Knowledge Is Back—But Only If We Teach It Well

I recently joined Dylan Wiliam and Patrice Bain on the Knowledge Matters Podcast to talk about retrieval practice, mini whiteboards, and the kinds of instructional moves that actually help students remember what they’ve learned. It was a generous conversation - one that didn’t just skim the surface of techniques, but dug into why they matter. … Continue reading Knowledge Is Back—But Only If We Teach It Well

Direct Instruction Conference: No Flash, All Function

I’m in Eugene, Oregon this week, soaking up the scene at the National Direct Instruction Conference. It’s not a glitzy affair - there are no lanyard influencers here, no big-stage keynotes promising “Project Based Learning” or “21st century skills.” What you get instead is something rarer and more sustaining: Design. Delivery. Organization. Teachers rolling up … Continue reading Direct Instruction Conference: No Flash, All Function

Science of Reading Meets Explicit Instruction

I'm an advocate for evidence-based instruction, and one of the few shining areas in that space is early reading. The science of reading provides a wealth of insights into how the mind learns to decode, comprehend, and engage with text. But simply knowing what goes into a science-based literacy block or textbook isn’t enough—students require … Continue reading Science of Reading Meets Explicit Instruction

Anything but boring: The power of direct instruction

Something of a movement is brewing in education these days. A renewed interest in the science of how kids learn has led to greater adoption of effective teaching principles: We should regulate student attention, manage the cognitive load of tasks, over-practice concepts with students, and use student responses to adjust lessons. This is called direct … Continue reading Anything but boring: The power of direct instruction

S4E25: Daisy Christodoulou on Assessment Practices and Challenges

Today, I am thrilled to host Daisy Christodoulou, an esteemed author and education expert renowned for her groundbreaking work on curriculum and assessment. Daisy's thought-provoking insights have reshaped the way educators approach teaching, and her books, including "Seven Myths About Education," have become essential reads in the field. In this episode, Daisy will delve into … Continue reading S4E25: Daisy Christodoulou on Assessment Practices and Challenges

S4E24: Randi Saulter and Ann Baum on DI in Special Education Settings

Today I am excited to be bringing you an episode of the DI podcast with Randi Saulter and Ann Baum. Randi and Ann are two passionate special education teachers who will take us through what Zig Engelmann called the “picky, picky” details of implementing DI in special education classrooms. This episode is chock full of … Continue reading S4E24: Randi Saulter and Ann Baum on DI in Special Education Settings

The Literacy View podcast are Faith Borkowsky and Judy Boksner with Zach Groshell

S4E23: Faith Borkowsky and Judy Boksner on “What’s Hot” in Literacy

Hi everyone, Zach Groshell here. Avid readers of my website will know that I was recently on a show called The Literacy View, which is also one of the podcasts in my listening rotation. It was with great excitement that I was able to snag hosts Judy and Faith for a very Literacy View episode … Continue reading S4E23: Faith Borkowsky and Judy Boksner on “What’s Hot” in Literacy

S4E22: J.R. Wilson and Barry Garelick on Engagement and Conceptual Teaching in Math

S4E22: J.R. Wilson and Barry Garelick on Engagement and Conceptual Teaching in Math

Welcome back to Progressively Incorrect. Fans of my blogs might remember the interview series that J.R. Wilson and Barry Garelick provided around their book, Traditional Math. I'm excited to bring you the voices behind this common sense approach to math instruction. In our chat, we talk about a wide range of topics, including... 1. Breaking … Continue reading S4E22: J.R. Wilson and Barry Garelick on Engagement and Conceptual Teaching in Math

Defining Explicit Teaching and Direct Instruction

Something about the label, direct instruction, seems to conjure images of boring lectures. The change to using explicit instruction was probably, at least in part, an attempt to remedy this, just like how testing got changed to retrieval practice to avoid associations with standardized tests. Retrieval is still testing, and explicit instruction is still direct, … Continue reading Defining Explicit Teaching and Direct Instruction

S4E13: Catherine Thevenot on Counting on Your Fingers

Should students be taught to count on their fingers? Today I am excited to bring you an interview with Catherine Thevenot. Catherine is a researcher at the Institute of Psychology at the University of Lausanne in Switzerland. Her work focuses on cognitive development, particularly in the area of numerical cognition and arithmetic skills in children. … Continue reading S4E13: Catherine Thevenot on Counting on Your Fingers