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Writing and Language Programs

Writing and Language

Direct Instruction provides various writing and language programs designed to help your students succeed. Not sure which program would work best for your students? See the recommendations below and check out the program pages for more detailed information: 

  • Essentials for Writing – Upper elementary and secondary students developing academic writing skills.
  • Expressive Writing – Elementary students learning sentence, paragraph, and composition structure.
  • Language for Learning – Early elementary students developing foundational language and communication skills.
  • Language for Thinking – Elementary students strengthening reasoning, comprehension, and verbal skills.
  • Reasoning and Writing – Upper elementary students building logical reasoning and structured writing skills.
  • Sentence Copying Handwriting Program – Early elementary students developing handwriting fluency and written conventions.

If you have other questions about our programs or implementation, feel free to email us at info@nifdi.org. We’re here to assist you on your DI journey.

Essentials for Writing

Expressive Writing

Language for Learning

Language for Thinking

Reasoning and Writing

Sentence Copying Program

Program Downloads

Interested in learning how to implement Direct Instruction in your district, school, or home? NIFDI can help. Click a button below to learn more. 

What is a Peer Coach?

Peer coaches play a critical role in sustaining strong implementation of Direct Instruction (DI) at the school level. Selected during the first year of implementation, peer coaches are classroom teachers who demonstrate strong instructional practice, effective communication with colleagues, and a willingness to support others. Because they teach the same programs as their peers, they bring practical expertise and shared experience that help build trust and collaboration across the school.

As implementation progresses, peer coaches extend the impact of NIFDI consultants by providing ongoing, school-based support when consultants are not on-site. Their coaching is non-evaluative and focused on improving student outcomes. Peer coaches reinforce effective teaching practices and guide colleagues to make targeted adjustments that directly impact student performance and behavior.

Peer coaches participate in a structured, multi-year training sequence through NIFDI. Over the course of two to three years, they are trained to analyze student performance data, conduct both brief and extended classroom observations, and support data-driven problem solving. Advanced training prepares them to lead grade-level meetings and contribute to broader instructional planning with school leadership.

By developing peer coaches, schools build internal capacity to maintain and strengthen DI implementation over time—ensuring continuity, supporting new staff, and driving sustained student achievement.