Teachers
What if teaching could be both more effective for students and more empowering for teachers? Direct Instruction (DI) is a research-based approach built on the principles of the science of learning and reading. It provides teachers with carefully designed lessons, clear instructional routines, and ongoing opportunities to check for understanding so students know what to learn, how to learn it, and how to succeed.
Let’s bust some myths about Direct Instruction. DI is not about rote memorization, teaching to a script, or limiting teacher creativity. It is about effective, explicit teaching that gives students the right amount of modeling, guided practice, feedback, and independent practice. The goal is not simply to get students through a lesson, it is to ensure they understand, retain, and can apply what they learn.
NIFDI helps teachers build the knowledge, skills, and confidence to deliver DI effectively while understanding the why behind the approach.
What is Direct Instruction?
Direct Instruction (DI) is a research-based approach to teaching that has been developed and refined through decades of research. DI programs are designed around what research tells us about how students learn and the instructional practices that help them achieve success.
Direct Instruction breaks complex skills into carefully sequenced, manageable steps. Lessons are explicitly designed to introduce new skills, provide guided practice, and help students build mastery before moving on to more difficult concepts.
Unlike programs that leave parents or students to determine what comes next, DI provides a clear instructional sequence and carefully designed lessons. This structure helps ensure that students receive the right instruction at the right time and have opportunities to practice and succeed.
DI programs also provide clear guidance for the person delivering instruction, making it possible for parents and caregivers to teach with confidence even if they do not have a background in education.
For families, this means you are not simply choosing a collection of activities or lessons. You are using a research-based instructional program with a proven, carefully designed approach to helping students learn.
Using Direct Instruction for Homeschooling
Direct Instruction can serve as a foundation for a homeschool program. Because DI lessons are carefully sequenced, parents can follow a clear instructional path while providing their children with the practice and feedback they need to succeed.
Families can use DI programs to support instruction in areas such as:
- Reading and language arts
- Mathematics
- Writing
- Reading intervention and remediation
- Other essential academic skills
One of the most important benefits of DI is that instruction can be matched to what a student is ready to learn—not simply their age or grade level.
Use Direct Instruction as Extra Support
You can also use Direct Instruction to supplement your child’s current school program.
If your child is struggling with a particular skill, needs additional practice, or would benefit from more structured instruction, a DI program may provide the focused support they need. Families may also use DI to help children strengthen foundational skills, maintain progress, or move ahead in areas where they are ready for more advanced instruction.
Choosing the Right Program and Starting Point
Every child has different strengths and needs. Choosing the right program and the right place to begin is an important part of helping your child experience success.
NIFDI can help families understand:
- Which DI program may best meet their child’s needs
- How to determine an appropriate starting point
- How to group instruction when teaching more than one child
- How to monitor progress and make adjustments when needed
You do not have to figure it out on your own.
Training for Parents and Homeschool Families
While DI programs are designed to provide clear, structured lessons, learning how to deliver instruction effectively can make a significant difference in your child’s progress.
NIFDI offers training events that can include parents and families who want to learn how to use Direct Instruction successfully at home. Training can help you understand the key features of DI and develop the skills needed to teach lessons with confidence.
Coaching and Ongoing Support
Learning to use a new instructional approach takes practice. That’s why NIFDI also offers coaching and ongoing support for families who want additional guidance.
Coaching provides an opportunity to receive individualized feedback, ask questions, and strengthen your instructional skills over time. Whether you are just getting started or already using a DI program at home, coaching can help ensure instruction meets your child’s needs.
Depending on your needs, coaching may include support in areas such as:
- Understanding and delivering DI lessons
- Using effective instructional techniques
- Providing corrections when errors occur
- Maintaining an effective pace during instruction
- Supporting student engagement and success
- Monitoring your child’s progress
Hear From Teachers at NIFDI Partner Schools
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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.
We're Here to Help You Get Started
You don’t have to be an educator to help your child benefit from Direct Instruction. With the right program, training, and support, parents and caregivers can provide effective, structured instruction at home.
Whether you are building a homeschool program or looking for additional support for your child’s learning, NIFDI can help you get started.
Interested in using Direct Instruction at home? Contact us to learn more about available programs, training, coaching, and support for families: