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Trailblazers: Exploring Explicit Instruction

Inst. Coaches

Created on October 17, 2025

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Transcript

Welcome Trailblazers!

Learning Intentions

We are learning ways to incorporate explicit instruction strategies to increase learner capacity.

Success Criteria:

I contributed to and have access to a repository of CCA tools to use for explicit instruction.

I understand and can implement the components of explicit instruction within my classroom.

I understand the key findings from cognitive science and the implications they have on instruction.

Science of Learning and the Science of Instruction

How do Students Learn?

How do Teachers Teach to Optimize Learning?

Science of Learning- Research from Cognitive Science through the College of Psychology, studying our thinking and brain Started with the Question: How do Students Learn? Their studies answer those questions and offer practical implications for teaching and learning

Science of Instruction- Research from Education Science through the Educational department Started with the Question: How do teachers teach to optimize learning? Goal is to offer evidence-based practices to optimize learning (application to all content areas)

Converging Evidence: complementary findings through different questions

Cognitive Science Findings: Practical Implications for Teaching and Learning

3. Practice Practice Practice Practice •Repetition •Rehearsal- supporting initial practice to increase accuracy. •Retrieval Practice- retrieving knowledge and skills from memory • Incorporate different types of content • Cumulative practice

6. Effective Feedback Good feedback is: •Specific and clear •Focused on the task rather than the student, and •Explanatory and focused on improvement rather than verifying performance (See Deans for Impact)

1. Cognitive Load Theory: Our working memory can only hold a small amount of information at any one time. Instructional methods should avoid overloading working memory to maximize learning. Sweller 1988

2. Avoid Cognitive Overload •Memory capacities can be overwhelmed by tasks that are cognitively too demanding. •Break down content and lessons into obtainable chunks. •Activate prior knowledge before sharing new information. •Teach foundation skills and knowledge to mastery. •Connect new knowledge to previously learned information. •Avoid digressions. (going off topic can take up coginitive space)

4. Spaced practice over time •Solidifies knowledge in long-term memory •Critical thinking is based on having a body of factual knowledge •Daily Review: Builds automaticity and reduces cognitive load.

7. Other Big Ideas •Be clear and specific about what we want students to learn. •Reduce extraneous cognitive load. •Worked Example Effect: present a worked example and ask students to complete an identical structured example.

5. Engagement •Design lessons that engage students and prompt them to think about the content. •Disengaged students won’t learn much. •Attention is crucial for the processing of information effectively.

Create the Key: Where does Cognitive Science Research fit into Explicit Instruction?

1 mm = 50 km

NE

NW

SW

SE

Ocean

Mountain

Lake

Treasure

Activity- On the next page, you will drag the number corresponding to each Cognitive Science component into the box aligned with the appropriate Explicit Instruction component.

Focus on Critical Content

Frequent Responses

Brisk Pace

Monitor Learner Performance

Distributed and Cumulative Practice

Break Down Complex Material

Organize and Focus Lessons

Step by step demonstrations

Feedback

Guided Practice

Clear Lesson Goals

Check for Understanding

Review prior skills and knowledge

Number Key

1. Cognitive Load Theory 2. Avoid Cognitive Load 3. Practice,Practice, Practice 4. Spaced practice over time 5. Engagement 6. Effective Feedback 7. Clear and specific, worked examples

Focus on Critical Content

Frequent Responses

Brisk Pace

Monitor Learner Performance

Distributed and Cumulative Practice

Break Down Complex Material

Step by Step Demonstrations

Feedback

Organize and Focus Lessons

Clear Lesson Goals

Check for Understanding

Guided Practice

Review Prior Skills and Knowledge

Answer Key

10:00

THANK YOU!

Traci's Booking Link

Stephanie's Booking Link

Coaches Portal Page

Frontline Link

Book Study Coming in January! Great way to learn more and earn Comet Hours at the same time.

Cognitive Science: Big Ideas

3. Practice Practice Practice Practice •Repetition •Rehearsal Supporting initial practice to increase accuracy. •Retrieval Practice Retrieving knowledge and skills from memory • Interleave different types of content • Cumulative practice

6. Effective Feedback Good feedback is: •Specific and clear •Focused on the task rather than the student, and •Explanatory and focused on improvement rather than merely verifying performance (See Deans for Impact)

1. Cognitive Load Theory: Our working memory can only hold a small amount of information at any one time. Instructional methods should avoid overloading working memory to maximize learning. Sweller 1988

2. Avoid Cognitive Overload •Memory capacities can be overwhelmed by tasks that are cognitively too demanding. •Break down content into obtainable chunks. •Break down lessons into smaller, manageable chunks. •Activate prior knowledge before sharing new information. •Teach foundation skills and knowledge to mastery. •Connect new knowledge to previously learned information. •Avoid digressions. (going off topic can take up coginitive space)

4. Spaced practice over time •Solidifies knowledge in long-term memory •Critical thinking is based on having a body of factual knowledge •Daily Review: Builds automaticity and reduces cognitive load.

7. Other Big Ideas •Be clear and specific about what we want students to learn. •Reduce extraneous cognitive load. •Worked Example Effect: Present a worked example and ask students to complete an identical structured example.

5. Engagement •Design lessons that engage students and prompt them to think about the content. •Disengaged students won’t learn much. •Attention is crucial for the processing of information effectively.