You may be hearing the phrase "direct instruction" a lot lately, from other parents, on the news or in your child's school. It can sound technical, or even a little old-fashioned. It's neither.
At its heart, direct instruction is what a good coach does: show the move, have the player try it, tell them right away what to adjust, and keep practicing until it's automatic. Here's what it means for math, what researchers have found, and how you can use it at home tonight.
What it looks like in practice
A direct instruction lesson usually moves through a few simple steps. Teachers often call them "I do, we do, you do."
- I do. The teacher shows one example from start to finish, saying each step out loud. "To add 28 and 5, I start at 28. I need 2 more to make 30, and 3 more makes 33."
- We do. Teacher and children do a few together. The teacher asks questions, and the children answer each step.
- You do. Children try problems on their own, and find out right away whether they got them right.
- Review. The skill comes back in later lessons, mixed with others, until it sticks.
The lessons are small and carefully ordered, so each new step builds on one the child already knows. Mistakes are caught early, before they become habits.
Why it works for young learners
Children can only juggle a few new pieces of information at once. When they're asked to work out a method from scratch, most of that mental space goes to searching for a way in, with little left for learning. Seeing a worked example lightens that load.
In a classic set of experiments, students who studied worked-out algebra examples did better on new problems than students who learned by solving problems on their own, and they got there in far less time (Sweller and Cooper, 1985).
What the research found
Fifty years of studies
Researchers pulled together more than 300 studies of Direct Instruction programs published between 1966 and 2016. Across subjects and groups of children, they found positive effects, including in math, and rated the effects moderate to large (Stockard and colleagues, 2018).
A large federal experiment
In the late 1960s and 1970s, the U.S. government tested many ways of teaching young children from low-income families in a project called Follow Through. In the official evaluation, the Direct Instruction model came out on top on measures of basic skills (Stebbins and colleagues, 1977). Schools weren't randomly assigned, and researchers have debated what the results prove ever since, but the finding helped put direct instruction on the map.
Children who find math hard
A review of 42 studies of math teaching for students with learning disabilities found that explicit instruction was one of the two approaches with the biggest gains (Gersten and colleagues, 2009). A large trial with more than 1,200 kindergartners who were at risk in math found that those who got small-group lessons built on explicit teaching did better in math than similar children who didn't (Clarke and colleagues, 2020).
Guidance helps, whatever the lesson looks like
A review of 164 studies found that learners who were left to discover a method entirely on their own did worse than learners who were shown how. Learners who explored with guidance, such as feedback and worked examples, also did well (Alfieri and colleagues, 2011). Many classrooms use a mix of both, and the research suggests the guidance is what makes the difference.
Does my child still need to understand the "why"?
Yes. Direct instruction isn't memorizing steps without meaning. A good lesson shows why a method works, often with pictures, objects or a number line, then practices it until it's easy.
The National Mathematics Advisory Panel put it simply: understanding, fluency with facts and problem solving support each other, and arguing over which matters most misses the point (National Mathematics Advisory Panel, 2008). Children need all three, and clear teaching with plenty of practice builds all three.
How you can use it at home
- Show one, out loud. Work one problem while saying each step. Keep it short.
- Do one together. Let your child tell you each step while you write.
- Let them try. Give two or three similar problems and watch.
- Tell them right away. "Yes, that's it" or "Almost. Look at this step again."
- Bring it back. Ask one of those problems again in a day or two, mixed with something else.
- Keep it kind and short. Five calm minutes beat thirty frustrating ones.
How Bobby's Math Club can help
Bobby's Math Club brings every step to life. Short videos show your child how ("I do"). You can sit beside them and work through a few questions together ("we do"). Then they practice on their own, with feedback after every answer, and come back to what they missed ("you do" and review). That's why I use it with my own kids every week. Here's what the club offers:
- Short videos that show how. Skills explained step by step, for your child to watch on their own or with you.
- Feedback after every answer. A quick celebration when they're right, a gentle message and a second try when they're not.
- Shown how when they're stuck. The answer appears with a short explanation they can listen to.
- Small steps, at the right level. Your child practices where they succeed often, and moves up as they're ready.
- Lots of short practice. About five minutes at a time, as many questions as they like.
Questions parents ask
What is direct instruction in math?
It's a way of teaching where the teacher shows exactly how to solve a kind of problem, step by step, then children practice with quick feedback until it's solid, and the skill comes back later for review. It's also called explicit instruction.
Is direct instruction the same as Direct Instruction with capital letters?
Not quite. With capital letters, Direct Instruction usually means a specific set of scripted programs first developed by Siegfried Engelmann in the 1960s. In lowercase, it usually means the general approach: clear modeling, guided practice, feedback and review.
What does Sold a Story say about direct instruction?
The second season of Sold a Story, a podcast from APM Reports hosted by Emily Hanford, goes beyond reading to look at teaching itself. It tells the story of Siegfried Engelmann, who created Direct Instruction. Its first episode visits his preschool class in Champaign, Illinois, in 1966, where young children did addition, subtraction, multiplication and division. APM Reports also explains what Direct Instruction is.
Does the research support direct instruction?
Yes. A review of more than 300 studies over 50 years found positive effects in math and reading. A review focused on students with math learning disabilities found explicit instruction among the approaches with the biggest gains.
Is direct instruction just memorizing?
No. Good direct instruction explains why a method works, often with pictures or objects, then practices it until it's easy. Experts agree children need understanding, fluency with facts and problem solving, and that each helps the others.
Is direct instruction good for young children?
Yes, especially for anything new. Young children can hold only a little in mind at once, so being shown clear steps helps them learn without getting lost. Lessons should be short, warm and full of chances to succeed.
How can I use direct instruction at home?
Try "I do, we do, you do." Solve one problem out loud, do one together, then let your child try a few while you tell them right away how they did. Bring the same kind of problem back a day or two later.
Where does Bobby's Math Club fit in?
It's built for the practice and review steps. Your child answers questions at the right level, gets feedback after every answer and is shown how when they're stuck, in about five minutes at a time. Unlimited practice is free for Pre-K through 5th grade.
Research behind this guide
- Alfieri, L., Brooks, P. J., Aldrich, N. J., & Tenenbaum, H. R. (2011). Does discovery-based instruction enhance learning? Journal of Educational Psychology, 103(1).
- Clarke, B., Doabler, C. T., Turtura, J., Smolkowski, K., Kosty, D., Sutherland, M., et al. (2020). Examining the efficacy of a kindergarten mathematics intervention by group size and initial skill: Implications for practice and policy. The Elementary School Journal, 121(1).
- Gersten, R., Chard, D. J., Jayanthi, M., Baker, S. K., Morphy, P., & Flojo, J. (2009). Mathematics instruction for students with learning disabilities: A meta-analysis of instructional components. Review of Educational Research, 79(3).
- National Mathematics Advisory Panel (2008). Foundations for Success: The Final Report of the National Mathematics Advisory Panel. U.S. Department of Education.
- Stebbins, L. B., St. Pierre, R. G., Proper, E. C., Anderson, R. B., & Cerva, T. R. (1977). Education as Experimentation: A Planned Variation Model. Volume IV-A: An Evaluation of Follow Through. Cambridge, MA: Abt Associates.
- Stockard, J., Wood, T. W., Coughlin, C., & Rasplica Khoury, C. (2018). The effectiveness of Direct Instruction curricula: A meta-analysis of a half century of research. Review of Educational Research, 88(4).
- Sweller, J., & Cooper, G. A. (1985). The use of worked examples as a substitute for problem solving in learning algebra. Cognition and Instruction, 2(1).