Explicit Direct Instruction: what it means for teachers and students
In this interview Dawn Hughes, Good to Great Schools Australia’s Senior Teaching...
07 March, 2019
Our story
We are a not-for-profit organisation, who support schools and school systems on their improvement journey. With decades of experience, we help schools transition from Poor to Fair, Fair to Good, Good to Great and on to Excellent.
Our programs are designed to meet the needs of children from early childhood through to secondary school graduation. We believe that schools should be ready for students – not just students ready for school.
Despite Australia’s significant investment in education, classroom instruction is failing too many students. Once a top ten performing school system internationally, Australia now sits at twenty-five and continues to decline.
Almost half of Australian jobs will be disrupted by technology, eradicating many low skill and professional jobs. Our young people need a range of 21st century skills that span technical capabilities, critical thinking and character qualities. The foundations start with literacy and numeracy.
Our solution
We support schools and communities to build Great 21st century schools. Our framework enables systems and schools to be in control of their improvement journey.
Our 6C education model is designed to be delivered in any school. Schools can adopt one or many of the 6C domains depending on the specific needs of their students.
Boys, girls, Indigenous students, students in urban, rural and remote locations, students who are recent arrivals in Australia, other students from non-English speaking backgrounds, children with vision or hearing impairment, or disability, all begin school with the expectation that they will learn to read and write. Their parents share this expectation.
National Inquiry into the Teaching of Literacy 2005
A strong evidence base
We promote programs and practices that have been scientifically proven to be the most effective. Our education model is based on extensive research and results sourced directly from our Academies, school network and supported by international evidence. This enables us to confidently deliver improvement programs that continuously improve school practice and performance.
Source: Laureate Professor John Hattie, University of Melbourne, Jack Keating Memorial Lecture 2016
Our results
Cape York Aboriginal Australian Academy, 2016
181%
Greater than the Australian average growth in reading for years 3-5
98%
Greater than the Australian average growth in writing for years 3-5
181%
Greater than the Australian average growth in numeracy for years 3-5
Our growing school partnerships
We manage the Cape York Aboriginal Australian Academy, which delivers our full 6C education model. We currently support the diverse needs of schools around Australia, including urban, regional and remote schools and public and private schools.
Our growing school partnerships are increasing with the success of our programs.
Survey results
A 2016 independent survey of teachers and principals in schools using our programs showed the overall learning environment in their school had improved.
Explicit Direct Instruction
75%
48%
45%
65%
Direct Instruction
61%
77%
51%
56%
Building better educational habits and routines
Showing improved English oral language skills
Learning faster
More confident learners
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