Direct Instruction Procedure for Teaching Skills
1. Introduction:
- Select a social skill.
- Ask the students what they know about the skill.
- Write all of the students' ideas.
- Ask questions to help clarify what the students have suggested. This is an introduction to clarify what students know. Don't teach yet, that's coming.
2. Mini lecture:
- Define the skill.
- Explain it.
- Present a written list or procedure of steps, to use as a guide during the mini lecture, and for students to use to implement and review during feedback.
- Tell how to implement the skill.
- Give rationale for its effective use.
3. Model:
- Give a clear detailed presentation (live, video, or film) of the skill.
- Use self talk.
- Note how the model fits with the procedure or list of steps.
- Present a chart with what it looks like, what it sounds like, and what it feels like.
- Quiz students over presentation and procedure.
- Review as necessary.
4. Role play:
- Use groups of two, or groups of three with one group observer.
- Increase the size of the group and have students offer suggestions.
- Have students demonstrate for the class and critique their actions.
- Move from self talk to self thought.
- Consider age appropriate.
- Continually review until students internalize the skill.
5. Feed back:
- Total peer participation.
- Have the groups list what was good, what could be improved (tips and hints), and what questions they have about the skill.
- Step by step analysis and edit procedure as necessary.
- Give honest encouragement.
- Consider alternative approaches.
6. Reinforcement:
- Specific praise, encouragement, and feedforward.
- Visual cues and prompting or re instruct.
- Weekly review to expand and connect previous skills.
- Review in class use and can expand to have students report appropriate out of class or school use of the skill.
Final suggestions
- Incorporate into a local system: in class, homework, reports, practice outside of the classroom, task cards
- Write remarks in a notebook, journal, scrapbook, write about who am I, individual conferences to encourage and evaluate personal growth
- Write a discharge packet with some of the same activities but reduce the time the teacher is involved.