investigation is a favorite model of instruction of mine. It’s simply built on curiosity!

Concept Attainment: A Model for Inductive Thinking

The first grammar lesson in our reading program is titled “types of sentences.” Nothing excites gifted 11 year olds less than watching me explain the difference between interrogative and declarative sentences. This year, rather than teach the lesson using direct instruction, I used another model of instruction: concept attainment.