Week 7 Blog (Fieldwork Experience)

WEEK 7 BLOG (October 6-October 10)

By: Meaghan Brenna Foley

• This week, a few of my fellow classmates presented their direct instruction lesson plan to the 2nd grade students at Bishop Dunn Memorial School. I learned a great deal about direct instruction through my observation of their lesson plan. I now firmly understand that the basic elements of any direct instruction lesson plan include: 1) introduction, 2) development, 3) guided practice, 4) closure, and 5) independent practice. 

The video above represents a direct instruction lesson plan with a central focus on spelling skills. The teacher shows model examples on the board, gives verbal instructions, and helps her students learn spelling skills through a multiple step process. 

1) Introduction

• In my opinion, the whole purpose of an introduction is to assess the prior knowledge of the students. I also believe that motivation is a critical element that drives direct instruction and gets the students engaged in the lesson.

2) Development

• In my opinion, the development part of a direct instruction lesson plan should always involve the teacher demonstrating, explaining, modeling, and checking for understanding. I honestly believe that students learn best by example. Examples help students gain a better understanding of a specific topic/subject matter. I think that teachers should also monitor the students' progress, especially during the development phase of direct instruction. Close monitoring will allow for a smoother transition into the guided practice phase of direct instruction.

3) Guided Practice

• In my opinion, guided practice is the most important phase of a direct instruction lesson.  I think that the guided practice is the most important phase because it involves helping the students develop and master certain skills. I agree with the fact that the guided practice should include multiple activities, ranging from simple to complex. I believe that students master skills when presented with 3-4 age-appropriate activities. In my opinion, the guided practice should allow for the students to both work independently and as a group. Social learning contributes to cooperative learning, which is a significant part of the learning process. 

4) Closure

• In my opinion, the closure part of the direct instruction lesson plan should always be geared towards the process of review. The closure should involve a simple activity and involve the whole class. After my observation this week, I believe that dividing the class into small groups during the closure is extremely beneficial. Assigning the students special roles, like group leader, makes them feel special and interests them in the activity. Assigning distinct roles is also a part of cooperative learning, where students work together towards a common goal. A whole class discussion should always be the final part of the closure in a direct instruction lesson.

5) Independent Practice

• In my opinion, the independent practice should be given for the students to complete for homework. In some cases, the independent practice may also be given at the end of class in the form of an exit ticket. Teachers must keep in mind that the independent practice activity should include elements discussed during the development and guided practice. Also, students shouldn't receive any form of assistance during the completion of independent practice. The main purpose of independent practice is to assess the students' knowledge of the topic at the conclusion of the direct instruction lesson.