Scheduling Sufficient Instructional Time
Successful Direct Instruction (DI) use depends on one key factor: giving students enough time to learn and practice every day. Strong schedules ensure students can master content, accelerate when ready, or receive extra support when needed.
Recommended Daily Schedule
Instructional Block | Who It Applies To | Time Needed | Notes |
| Morning Reading | All students | 90 minutes | Core reading instruction for all learners |
Afternoon Reading | K–1 and students below grade level (Gr. 2+) | 60 minutes | Provides additional practice and acceleration |
Language Instruction | Grades 1+ | 60 minutes | Often taught by an assistant in K–1 alongside reading |
Mathematics | All students | 60 minutes | Dedicated, uninterrupted math block |
| Additional Reading (Middle School) | Students in intervention (e.g., Corrective Reading) | 60 minutes | Ideally scheduled in addition to comprehension |
Scheduling Best Practices
- Align instructional times across classrooms and grades to allow flexible grouping and regrouping.
- Protect instructional time, minimize transitions, and avoid late starts — every minute matters.
- Plan for differentiation by building in time for both acceleration and extra practice.
Creating a strong schedule is only the first step; protecting instructional time is just as critical. Every minute counts, and lost time due to transitions or late starts reduces students’ opportunities to master content.
With sufficient time in DI, students typically complete at least one reading level per year and often exceed grade-level benchmarks. Two daily reading periods not only accelerate literacy but also build knowledge in science and social studies, which are integrated throughout the program.
CAUTION: Teachers cannot guarantee student success if students do not spend sufficient time in the DI programs. This is especially true for younger children who are in the early stages of formal learning. Young students have fewer problems when practice occurs twice a day instead of once every 24 hours. Two reading periods a day is particularly helpful for highly at-risk students who have less background information and less academic experience than their more affluent peers.
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