Teaching by rote finds fresh legs in Baltimore

A school reading program developed in the 1960s, criticised for being “teacher proof” because it demands that classroom delivery sticks so closely to a formula, has emerged untarnished from a longitudinal study in Baltimore.

Data collected over a period of six years showed an improvement across the board, but children in schools using Direct Instruction performed significantly better (effect size 0.63). The research team from the National Institute of Direct Instruction examined results for over 40,000 six- and seven-year-old children from 119 schools.
 
Designed by Professor Siegfried Engelmann at the University of Oregon, Direct Instruction is grounded in tightly planned lessons, using small learning increments and carefully defined teaching tasks. It is based on the theory that clear, evenly-paced instruction will eliminate misinterpretation and so quicken the pace of learning.
 
The Best Evidence Encyclopedia lists Direct Instruction as a “top-rated” program for complete school reform. Nearly 50 evaluations of the model have been carried out. Meta-analysis has shown it to produce an overall effect size of 0.21. 
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