Hello and happy Friday!  Don't you just love the end of this week?  It is so difficult to return for a full week of work after the partial week and break.  I'm ready for the weekend!

I have recently been exploring the book, Explicit Instruction: Effective and Efficient Teaching by Archer and Hughes.  The book aims to share techniques and strategies that work with all learners to promote systematic, direct, engaging and success oriented instruction for all learners.  Working in a school, we are faced with students who bring a variety of abilities and needs to the classroom.  Finding a reliable resource that delivers techniques for all learners is paramount.  In the following chart, the authors share what they have determined to be core principles of effective instruction.  

I really like this chart as it is a simple reminder of the best practices we already know.  With brief descriptions, teachers can compare their plans to this chart and determine if they are incorporating the principles in the majority of their students' learning experiences.   It is not intended to be a checklist, meaning every element is not necessary in every lesson.  However, it is a reference point for overall unit and lesson design which can be used at anytime.  Depending on the complexity of the concept and the ability of the students, obviously, different elements need more or less attention. 

Another very helpful tool is their chart on ways to optimize instructional time.  If you are feeling like there just isn't enough time in the day and you are always pushing to get through things in a short period of time, these strategies might help you find ways to maximize the time you have in an effort to delve deeper with all learners