Implementing DI Successfully

Direct Instruction works, and it works best when it’s implemented with consistency and with fidelity. The National Institute for Direct Instruction provides the training, coaching, and implementation support that schools need to get started, but real success comes from what happens every day in classrooms and schools.

Strong implementation depends on clear systems, committed educators, and ongoing support. This section walks you through the key components for making DI successful, both when NIFDI is on-site and after the initial support ends.

Additional Resources:

Siegfried Engelmann’s Developer’s Guidelines outline the essential components and accountability systems that drive results.

NIFDI’s two-part video Tutorial will guide you through the key features needed for a successful DI implementation.

Implementation Options

NIFDI offers many implementation pathways designed to help schools successfully adopt and sustain Direct Instruction with fidelity.

Getting Started

Learn more about how to bring DI to your school or district and what NIFDI can do to support your implementation.

Effective Leadership

Strong leadership is the foundation of a successful schoolwide DI implementation

Ensuring Sufficient Personnel

Successful implementation of the DI model depends on having enough trained staff to deliver instruction with fidelity and administrators to support it.

Focusing on Student Performance

Implementing DI effectively requires teachers and administrators to make student performance the focus of the staff’s efforts to improve the school.

Practicing

While DI provides clear structure and guidance, it’s the combination of preparation and practice that brings students to mastery.

Scheduling Sufficient Instructional Time

Successful DI implementation depends on one key factor: giving students enough time to learn and practice every day.

Teaching to Mastery

Mastery is at the core of DI. Lessons are designed in small steps so students can successfully learn new material each day, while the rest reinforces and applies prior learning to ensure understanding.

Using a Single Instructional Program

To get the full impact of DI, schools should use DI as the core program within each subject, not alongside other instructional programs.