Webinar Notes: The Magic of Instruction

Introduction

• Webinar Topic: The Magic of Instruction
• Presented by: Dr. Anita Archer
• Focus: Structured literacy and its importance in effective instruction.
• Participants: Attendees from various states (e.g., Georgia, New Jersey, Wisconsin) and countries (e.g., Australia, Canada).

Key Points from Dr. Archer's Introduction

• Mission of Teaching: Our mission is to ensure that every child is learning, which includes decoding, encoding, phonemic awareness, vocabulary, and comprehension.
• Impact of Teaching on Learning: The quality of teaching has a direct correlation with student learning outcomes.
• Statistics: Teachers attribute student performance to their instruction only 15% of the time.

Explicit Instruction Overview

• Definition: Explicit instruction involves systematic teaching, focusing on critical content, and ensuring active student participation.
• Phases of Instruction:
  • I Do: Teacher demonstrates the lesson.
  • We Do: Guided practice with the students.
  • You Do: Independent practice by the students.

The Science of Reading and Instruction

• Two Bodies of Research: Combine the science of reading (decoding, phonemic awareness, vocabulary, comprehension) with the science of instruction.
• Importance of effective instruction to ensure competent readers.

Critical Content Areas to Teach

• Decoding and Phonics: Teach students to read based on letters and sounds.
• Phonological Awareness: Essential for early literacy development.
• Fluency and Vocabulary: Importance of building site vocabulary and fluency skills for comprehension.

Elements of Explicit Instruction

1. Focus on Critical Content: Identify and teach what is essential for reading.
2. Breakdown Complex Strategies: Make strategies obtainable to avoid cognitive overload.
3. Provide Quality Explicit Instruction: Ensure clarity in demonstrations, guided practice, and checking for understanding.
4. Involve Students: Actively engage all students through responses during lessons.
5. Monitor Responses: Adjust lessons based on student responses to ensure learning.
6. Provide Feedback: Include praise, corrective feedback, and informative feedback.
7. Deliberate Practice: Use structured practice, retrieval, and spaced practice to enhance retention.
8. Management Procedures: Create routines and procedures to support learning.

Importance of Student Engagement

• Opportunities to Respond: Increase participation to enhance learning and reduce disruptive behaviors.
• Effective Practices: Replace voluntary hand-raising with structured responses to ensure all students are engaged.

Recommendations for Transitioning to Structured Literacy

• Start with Primary Grades: Focus on explicit phonics instruction from the beginning.
• Utilize Successful Practices: If teachers witness student success through structured literacy approaches, they are more likely to buy in.

Final Thoughts

• Commitment: The effectiveness of teaching relies on the commitment to student learning and the implementation of best practices.
• Kindness in Teaching: Establish positive teacher-student relationships and practice kindness in the classroom.

Conclusion

• Next Webinar: February 8th, featuring Dr. Sharon Vaughn on comprehension related to the science of reading.
• Follow-Up: Participants will receive links to the webinar materials and a certificate of attendance.