What is Explicit Instruction in Teaching?

Louise Petty

November 28, 2025

5 min read

Explicit instruction is a systematic approach to teaching that can be highly effective for introducing new material and supporting those students who need additional structure in lessons. It focuses on clarity, precision and carefully guided practice. In this article, we’ll explain what explicit instruction is, how it works in practice and why it is considered both effective and efficient for teachers across both primary and secondary schools.

Teacher stood at the front of primary school lesson giving instructions

What is Explicit Instruction?

Explicit instruction (EI) is a teacher-led approach in which learning is presented in clear, direct steps with little left to chance or inference. Teachers explain, model and guide students through new content before expecting them to work independently. The approach ensures that students know exactly what to do, how to do it and why it matters.

EI is particularly effective for teaching foundational knowledge, such as phonics, grammar or basic maths. It’s also beneficial for pupils with SEND or specific learning difficulties, who often benefit from higher levels of structure, repetition and guided practice.

Teacher sat with student instructing on some work

The Explicit Instruction Model

Explicit instruction usually follows a straightforward sequence that helps students move from first encountering new learning to being able to use it independently. The explicit instruction model is:

I Do – the teacher shows exactly how to do the new concept or skill and may think aloud to explain their reasoning.
We Do – the teacher and students try it together, with prompts, guided practice and immediate feedback.
You Do – students work on their own to practise the new learning and build confidence and accuracy.

The 16 Elements of Explicit Instruction

The 16 elements of explicit instruction outline the specific actions teachers need to take to deliver effective lessons. The elements can be condensed into smaller frameworks, sometimes with 6-8 steps, but the key principles remain the same.

The 16 elements of explicit instruction are:

Focus on critical content.
Start lessons with a clear review of previous learning.
Present new material in small steps.
Give clear and detailed instructions and explanations.
Provide modelling and worked examples.
Offer ample opportunities for guided practice.
Ask a high frequency of questions.
Check the understanding of all students.
Provide regular and specific feedback.
Ensure a high rate of student success before moving on.
Monitor student practice closely.
Offer scaffolds and support where needed.
Ensure sufficient opportunities for independent practice.
Engage students in active participation throughout the lesson.
Adjust teaching in response to student needs.
End lessons with a brief review of key learning.

Explicit Instruction Examples

Explicit instruction can be applied across all subjects on the curriculum. In the examples below, the process is explicit, intentional and carefully sequenced. Examples of explicit instruction include:

In a phonics lesson, the teacher models the pronunciation of a new grapheme, guides the class through blending practice, then provides time for independent decoding tasks.

In a maths lesson, the teacher demonstrates a calculation method step by step, completes sample questions with the class and then sets a short independent practice set.

In a science lesson, the teacher shows how to write a hypothesis using a sentence scaffold, completes a shared example with the pupils and asks them to construct their own.

In an English lesson, the teacher models how to annotate a text by thinking aloud, guides pupils through a second extract and then asks them to annotate a section independently.

The Role of Explicit Instruction in Effective and Efficient Teaching

Explicit instruction is a type of effective teaching because it fits well with what we know from cognitive science: strategies such as clear modelling, guided practice and reducing unnecessary cognitive load are proven to help students learn more successfully.

Explicit instruction is also an efficient way of teaching. By removing ambiguity and giving students clear steps to follow, it reduces confusion and increases the chances that new content is learnt the first time it’s taught.

EI gives learners a clear path from beginner to confident performer, because the teaching is systematic, structured and responsive to their needs.

Explicit Teaching Strategies

The following strategies can help teachers to implement explicit instruction effectively and efficiently. These strategies reflect the 16 core principles of explicit teaching and help ensure that learning is accessible to all students. Explicit teaching strategies include:

Chunking – breaking complex information into small sequential steps.
Modelling (I Do) – demonstrating processes clearly and using think-alouds to expose reasoning.
Guided Practice (We Do) – supporting students as they practise with prompts, cues and immediate feedback.
Monitoring – actively checking every student’s understanding rather than relying on volunteers.
Scaffolding – providing support initially then gradually withdrawing it as students become more confident.

Explicit instruction is a clear and structured approach to teaching that helps students to master new knowledge with confidence. By presenting learning in small steps, modelling clearly and guiding practice carefully, teachers can help students learn more effectively. EI benefits learners of all ages and across all subjects, making it an essential part of great teaching.