The world of education is forever changing; with each new government a raft of legislative amendments make their way on to the statute book. Teachers are charged with new ways to approach learning, and schools have to adhere to a growing list of requirements.
It is therefore not surprising that what is best for young people within the education system can seem to be sidetracked. Here we take a look at an approach that puts the pupil at the heart of their learning.
The Power of EDI
EDI – or Explicit Direct Instruction – is a form of learning that ensures exceptional lessons – often utilising dry wipe whiteboards for schools to maximise absorption – are available to teachers and when delivered result in higher student attainment.
How EDI Works
EDI works from the premise that every child is primed for learning and with competent lessons can maximise achievement. It provides teachers with a series of strategies and instructional practices in order to do this.
EDI’s Early Days
EDI is the brain child of John Hollingsworth and Dr Silvia Ybarra and is based on brain research, educational theory, exact instruction and data analysis; struggling students have access to individual help and independent studies are also available.
John is the president and co-founder of DataWORKS and has applied his analytical and presenting skills to the field of education, transforming the lives of teachers and students with his insights into the teaching process.
Lesson Design
Lessons are planned based on the following components:
Learning objectives;
Activating prior knowledge;
Developing concepts;
Skills development;
Relevance of lessons;
Guided practice;
Lesson closure;
Independent studies.
Students are encouraged to use individual whiteboards – available from many outlets, including https://wedgewhiteboards.co.uk – and encouraged to buddy up with another student to aid understanding.
Lesson Delivery
Teachers are required to build in the following into each lesson:
Check understanding amongst students;
Verify students are learning throughout;
Teach by telling;
Develop students’ abilities to solve problems by talking through a subject;
Use physical objects to clarify content.
To conclude, EDI is skill-based with each student actively participating in the learning process. A holistic approach, it is a far cry from previous ‘skill and drill’ teaching techniques and significantly improves achievement for all learners.
Thousands of teachers in several US states, Australia and other countries have been trained in EDI.