Explicit Instruction: Effective and Efficient Teaching

Explicit instruction is systematic, direct, engaging, and success oriented and has been shown to promote achievement for all students. This highly practical and accessible resource gives special and general education teachers the tools to implement explicit instruction in any grade level or content area. The authors are leading experts who provide clear guidelines for identifying key concepts, skills, and routines to teach; designing and delivering effective lessons; and giving students opportunities to practice and master new material. Sample lesson plans, lively examples, and reproducible checklists and teacher worksheets enhance the utility of the volume.

Key Features:

• Authors are leading experts; Archer conducts over 150 inservice trainings each year.
• Explicit instruction is a hot topic and a key element of the Reading First initiative.
• Practical and accessible: includes lesson plans and examples for effective lesson design.
• Strong research base: explicit instruction leads to better learning outcomes in both general and special education classrooms.

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Table of Contents

1. Exploring the Foundations of Explicit Instruction
2. Designing Lessons: Skills and Strategies
3. Designing Lessons: Vocabulary and Concepts
4. Designing Lessons: Rules
5. Organizing for Instruction
6. Delivering Instruction: Eliciting Responses
7. Delivering Instruction: Other Critical Delivery Skills
8. Providing Appropriate Independent Practice

Conclusion

Reproducible Materials

Feedback on Application Exercises

"Archer and Hughes have laid bare the architecture of effective instruction in this 'must-read' volume. Extensive research has converged on quality of instruction as the core ingredient in school improvement; the genius of this book is the clarity with which it explicates how this quality can be intentionally developed in every classroom. Each strategy or process is illustrated with concrete examples from diverse classrooms. In my 40 years in education, I have never before seen a book as insightful, comprehensive, and practical as this one. Every educator will treasure it!"
- Kevin Feldman EdD, Emeritus Director of Reading and Intervention, Sonoma County (California) Office of Education

"If I had to recommend one book that would arm teachers with the instructional practices they need to have the greatest chance of dramatically improving their students’ achievement, this would be the one. This is the definitive resource on explicit instruction. Every page is filled with detailed descriptions of how to implement the most powerful explicit instruction teaching practices. Brilliantly conceptualized and written, this book will be embraced by practicing teachers and administrators as well as those preparing future educators."
- Donald D. Deshler, PhD, Williamson Family Distinguished Professor of Special Education and Director, Center for Research on Learning, University of Kansas