NCII, through a collaboration with the University of Connecticut and the National Center on Leadership in Intensive Intervention and with support from the CEEDAR Center, developed course content focused on enhancing educators’ skills in using explicit instruction. This course includes four modules that can support faculty and professional development providers with instructing pre-service and in-service educators who are learning to implement explicit instruction. This course is designed for users with background knowledge in intensive intervention and data-based individualization (DBI). Although it was originally delivered as part of a larger course on intensive intervention that was piloted in Bristol Warren Regional School District, it also can be presented as a standalone course. Need additional content to lay the foundation for DBI? Click here.

Explicit instruction is defined as “a way of teaching where the teacher selects an important objective, specifies the learning outcome, designs structured instructional experiences, explains directly, models the skills being taught, and provides scaffolded practice to help a student achieve mastery” (Kearns, 2018). Explicit instruction was recently identified as a high-leverage practice in special education, and there is a strong evidence base for its use. This course provides learners with an opportunity to extend their understanding of explicit instruction through in-depth exposure to the explicit instruction model and supporting practices required for effective implementation.

While the content provided on this page is intended for faculty and professional development providers, for individuals interested in completing a self-paced version of the course, you can view and complete the Self-Paced Features of Explicit Instruction Course in the NCII Learning Modules Library. Those that complete the self-paced course can access a course completion certificate.

Modules 5-8: Features of Explicit Instruction Course Content

Module 5: Modeling and Practicing to Help Students Reach Academic Goals

Module 6: Supporting Practices: Using Effective Methods to Elicit Frequent Responses

Module 7: Supporting Practices: Providing Immediate Specific Feedback and Maintaining a Brisk Pace

Module 8: Evaluating use of explicit instruction to support students' academic needs

For questions related to course content, please contact ncii@air.org

Resources to Build Background Knowledge of Intensive Intervention & DBI

Originally, the modules on explicit instruction were developed as part of a larger course that introduced educators to intensive intervention through data-based individualization (DBI). Content for the first four modules was delivered in person to provide a foundation in DBI before focusing on how explicit instruction can support educators providing instruction within a DBI process. Below are resources currently available from NCII that address the concepts covered in the first four modules.

Module 1: Introduction to Intensive Intervention

• Self-Paced Module: Introduction to Intensive Intervention
• Self-Paced Module: Intensive Intervention (Part 1): Using Data-Based Individualization To Intensify Instruction
• Training Module: Introduction to Data-Based Individualization (DBI): Considerations for Implementation in Academics and Behavior

Module 2: Progress Monitoring

• Self-Paced Modules: Academic Progress Monitoring Course Collection
• Training Module: Using Academic Progress Monitoring for Individualized Instructional Planning
• Self-Paced Module: Intensive Intervention (Part 2): Collecting and Analyzing Data for Data-Based Individualization

Module 3: Diagnostic Assessment

• Training Module: Informal Academic Diagnostic Assessment: Using Data to Guide Intensive Instruction
• Self-Paced Module: Intensive Intervention (Part 2): Collecting and Analyzing Data for Data-Based Individualization

Module 4: Using the Taxonomy of Intervention Intensity to Select or Understand a Validated Intervention Platform and Make Adaptations

• Self-Paced Module: Overview of the Taxonomy of Intervention Intensity
• Training Module: Using the Taxonomy of Intervention Intensity to Select, Design, and Intensify Intervention
• Training Module: Using the Taxonomy of Intervention Intensity Within the Data-Based Individualization Process: A Mathematics Example
• Training Module: Using the Taxonomy of ​Intervention Intensity Within the Data-Based Individualization Process: A Reading Example
• Training Module: Using the Taxonomy of Intervention Intensity Within the Data-Based Individualization Process: A Behavior Example