HIGH-LEVERAGE PRACTICES IN General Education and Resource CLASSROOMS

Open up Opportunity:
Using Explicit Instruction for Understanding

Episode Description

In this episode, Heather and Alex compare how explicit instruction shows up in general and special education classrooms—and why it works for all students, not just those with IEPs. They reflect on how clear routines, strong objectives, and step-by-step teaching benefit not just academic progress but classroom stability and student confidence.
From helping students anticipate what’s coming next to setting up a class that runs smoothly even when things go off-script, they talk about the real, everyday value of explicit instruction. Whether you're teaching foundational skills or co-planning with a colleague, this approach helps everyone stay on the same page—students included.

Key Points and Takeaways

  • EI is a systematic and supportive teaching method essential for breaking down complex tasks and ensuring student understanding.
  • Alex discusses how EI benefits general ed students by establishing foundational skills and creating a structured learning environment.
  • Heather highlights the dual benefits of EI for special ed students, including behavioral regulation and academic progress.
  • The discussion covers how school leaders can support teachers in implementing EI through professional development and targeted coaching.
  • Both educators agree on the universal applicability of EI, noting its potential to significantly enhance learning outcomes for all students.
Podcast Guest

Alexander Vrbanoff, BA

Alexander Vrbanoff is a nonprofit grant writer and aspiring general education English teacher specializing in inclusive writing practices. He has been a social media marketer, writing center tutor, and substitute teacher in the public and higher education sectors. Outside of his professional work, he enjoys gold, horology, reading, writing, and comedy. Alexander is a Nonprofit Grant Writer with his Bachelor of Arts in English Education.

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High-Leverage Practice #16:
Use explicit instruction.
Teachers make content, skills, and concepts explicit by showing and telling students what to do or think while solving problems, enacting strategies, completing tasks, and classifying concepts. Teachers use explicit instruction when students are learning new material and complex concepts and skills. They strategically choose examples and non-examples and language to facilitate student understanding, anticipate common misconceptions, highlight essential content, and remove distracting information. They model and scaffold steps or processes needed to understand content and concepts, apply skills, and complete tasks successfully and independently.
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If you don't know what you're teaching or you don't know what direction you're going... You're going to have a very difficult time organizing yourself and understanding where more instruction needs to be applied.

Alexander Vrbanoff

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Host: Heather Volchko

Guest: Alexander Vrbanoff

This week we're talking about explicit instruction. We have a ton of different directions that this conversation can go, and there's all kinds of details in it. We are not going to come anywhere close to scratching the surface of this, but I'm super excited because this week I've got Alex with me and he is coming from the perspective of Gen Ed. And so before we hit record, we were having this conversation around the difference between Gen Ed and Special Ed and how maybe the two sides look at explicit instruction.

So I would just say, starting off from your perspective, Alex, what is explicit instruction?

Yeah. So explicit instruction, in my mind, is basically a very, very kind of structured way of teaching, right? You have your objectives, your learning goals, your outcomes. You have explicit ways that you're going to step by step meet these goals that you're going to scaffold, etcetera. And then by the end, you have an end result that you're expecting and that you're going to give feedback for. So it's the c type of learning where you're helping students all the way along the way, giving them definitions on the boards, maybe provide them PowerPoint or however you do it. But it's very drawn out, it's very mapped out, it's planned out ahead. Very planned out.

Yeah. It's interesting always listening to other people describe these things because as a sped teacher, I started with, like, this is instruction, right? This is how I run my classroom. This is how it goes. So it's always fun for me to hear other people that have a whole ton of different strategies, especially content specialists, like English teachers, math teachers, right? They have a whole arsenal of other… just instructional strategies that, like, we get to play in those spaces, too, in special ed, but we have these specific targets that we have to close the gap on.

And so that's really like, we're there to boost the learning so that then you can go have fun with them.

Yeah. I think that's a really great take. I think that when you're going into teaching and when you're being taught at a college about specific content and teaching for a Gen Ed class, this type of explicit instruction, they kind of advise kind of against leaning on it, right? Because in a Gen Ed classroom, the focus might be more on critical thinking or this type of agency where you have to focus more on fundamentals and understanding what needs to be learned explicitly in a Spec Ed class.

But both of these tools are used in either class. But it's interesting that you see research, and it shows such an improvement among students with disabilities that we realize, well, it could almost maybe be seen as ableist to just set somebody off to do whatever they need to do, especially if they have a disability. If you are not willing to provide them the structure or support or the explicit instruction, then you're not helping them. You're not helping them learn.

You're not helping them go to the next step. You're not helping them push those goals.

Part of that, too, is that it's universal design for learning. So if we know that, I mean, like students with disabilities, a lot of times we're closing those learning gaps. So we are focusing pretty heavily on more of those foundational skills that then they can go forth and apply and expand on beyond that. But all students have to learn those foundational skills. And so that's where that explicit instruction piece comes in key.

But that means that as a content specialist yourself, sometimes you're going to lean into explicit instruction when you got to get those foundational pieces built with all of your students, like that universal design, right? And then other times, you're not going to lean on that because now I need you to take that, and I need you to apply that. We need to push that into other contexts. We need to show when it works, when it doesn't. Like, you know, especially in English, like, when do the rules apply and when do they not?

And that's beyond maybe where explicit instruction’s really got its sweet spot.

Yeah. Explicit instruction are those basic building blocks that that kind of maybe need to be established before you add fancy siding or roofing to the structure. And I think that regardless, you see all of the positive teaching strategies that you should, whether you're teaching explicitly or you're not. I mean, as an instructor, it's helpful, in my opinion, to provide yourself with learning objectives.

You should also share it to the students because that's very helpful. But if you don't know what you're teaching or you don't know what direction you're going, you're thinking that you're going to be able to go by whatever the student wants and follow what the student needs. You're going to have a very difficult time organizing yourself and understanding where more instruction needs to be applied. This is what, for me, in an instructing end, this is where explicit teaching could be really helpful. This is like the major pro is just the organizational sense can be very helpful. However, it can be very time-consuming in the same regard. But you're also wasting less time because you're meeting more goals. You know that you're going to meet the goals because you have it explicitly laid out. I want to be by this point at this time, and how I'm going to do it is I'm going to sit in front of the class and teach the students how to get there.

Yeah, it's so funny because I've helped other teachers learn how to make explicit instruction a little less scary. And I know as a Special Ed teacher and especially working with students with emotional and behavioral challenges, there were times that I would be mid-lesson, and then we've got a crisis situation that I need to step out of the room and meet. So it helped so much in my classroom, almost like the hidden curriculum of explicit instruction was having a standard routine.

They knew how they were going to walk through things and so someone could come in and I could give them, here's where I'm headed, and they can pick it up and keep going while I step out to help a student who needs some of that kind of support at the moment. But by having that routine, then my class wasn't thrown off because they knew, like, okay, here's how we get through this. So, yes, there's explicit instruction in the sense of there's like a routine, but it's also just kind of like supportive in them understanding how do I do school, which for my students was always a struggle.

And a lot of the students that I get to continue to work with they don't hide in plain sight very well. They don't know how to just show up and do what they're supposed to do. How do they read the room? Those things are really challenging. And so explicit instruction got me a double win. Where I could get them to know the routine, and sure, they may balk at it and hate it to begin with or whatever, but then there is some safety and consistency in knowing that this is just how we do these things.

And then they could actually see learning. They were actually, from the beginning of the class to the end of the class, they saw progress in themselves, which was a natural reinforcer to be like, wait, what? I get this. Wait, how did I learn that? You know? It just kind of happens. So I saw a win on both sides with sort of their behavioral regulation as they were able to follow through on those consistent routines, but then they were also showing learning progress. We were closing those gaps faster than maybe some other strategies, but I know there's always kind of that misconception of, like, man, there's so many details, and I got to write all these things down, and it's like, no, you build a system, and then, you know where you pull the pieces, and then everybody knows the play. The play runs itself.

But at first, it's so daunting because there's so many details and, like, which ones do I need to hone in on and really expand on versus grab and go? Let's go. Like, we got this. We can make it happen. It's just a little different when you're learning it and kind of like, oh, man, there's so many pieces to like, oh, this is what we do, like, four or five times of every class, period. We've got different lessons for different stations, and we just rock and roll this way.

It's just different applications of it.

That's almost like the best feeling as an instructor as well, is when those routines begin to sink in as well, and you understand that the students are getting it, they're understanding why they're doing it. And really, the reason why they are able to do that is because you've mapped it out explicitly for yourself. You've mapped it out explicitly for your students. And then when you walk in the room, they know that you're pre-learning vocab because you just ended a lesson.

So you walk in, they have their vocab notebooks out there, they're ready to learn more vocab, and they're excited. That's a shift that I saw. I taught a group of English language learning students. It’s about eight students, a really small class, but it's a co-taught class. It was really helpful for me to have small group lessons because you're working with four students at a time, then you could really maximize your instructional capabilities.

But if I have a co-teacher in the room who doesn't understand that by the end, we're trying to get to this point or to this lesson or to this goal or whatever it is, then you're going to two different directions with two different groups of kids in the same classroom. It's not really helpful to anybody. So even just especially, I had a co teacher who, the communication was difficult, just the back and forth just wasn't really there. And that's just how it is sometimes.

So for me to have it mapped out on the website, on the Google classroom or whatever LMF you're using, having it mapped out on the whiteboard, if that co-teacher was able to come in and those five minutes before class was all that they had to prepare, they still had that opportunity because I had it mapped out two weeks in advance, which is extremely helpful because then he sits with his four group of kids and you're getting pretty equitable educational experiences on both ends.

Yeah, I love that. It's that foundation, right? We can talk all the strategies and, I mean, that's what the other half of this episode is all for, is what are all those actual little bitty pieces that we put it together and that all makes up explicit instruction. But because there's so many small pieces, the art of running an explicit instruction is truly what you're talking about. It's how are we walking our students through learning? How are we setting them up to know what's coming and to really intentionally progress them from uncertainty to having some aspect of understanding.

But that's more than just with our students. It's with our colleagues, our co-teachers, anybody else in my room who's just gonna walk in and be like, hey, I'm covering for you, you gotta go here. Right? Any of that. It's really just supporting the staff to support the students so that that learning can happen. And if we all do that in sort of a predictable manner, then we can all do it together, quite honestly.

Yeah, predictable and an effective manner, definitely. I totally agree, and I think that you're totally right. Like you said before, it takes maybe a second for these routines to set in for students to understand why you're doing this or when you're doing this. But eventually, once things click, the entire environment of the classroom changes. You have people who wouldn't, students before who wouldn't want to work independently are now coming up to you oh, I know that we have to pass out the papers on Wednesday or whatever it is. Right? Can I do that for you? Right? You get these students who come up and they're asking for roles, right? They want to take a leadership role in the classroom because they know what to expect.

They know what you do on a day-to-day basis and how things are going to run. So the structure of a classroom, the structure of explicit instruction, can really have a positive impact in the way that the students want to learn and their motivation for learning.

And I mean, isn't that the case? If we actually want to learn, we might actually learn.

Yeah. Yeah, exactly. Yeah. It'd be surprising. Yeah.

Great. Well, thank you so much for sharing your experience about explicit instruction. I love that we're coming at this from two different angles and I'm so appreciative that you're a Gen Ed teacher that's seeing some of the benefits amidst the explicit instruction with your students in your classroom.

Yeah. Thank you so much, Heather. It was a real pleasure to talk.

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The best feeling as an instructor as well, is when those routines begin to sink in as well and you understand that the students are getting it, they're understanding why they're doing it.

Alexander Vrbanoff

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Explicit instruction (EI) is a highly structured, supportive, and systematic approach to teaching academic skills. It’s about the teacher guiding the learning process from start to finish—starting with clear explanations or modeling, followed by guiding students through practice, and finally providing opportunities for independent application to ensure mastery. This approach is particularly effective for students who are struggling to learn, as it breaks down complex tasks into manageable steps, offering clear direction every step of the way.


What makes EI stand out is that it taps into research-based principles that are proven to enhance learning outcomes. These include active student engagement, ensuring high levels of success, comprehensive content coverage, and thoughtful instructional grouping. EI also allows for the use of scaffolding, making sure that students are supported until they can perform tasks independently, as well as addressing different types of knowledge. Rosenshine’s six teaching functions—reviewing, presenting new content in small steps, guided practice, corrective feedback, independent practice, and cumulative reviews—serve as the backbone of this method.


The real power of explicit instruction lies in how it increases "academic learning time," a key factor in student success. The more time students spend actively engaged in meaningful, well-structured learning experiences, the better their performance tends to be. When educators consistently implement EI, they create an environment where students, particularly those facing challenges, have a much greater chance of mastering the skills and content they need to succeed.


When we talk about essential High-Leverage Practices (HLPs), there are a few that consistently show up across a range of teaching strategies, and one of the most prominent is HLP 16, which focuses on the use of explicit instruction. This practice is foundational because it plays a role in almost every aspect of supporting students, whether it's academic, social, or behavioral, and it's effective across all grade levels and content areas. Explicit instruction is one of those core techniques that underpins the implementation of many other HLPs, particularly those in the social, behavioral, and instructional domains.


The reason explicit instruction is so critical is that it’s not limited to one specific area of teaching—whether you're helping a student improve their reading comprehension, manage their behavior, or develop social skills, you're likely using principles from this methodology. It’s about clear, structured teaching that ensures students understand the "what" and the "how" of a task before they’re expected to take it on themselves. That’s why for new professionals entering the field, understanding explicit instruction is key. It’s like the gateway to mastering all the other HLPs, especially when it comes to supporting the unique needs of students with disabilities.


Teachers who use explicit instruction effectively create lessons that are carefully sequenced and focused on essential content. They begin each lesson with a clear statement of both the learning goals and their expectations, ensuring that students know what they’re working towards. Before introducing new material, these teachers review prior knowledge and skills, helping students make connections and build a foundation for the new content. Complex skills or strategies are broken down into smaller, manageable parts, making the learning process more approachable and less overwhelming.


Throughout the lesson, clear and concise language is used to ensure students can follow along without confusion. Teachers also provide step-by-step demonstrations, especially when introducing new concepts, offering clarity through concrete examples. They make sure students have plenty of opportunities for guided practice, adjusting support levels based on the student's needs, and using scaffolded approaches that allow for distributed practice over time.


Monitoring student performance closely, teachers provide immediate feedback—whether corrective or affirmative—ensuring that students stay on track and understand both what they’re doing well and what needs improvement. The pace of the lesson is also carefully maintained, responsive to the students’ needs to keep engagement high without overwhelming them.


Teachers who excel at explicit instruction are attuned to their students' learning progress. They use strategic supports to help students organize and retain new knowledge, while continuously adapting their instruction to best meet the shifting needs of their students.


School leaders play a crucial role in helping teachers implement explicit instruction effectively. By offering targeted instruction, professional development, and coaching, leaders can guide educators in how to thoughtfully plan and deliver lessons that incorporate key elements of explicit instruction. Observing teachers in the classroom allows school leaders to assess how well these instructional strategies are being used and to offer specific coaching or feedback on areas needing improvement.


Additionally, support around breaking down complex skills and concepts is essential. Leaders should work closely with teachers or teams to design lessons that logically sequence these skills in a way that students can easily grasp. This process helps ensure that teachers not only understand the principles of explicit instruction but can also apply them in a way that maximizes student success.


Explicit instruction is a powerhouse of an educational methodology, celebrated for both its effectiveness and efficiency. Developed from over four decades of empirical research, explicit instruction (EI) is built on well-defined principles that guide teachers in designing and delivering impactful lessons. This approach boosts academic learning time, a key factor linked to improved student achievement.


EI isn’t just a one-size-fits-all strategy; it’s versatile and applicable across all educational settings—whether in general or special education, and for students of all ages and grade levels. While it benefits all learners, it's especially crucial for those who struggle. Even novice teachers can quickly grasp and adeptly use this method, making it a vital tool for supporting all students in their educational journey.

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Why Explicit Instruction is Essential for Student Success
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