Direct Teaching

Direct teaching is based on an education philosophy that

specific, intentional and scripted lessons, taught in small
learning increments, increase student achievement by
eliminating confusion and misconceptions. When assigning
student work, teachers take care to define work clearly for
the students.
The teacher needs a very good level of
knowledge and understanding of the topic
and a very easy control of the ideas.
7 instructional events
1. Gaining attention
2. Informing the learner of the objective
3. Stimulating recall of prerequisite learning
4. Presenting the stimulus material
Establish part-whole relationships.
Identify sequential relationships.
Find combinations of relationships.
Draw comparative relationships.
5. Eliciting the desired behavior
6. Providing feedback
Ask students to respond privately and then be
singled out for help.
Call on students to respond whether or not
their hands are raised.
Prepare questions beforehand and randomly
ask students to respond
7. Assessing the behavior
correct, quick, and firm
correct but hesitant
incorrect but careless
incorrect due to lack of knowledge.

Arrangements
1. Historical: Unit, chapter, lessons
2. Etiological: Cause-effect Pattern
3. Anatomical-Physiological
Characteristics
explanation

Interpretation of the process

Psychological Arrangement

Late Senior High School

Reading, Discussion, and Investigation
Junior High School Students
Library discussion and Motion Pictures
Middle high school
Student analysis, discussion and outside
resources (field trip)
Elementary
Simpler, less time-consuming, less use
of resources and less reading

effective

instruction

and

Clear and well structured

Kept short (3-5 mins for lower Primary pupils,
up to 10-15 mins for upper Secondary)
Pupil time on task will be maximized
The teachers enthusiasm will be conveyed.
Attention maintained through varied tone,
use of humour
Good examples used which seem relevant to
pupils lives
Lessons delivered at a brisk pace and
accompanied
by
checks
on
pupil
understanding

Some reservations

Explanations>>examples>>review>>practic
e>>feedback

of

There is a danger of teaching skills without

pupils understanding why they are valuable
There is a danger that skills taught in this way
will not transfer to other contexts
Decontextualising the skills will improve
potential for transfer
Direct Teaching strategies work best when
objectives are clearly identifiable and
achievable, but less so when they are more
experiential and less concrete
Pupils may become too reliant on
information delivered by the teacher
We must be aware of the need to promote
intrinsic motivation
Direct Teaching should be complemented by
self-directed study