Getting Started
Having a clear understanding of the theory and design of Direct Instruction (DI), as well as the Essential Elements needed for successful implementation, is critical to getting your implementation off to a strong start.
If you’re interested in learning more about how to bring DI to your school or district and what NIFDI can do to support your implementation, we recommend the following steps:
Learn About Direct Instruction
Get a quick overview of what Direct Instruction (DI) is and how it works. Watch short videos or explore a brief introduction.
Watch the Introduction to Direct Instruction Video Series
This nine-part introduction is free and covers a range of topics addressing the fundamentals of Direct Instruction. Designed to provide information relevant to individuals new to DI, topics include:
- What is Direct Instruction?
- What Are the Direct Instruction Programs?
- What Are the Direct Instruction Program Components?
- How Are Students Assessed in the DI Programs?
- What Directions Are Included in the Teacher Presentation Books?
- What is the Comprehensive Direct Instruction Model?
- What is the Research Base for Direct Instruction?
- What Training and Support are Available for Implementing DI?
- How Do I Get Started with Direct Instruction?
Each video is only about two to five minutes long, providing a succinct introduction to each topic.
Intro to DI Series
4:45
4:10
2:12
5:31
3:50
4:21
1:57
3:16
4:58
What Are the Direct Instruction Program Components?
Ever wondered what comes with a Direct Instruction (DI) program? From Teacher Presentation Books (TPBs) and guides for teachers to student workbooks, textbooks, and blackline masters, each program is carefully designed to give both educators and students the tools they need for success. In this video, we break down:
- The role of TPBs across grade levels
- How teacher guides support instruction
- Student materials for each stage of learning
- Additional resources that strengthen DI implementation
How Are Students Assessed in the Direct Instructon Programs?
Student Success Starts with the Right Placement & Assessment. In Direct Instruction (DI), every student is placed at the exact level they need to succeed. From initial placement tests to ongoing mastery, cumulative, and checkout assessments, DI ensures students are always learning at their skill level and moving forward with confidence.
- Placement tests identify the right program and level for each student
- Mastery & cumulative tests track progress and ensure true skill development
- Checkouts provide ongoing checks for reading accuracy and fluency
At NIFDI, we provide schools with training, tools, and support to implement DI effectively, so every student has the chance to succeed.
What Directions Are Included in the Teacher Presentation Book?
From exact teacher wording and student responses to correction procedures and signals for choral responses, DI scripts are designed to make teaching clear, consistent, and effective.
Watch to learn how teachers use signals, scripts, and strategies to deliver lessons with precision.
What is the Comprehensive Direct Instruction Model?
What does it really take to implement Direct Instruction successfully? It’s more than just books and training; it’s a Comprehensive Direct Instruction Model that transforms schools from the inside out.
From flexible grouping and block scheduling to schoolwide behavior systems, data-driven decision-making, and ongoing teacher coaching, this model ensures every student is placed at the right level and supported to succeed.
In this video, we break down the core components of the Comprehensive DI Model and how they work together to accelerate student learning and eliminate confusion.
What is the Research Base for Direct Instruction?
What does the research say about Direct Instruction (DI)? Over 40 years of scientific studies confirm that DI helps students achieve more, learn faster, and build stronger confidence across all ages and backgrounds. From reading and language to math, the results are clear: Direct Instruction works.
- Explore the evidence
- Search hundreds of studies
- Deepen your knowledge of Direct Instruction
What Training and Support Are Available for Schools Implementing Direct Instruction?
What Does it Take to Successfully Implement Direct Instruction in Schools? It’s more than just a curriculum; it requires comprehensive training and ongoing support from experienced DI trainers and coaches. That’s where the National Institute for Direct Instruction (NIFDI) comes in.
From on-site coaching, placement assistance, and data analysis to virtual coaching, leadership academies, and specialized institutes for administrators and teachers, NIFDI equips schools with the tools and expertise needed to achieve lasting student success.
Learn more about NIFDI Services, or fill out our contact form.
How Do I Get Started with Direct Instruction?
If you’re wondering how to bring the proven power of Direct Instruction (DI) to your school, this video is the perfect place to begin!
Learn the five essential steps for implementing DI successfully, from understanding the model and reviewing readiness, to receiving training and ongoing coaching support.
Explore free online tutorials, success stories from real schools, and resources like Clear Teaching by Shepard Barbash.
Discover how NIFDI partners with schools every step of the way, from your first introduction to DI through full implementation with fidelity. When schools partner with NIFDI, students thrive and educators gain the support and confidence they need to make lasting change.
Interested in learning more about implementing Direct Instruction and NIFDI support? Check out our Implementation and Services pages or fill out our contact form!
Take Our Online Tutorial
When implemented fully, Direct Instruction (DI) is unparalleled in improving student performance and enhancing students’ self-esteem. To implement DI effectively, more is required than simply purchasing instructional materials. Our two-part tutorial guides administrators, teachers, and coaches through the key features of a successful DI implementation. Part I provides an overview of the steps schools need to take in preparation for a DI implementation before school starts, while Part II provides an overview of the steps schools need to take after school has started.
IMPORTANT: This tutorial is an intensive video series comprising 18 segments, each followed by a set of questions. Users should allow approximately three hours to watch the videos and complete the questions. NIFDI recognizes the high demand on school officials’ time and, for this reason, has structured the tutorial so that users may stop at any time and resume later where they left off.
Enroll in the tutorial here.
Watch Videos About the Benefits of DI and NIFDI Support
Hear from school leaders, teachers, and students who have benefited from NIFDI support services. You will also find videos and stories showcasing schools that have achieved success with Direct Instruction (DI) and see DI in action in classrooms.
Leader Perspectives
Interviews with leaders at NIFDI Partner Schools.
One of the most important steps a school that is starting to implement DI can take is to contact school leaders who have been successful with DI. Through this contact, new DI practitioners can learn from veteran DI practitioners’ experiences to ensure their students are successful with DI as well. Over the course of 25 years, NIFDI has had the privilege of partnering with schools across the U.S. and in other countries. (See below for success stories of NIFDI partners.) Now, NIFDI is launching a series of video interviews with experienced DI leaders that can help inform new practitioners about their experiences working with NIFDI. Below are short video interviews with instructional leaders who share their experiences working with NIFDI and how it has affected their instructional practices and students’ performance.
Leaders
8:13
10:23
9:05
11:23
8:20
10:59
6:27
Tova Feifer, K-2 English Language Arts Supervisor
Lakewood, New Jersey
“At first I was extremely hesitant because it looked different than programs I had used in the past…however after the outstanding training, ongoing collaboration, and exceptional coaching from Tara, our NIFDI coach, we came to appreciate just how unique and special this DI program is. The structured, explicit lessons, consistent routines, immediate corrective feedback…seeing the measurable growth in students, completely changed my perspective.”
In this Partner Perspective, Tova shares her experience as part of an Institute of Education Sciences (IES) first-grade supplemental reading study. The project uses Reading Mastery and the Science of Reading to improve literacy outcomes, while providing participating educators with professional development, curriculum, and instructional resources.
Rhonda Richetta, Principal
City Springs Elementary/Middle School
Baltimore, Maryland
Implementation Type: Schoolwide literacy and math
Partnered with NIFDI in 1996
Rhonda started at City Springs as a teacher, left the school, and then returned as principal. Upon her return, she found that the implementation had deteriorated substantially. Her solution was to contact NIFDI and get her school back to the high quality she knew was possible. When asked how NIFDI helped her as an administrator, she replied, “The assistance in looking at the data and making decisions was really valuable. I couldn’t have done it by myself.” For teaching staff, she adds, “The most valuable tool for a teacher is a NIFDI coach… side by side, shoulder to shoulder. They model for you, show you, and give you feedback.”
Sean McKenzie, Director of Support Services
Bethel School District
Spanaway, Washington
Implementation Type: Corrective Reading, intervention for students in 4 schools
Partnered with NIFDI in 2019
Bethel School District partnered with NIFDI to refresh and upgrade their implementation of the Corrective Reading Program. They had been DI users for some time but weren’t getting the results they felt were possible. Along with improved student performance, Sean notes the increase in the quality and quantity of communication among staff members. He tells us, “Schools with NIFDI support have more and better discussions about what they are doing and how it impacts individual student achievement.” He goes on to say, “The partnership between cert[ified] and para[professional] is tight. They know that their time with students is the most important time they are going to get, and they treat it accordingly.”
Finally, he tells us, “Our principals have all agreed that NIFDI support is the single most changing professional development experience they have experienced in their careers.”
Nazam Hussain, School Psychologist
Bradford, United Kingdom
Implementation type: Language for Learning and Reading Mastery in two Primary Schools.
NIFDI began working in Bradford when Nazam attended the National Direct Instruction Conference in 2019. He was interested in improving teachers’ professional development beyond what he describes as “one-off presentations that have no effect.” He further describes how NIFDI support is the polar opposite. “The thoroughness and robustness of the training was rigorous and professional but sensitive to the individual. The schools like the support, and they are seeing the results.”
Robin Shakespeare, Director of Education
Midland Academies Trust
United Kingdom
Implementation type: Research project implementing Connecting Math Concepts in eight schools and extended professional development of their key DI support personnel.
NIFDI began partnering with the Midlands Academy Trust and the U.K. Direct Instruction hub in 2018. The Education Endowment Fund was calling for research on improving math skills in students in their secondary schools (U.S. equivalent to 7th-9th grade). The staff had been using DI for several years but had not received formal training. Once we began working together, the Midlands leadership quickly realized the benefits of the NIFDI partnership. As Robin describes, “When you work with NIFDI, you work with a group of people who are professional, passionate and challenging–in the best sense of the word.” To describe the impact of NIFDI support, Robin says, “I would use the word transformational to characterize our relationship with NIFDI.”
Selina Ortiz, Assistant Principal of Instruction
IDEA Edinburg Academy
Edinburg, Texas
Implementation Type: Reading Mastery (Signature and Transformations), DISTAR Arithmetic I, and Connecting Math Concepts in Pre-K through grades 2, Corrective Reading, Essentials for Algebra, DISE, and Expressive Writing in grades 3-8.
Partnered with NIFDI in 2010
Selina Ortiz has been a classroom assistant and teacher and is now an Assistant Principal of Instruction. She appreciates the data-driven nature of NIFDI implementations and how it supports her in her job, and in turn, helps teachers overcome student performance problems. She says, “The teachers have gained so much knowledge behind the data tracking. They love the consistency of end-of-week goals, end-of-month goals… it is so helpful.” Selina also values the strong professional development NIFDI provides. She notes, “The tools and procedures taught in training are applicable to an array of programs. When they present a new program, they pick it up easily.”
Ann Fuentes, Assistant Principal of Instruction
IDEA Mission Academy
Mission, Texas
Implementation Type: Reading Mastery (Signature and Transformations), DISTAR Arithmetic I, and Connecting Math Concepts in Pre-K through grades 2, Corrective Reading, Essentials for Algebra, DISE, and Expressive Writing in grades 3-8.
Partnered with NIFDI in 2010
Ann Fuentes is the Assistant Principal of Instruction at IDEA Mission Academy. One of the things she values in partnering with NIFDI is the strong relational support the NIFDI Implementation Manager (IM) provides. She talks about her school’s implementation manager’s style of giving “small, bitesize level of feedback. This has supported me in improving as a teacher. The IMs build relationships. She is here to help and support. It is a caring, comforting approach.”
Teacher Perspectives
Interviews with teachers at NIFDI Partner schools.
Teachers
21:30
8:50
8:42
Ashley Barrett, Teacher
St. Charles Parish Public Schools
Luling, Louisiana
“Knowing what I know now, I wouldn’t go back to teaching the way I did before.”
In this video, Ashley Barrett, an experienced educator from St. Charles Parish Public Schools, shares her firsthand experience implementing the Reading Mastery Language program, a Direct Instruction (DI) approach, for the first time.
Ashley discusses the realities of introducing DI in her classroom, including the initial challenges, the strategies she employed to adapt, and the significant academic gains her students achieved. Her experience not only transformed her classroom instruction but also deepened her understanding of effective literacy education.
She also highlights the role of the National Institute for Direct Instruction (NIFDI) in supporting her school through ongoing coaching and feedback, which contributed to measurable improvements in student performance. This video offers valuable insight for educators, administrators, and instructional leaders considering the adoption of Direct Instruction programs or seeking to enhance their implementation practices.
Kjerstin Hagen, Special Education Teacher
BugONeyGeShig School
Cass County, Minnesota
Special education teacher Kjerstin Hagen shares what she’s seeing in her classroom using Corrective Reading Comprehension A, B1, B2, C, and Corrective Reading Decoding C.
- Students making real-world connections across subjects
- Measurable gains in reading, writing, and comprehension
- Increased confidence and independence in general education settings
- Students meeting goals and even exiting support services
Kjerstin also references growth on MCA (Minnesota Comprehensive Assessments) and MAP (Measures of Academic Progress) reading data. MCA is a summative, standards-based assessment that measures end-of-year proficiency, while MAP is a formative, adaptive assessment that tracks individual student growth over time. Seeing gains across both highlights not just achievement, but meaningful progress for each learner.
Kjerstin also highlights something we hear often: success doesn’t happen by chance. It comes from trusting the process, sticking to the routine, and having access to high-quality training and coaching every step of the way.
At NIFDI, we partner with schools and districts to make that level of implementation possible. Find out more about the Corrective Reading Decoding and Comprehension programs here.
Elana Gordon, Reading Interventionist
Institute of Education Sciences, Illinois
In this Partner Perspective, educator Elana Gordon shares how participating in an Institute of Education Sciences (IES) literacy study using Reading Mastery, the Science of Reading, and coaching from NIFDI helped transform outcomes for her students.
Hear how students who entered the intervention well below benchmark made remarkable reading gains, and why Elana says ongoing coaching made all the difference.
“Someone who knows the program inside and out… One of the best coaches I have ever met.”
Watch the interview to learn how high-quality implementation support can help students not just catch up, but thrive.
Student Perspectives
Students
4:03
4:24
2:17
2:33
Dustin, age 7, is in first grade at IDEA Travis Academy in Midland, Texas.
In this video, he reads the story from Lesson 146 of Reading Mastery Signature.
Luella, age 5, is in kindergarten at IDEA Travis Academy in Midland, Texas.
In this video, she reads the story from Reading Mastery 1, lesson 45. After she finishes the story, note her ability to recall story events.
Abner, age 5, is in kindergarten at IDEA Travis Academy in Midland, Texas.
In this video, Abner demonstrates his skills, reading from a supplemental reader that accompanies Reading Mastery Grade K.
Sebastian is a student at IDEA Quest College Prep. In this clip, he speaks about his experience in Math and the success he experienced after being taught using the Essentials for Algebra program.
Schools
Videos about schools that have received Direct instruction training and support from NIFDI.
Schools
13:25
11:32
7:56
16:08
21:31
10:33
18:40
Literary Success in the Primary Grades
A Conversation with Leaders of Dixons Manningham Primary
Dixons Manningham Primary School leaders Terri Leighton, Yasmin Ali, and Abigail Burrow discuss the school’s journey from implementing Corrective Reading, a remedial program for select students in Grades 3 (roughly equivalent to Year 4 in the UK system) and above, to implementing Reading Mastery Signature Edition reading and language tracks as core instruction for all primary-grade students.
They describe the remarkable changes in students’ ability to read and understand grade-level texts. Clips of students receiving instruction and participating in other activities are interspersed throughout the video.
Read a follow-up report here.
Supporting Dixons Manningham Primary
An Interview with Kris Althoff
NIFDI Implementation Manager (IM) Kris Althoff provided training and support to Dixons Manningham Primary School as it implemented Direct Instruction (DI) for core literacy instruction for all of its students. In this interview, Kris talks with Bryan Wickman, Outreach Director for the National Institute for Direct Instruction (NIFDI), about the steps that led to a dramatic increase in student performance in the primary grades at the school during the COVID pandemic.
Read a follow-up report here.
ELL Education: Keys to Ensuring Literacy
This video highlights an academic preschool pilot project begun in the Fall of 2014 at Pharr IDEA Academy in Pharr, Texas. In this pilot, students at this predominantly ELL school were taught using Espanol to English and/or DISTAR Language prior to entering kindergarten.
Direct Instruction (DI) is often used to help students who are struggling academically. DI can be used to accelerate the learning of higher performing students, too. This video portrays two schools in different parts of the country that have used DI successfully with all children, including high-performing students: Emerson Elementary in Alliance, Nebraska, and Fickett Elementary in Atlanta, Georgia.
Both schools follow a similar formula for achieving success:
- All teachers and instructional aides received initial training and ongoing support from the National Institute for Direct Instruction (NIFDI).
- Students are grouped homogeneously and placed at their skill level.
- Student performance data is reviewed weekly to determine the appropriateness of instruction for all students.
- Students are allowed to progress at a faster pace and cover advanced content as their performance indicates.
This video shows how careful implementation of Direct Instruction with NIFDI support can bring out the joy and wonder of reading while preparing students for advanced content.
Video Resources
Video Guide
Transcript
Helping Kids Soar (with subtitles in Spanish) – Translations and subtitles courtesy of Carlos Vílchez-Román and Juan Villaorduña Velarde.
Closing the Performance Gap: The Gering Story
Gering Public Schools, a small district in northwest Nebraska, used to suffer from a reading achievement gap. In 2004, 36 percent of all second-grade Hispanic students met fluency benchmarks, compared with 59 percent of all white students in the district’s three elementary schools. Low literacy performance was also a problem at the district’s sole junior high school.
That was before the district implemented the comprehensive Direct Instruction model with the support of the National Institute for Direct Instruction (NIFDI). Now, the achievement gap in reading has been closed. Over three-fourths of all students meet second-grade fluency benchmarks, with a higher percentage of Hispanic students meeting benchmarks than white students! At the junior high school, the need for remedial reading programs has declined drastically as students are much more able to comprehend content area texts.
This video portrays the district’s transition from one with literacy problems to one in which all students receive an education that meets their literacy needs. The video describes the changes in instruction, progress monitoring, and professional development resulting from implementing the comprehensive Direct Instruction model.
Video Resources
Gering’s Data Before and After NIFDI Support
Video Guide
Transcript
Closing the Performance Gap (with Spanish subtitles) – Translations and subtitles courtesy of Carlos Vílchez-Román and Juan Villaorduña Velarde.
The Battle of City Springs – Epilogue
This video tells the story of a school in a high-poverty area of a large U.S. city that experienced years of failure before implementing the full immersion model of Direct Instruction. Until Baltimore’s City Springs Elementary started implementing the full immersion model of Direct Instruction in 1996, the school was considered to be the epitome of failure. Over 90 percent of the students were (and still are) eligible for free or reduced lunch. Academic performance was at sub-basement levels. No students in the 3rd grade or the 5th grade passed the Maryland state test, the MSPAP, in either mathematics or writing. The Abell Foundation rated City Springs as the 2nd lowest-performing school in the city of Baltimore.
The school climate was just as poor. Students ran the halls, and teachers locked classroom doors in order to control them…and keep others out. The 2000 PBS documentary, The Battle of City Springs, captured the difficulty of transforming the school during the second year of DI implementation, 1997-1998.
After six years of implementing full-immersion DI with support from NIFDI, the school is the epitome of success. The halls are clean and orderly. Students are well-behaved. Most importantly, student performance has improved dramatically. Students, teachers, and the principal take great pride in their accomplishments.
Video Resources
City Spring’s data before and after NIFDI support
Video Guide
Transcript
This video is courtesy of the Center for Applied Research in Education (CARE) based in Hillsboro, Oregon. The school featured in this video is not supported by NIFDI but exemplifies the benefits of Direct Instruction (DI). Special thanks to Bonnie Grossen, PhD., Executive Director of CARE.
Video Resources
Transcript
DI in the Classroom
See DI being used in classrooms.
DI in Action
6:27
1:31
0:20
28:06
Donna Dressman, a Direct Instruction consultant and trainer, demonstrates Lesson 110 of the Kindergarten level of Reading Mastery Signature Edition (RMSE) at John G. Carlisle Elementary School in Covington, Kentucky.
Filmed April 15, 2024
Take a look inside a real kindergarten classroom using Reading Mastery Signature K and see how sounds are explicitly taught.
In this short clip, you’ll notice instructional delivery techniques that make a difference:
- Clear point-touch-signal to guide responses
- Active monitoring of every student response
- Positive affirmations that reinforce accuracy and confidence
These practices may look simple, but they require intentional training and practice to deliver fluently and effectively.
Watch the video to see a group of students fully engaged and responding in unison. In just a short time, every student gets multiple opportunities to practice and build mastery of sounds.
Experienced NIFDI Implementation Manager Rosella Givens was in Fort Worth, Texas, supporting IDEA Rise Academy, part of the IDEA Schools charter school network that implements Direct Instruction (DI) for reading and language in the primary grades. Some of the Kindergarten learners at the school needed an assist as they learned to say simple identity statements (e.g., “This is a clock.”). So Rosella provided a lead (saying it with the students, also known as “We Do”) as the teacher presented the exercise from the Reading Mastery Signature Edition language track. Watch as Rosella (white shirt) stops accompanying the students when it’s clear that they can say “the whole thing” on their own!
Filmed in November 2024
In this video, maverick educator Siegfried “Zig” Engelmann demonstrates an instructional approach in which young children solve basic algebraic problems (DI, of course!). This is the first part of a video filmed in the summer of 1966. The students featured in the film attended the Bereiter-Engelmann Preschool for at-risk children and, at the time of this filming, had not yet entered first grade.
Success Stories
View the stories below to learn about the successful implementation of Direct Instruction using NIFDI support.
The Battle of City Springs – Epilogue
The Battle of City Springs – Epilogue The Battle of City Springs Epilogue tells the story of a school in a high-poverty area of a large U.S. city that had experienced years of failure before implementing the full-immersion model of Direct Instruction. Until Baltimore’s City Springs Elementary began implementing the full-immersion model of Direct Instruction
Texas Pre-K DI Pilot Program Readies Students for Kindergarten
Texas Pre-K DI Pilot Program Readies Students for Kindergarten Nearly 100 pre-k students in Texas have reason to be proud of their newfound reading and language skills. IDEA Pharr Academy in Pharr, Texas, introduced a pre-kindergarten pilot program in the fall of 2014 featuring Direct Instruction programs to reduce the achievement gap and ensure students
Researchers Find Reading Mastery Outperforms Celebrate Reading in Study with High Performing 4th Graders
Researchers Find Reading Mastery Outperforms Celebrate Reading in Study with High Performing 4th Graders Mt. Carmel Elementary – Mt. Carmel, IL Schools everywhere face high academic standards and are charged with evaluating programs and practices to determine which will yield the best possible results for their students. They must determine which curriculum to implement across
Primary Grade Students in Florida Demonstrate Pronounced Advancement in Skills Compared to Harcourt Brace Program
Primary Grade Students in Florida Demonstrate Pronounced Advancement in Skills Compared to Harcourt Brace Program Rimes Elementary – Leesburg, FL During the 2010-2011 school year, students in grades K-2 at Rimes Elementary were randomly assigned to receive reading instruction in the Direct Instruction program Reading Mastery (RM) Signature Edition, or in the Harcourt Brace (HB) program currently
IDEA Public Schools Witness Significant Drop in Special Education Referrals
IDEA Public Schools Witness Significant Drop in Special Education Referrals By Kurt Engelmann, President and Christina Cox, Publicity and Marketing Manager National Institute for Direct Instruction (NIFDI) With the reauthorization of the Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA), schools across the nation were charged with ensuring students of all backgrounds and abilities were provided with an
Hispanic Students in Nebraska Post Impressive Gains with NIFDI Support
Hispanic Students in Nebraska Post Impressive Gains with NIFDI Support Schuyler Elementary – Schuyler, NE Students at Schuyler Elementary, a school in Eastern Nebraska with a large Hispanic population, have demonstrated incredible improvements in academic achievement over the past few years. In 2009-10, less than half (44%) of Schuyler’s third graders met the state standards
Plan Your Next Steps
Connect with our team to talk through your school or district’s needs. We’ll help you map out a clear plan, including materials, training, and support.
Explore NIFDI Services
The National Institute for Direct Instruction partners with schools and districts to provide training, coaching, and ongoing support to help ensure every student succeeds through high-quality implementation of Direct Instruction (DI).
How NIFDI Supports Schools
Service Area | What NIFDI Provides |
Teacher Training | Preservice and ongoing professional development |
Coaching & Support | Weekly coaching, observations, and implementation guidance |
Student Achievement | Weekly data-based decision-making focused on mastery and student performance |
Leadership Development | Support for administrators, instructional leaders, and peer coaches to build capacity in their DI implementation |
Schoolwide Implementation | Consistent DI systems across classrooms and grade levels |
Performance Monitoring | Ongoing review of student outcomes and instructional quality |
Capacity Building | Training district staff to sustain implementation independently |
Customized Solutions | Targeted remedies for areas where students need additional support |
How NIFDI Implementations Transform Schools
Impact | Outcome |
Schoolwide Consistency | Strong, aligned DI implementation across grade levels |
High Expectations | Focus on mastery and possible accelerated learning for all students |
Continuous Improvement | Weekly adjustments based on student performance |
Strong Coaching Systems | Embedded support from experienced NIFDI staff on technical delivery skills, data analysis, and on-the-spot coaching |
Teacher Growth | Practical instructional training and feedback that focuses on student performance |
Sustainable Systems | Schools build internal expertise and long-term success through proven methods |
Improved Student Engagement | Effective instructional delivery throughout all DI programs |
View our Services page for more information on the services NIFDI offers.
Complete School Data Forms
To determine the scope of your implementation and the support services your site will require, schools need to complete the School Data Form. This information will be used to assess the school’s needs and to prepare a budget proposal for NIFDI services. If you are a district-level administrator interested in contracting for services across several schools, please use our Multi-School Data Form.
Examples of how to complete the Multi-School Data Form can be found here: Elementary Sample | Middle School Sample
Email the completed forms to info@nifdi.org or fax to 541.236.9137.
Connect With Us
Fill out the form below and talk with our team about the implementation option that will work best for you.
Prepare for Implementation
Placement test students for the right instructional level and ensure your team is trained to deliver DI with fidelity.
Placement Test Your Students
Because DI programs are oriented toward students’ skill proficiency rather than their age or grade level, it is critical that teachers use the DI program level that corresponds to their students’ current skill level. You can determine which level of the program matches your students’ current instructional needs by administering the placement tests contained in all DI programs.
Test Administration Procedure
The placement tests are linked below. Here is the procedure to follow when administering the placement tests:
1. Give students the test that corresponds to their grade level.
2a. If students pass the grade-level test, give them the test for the next-highest level of the DI Program. Continue testing up a level until students don’t pass the test.
2b. If students fail the grade-level test, give them the test for the next lowest level. Continue testing down a level until students pass the test.
3. Record the highest level that each student passes on a summary (STS) spreadsheet.
4. Group students into homogenous instructional groupings or consult with your NIFDI Implementation Manager.
Repeat the four steps for each DI subject area.
Placement Tests
The folder below contains placement tests for current programs. You can find placement tests and other documents for older programs here. Placement tests are provided by program publishers for DI users. All rights reserved.
Train Your Staff
Contract with NIFDI for On-Site Training and Support
NIFDI can provide on-site training for teachers and other instructional staff in programs tailored to students’ skill and performance levels, ensuring instructors have the skills to teach students efficiently and effectively to mastery. This training is provided as part of NIFDI’s comprehensive implementation support services.
Prepare Teachers for Coaching
Watch this short video you can use to inform staff on what to expect when a NIFDI coach comes on site.
Attend a Direct Instruction Summer Training Conference
NIFDI presents the premier DI training conference—the National DI Conference and Institutes. This training is an option for those who want training that adheres to the Developer’s Guidelines but are not necessarily contracting for the full range of NIFDI services. The National Direct Instruction Conference is the longest-running DI training event. Held each year in Eugene, Oregon, the conference attracts educators from around the world who are interested in specific program training and topics related to DI. A feature of this event is the specialized weeklong Institutes on Trainer Training, Coaching, and Administrative development.
Participate in NIFDI Outreach Events
NIFDI offers several 2-day training Academies held across the country, usually during the school year. Currently, NIFDI offers a Leadership Academy and Coaching Academies (1 and 2). These academies offer a portion of the content delivered in the weeklong institutes held in the summer.
The Leadership Academy is ideal for a school’s leadership team with minimal or no experience and training in DI.
The Coaching Academies are designed for leadership staff with experience and training in teaching the programs, who will be responsible for assisting with professional development and quality control during implementation.
NIFDI also offers Remote Trainings throughout the year.
Implement With NIFDI Support
Start teaching with coaching and data-driven support to ensure strong results. Over time, your team builds the internal capacity to sustain and scale implementation.
10 Ways a NIFDI Implementation Transforms Schools
- Establishes a comprehensive, undiluted implementation of Direct Instruction schoolwide and across all grade levels, beginning with school entry.
- Builds a management team that involves the coordination of NIFDI and school personnel for the purpose of attaining a high level of student learning.
- Emphasizes student performance at a high level of mastery.
- Accelerates all students and trains teachers in the structural and instructional details that enable acceleration.
- Conducts preservice training of teachers before school begins and in-service training throughout the school year to meet needs and solve problems.
- Each week, experienced NIFDI personnel (by phone and/or in person) monitor student performance and provide assistance. A Project Director and an Implementation Manager are assigned to each school to fulfill functions integral to a successful implementation of the model.
- Trains district-employed personnel to provide on-site support and coaching.
- Generalizes effective instruction to all areas of teacher/student interactions.
- Gradually equips school districts and/or schools with tools, training procedures, and skills to maintain the implementation after the NIFDI assistance has faded.
- Includes customized remedies developed by authors and implementors of the DI programs for curricular areas where student performance problems are noted.
Enjoy On-Site Visits From Experienced Trainers
NIFDI support usually spans an intensive period of three years, followed by less intensive support for two or more years, depending on the needs of the site. During the intensive phase, NIFDI consultants come on-site once a month for in-class observations, feedback, assessment, and demonstrations. The exact number of days depends on the size of the school and the available budget. When on-site, NIFDI consultants focus on student performance and the factors that affect student achievement.
Receive Program-Specific Assessment and Training
A common misconception is that DI programs are easy to teach because they are scripted. Nothing could be further from the truth. Mastering the instructional skills needed to teach DI programs is difficult, and the training NIFDI provides is essential for teachers, teaching assistants, and administrators learning these skills. Trainings are provided on-site by experienced DI teachers and coaches. To learn more, visit the NIFDI Services section of this website.
Support Instructional Staff Through In-Class Coaching
In-class coaching helps prepare teachers to become master DI teachers. With the intent to improve teachers’ mastery of DI techniques, coaching involves non-evaluative observations of instruction by NIFDI staff, along with specific feedback on what was observed and modeling/demonstration of lessons. Virtual visits are also utilized as appropriate to provide additional support to teachers when NIFDI staff isn’t on site.
Benefit From Off-Site Support Services Year-Round
In addition to working with school personnel at school sites, NIFDI personnel continuously monitor implementations even when they are off-site. Using written records, they conduct a weekly analysis of how each student performs in each subject each day. They discuss their findings on weekly conference calls with on-site school personnel. Conference call participants (usually the principal, building coordinator, coaches, and NIFDI personnel) identify and describe student problems and strategize solutions to be carried out prior to the next call or site visit.
Develop Internal Capacity for Supporting the Implementation
NIFDI support is key to establishing an effective DI implementation, but NIFDI consultants cannot be on-site all the time or work with schools indefinitely. Through NIFDI’s on-site mentoring, coaches training, and Train the Trainer (TOT) Institute, schools and districts can develop the internal capacity to maximize student achievement independently through DI for many years to come.
Additional Resources
Want to learn even more about Direct Instruction? Check out the resources below.
Clear Teaching by Shepard Barbash
Clear Teaching is commissioned by the Education Consumers Foundation (ECF) and is a great book for anyone new to Direct Instruction or wanting a refresher on the basics of DI methodology. It is available from retailers such as Amazon and as a free download on ECF’s website. NIFDI has also created a Facilitator’s Guide for group study of the book and a study guide for individual or group use.
Review the DI Model and Essential Elements
The services offered by an implementation support company, such as NIFDI, provide schools with a strong basis for successfully implementing the DI model with all children. However, the way the school utilizes the services provided is a cornerstone of ensuring strong implementation. Read through our booklet Achieving Success for Every Student with Direct Instruction, and review the Essential Elements checklist located at the end of the booklet for more information.
Visit a School Implementing DI With Fidelity
Schools considering implementing Direct Instruction should consider visiting a school implementing DI with fidelity. Seeing DI in action is different than seeing DI implemented in a school that has worked with NIFDI. As such, NIFDI can recommend sites across the United States—and around the world—that warrant a visit. NIFDI recommends you visit these schools so that you can see DI as it was intended to be used.
Continue exploring to learn about the elements that make up a successful DI implementation.
Read next: Effective Leadership