Ellen Stirling Primary School uses Explicit Direct Instruction (EDI) as a major instructional focus. Our lessons are strategically planned and we explicitly teach new concepts to mastery. Our teachers use EDI to teach new concepts in Mathematics and English. Other pedagogies such as Inquiry and Cooperative Learning are also used are used across the curriculum, to complement the EDI focus.
EDI lessons contain eight main components for success:
- Learning Objective
- Activating Prior Knowledge
- Concept Development
- Skill Development
- Guided Practice
- Relevance
- Closure
- Periodic (daily) reviews
The EDI model we use was developed by John Hollingsworth and Dr Silvia Ybarra from DataWORKS and is based on educational theory, brain research, data analysis and direct instruction.
The daily reviews undertaken at the commencement of each literacy and Numeracy lesson reduce cognitive load and builds automaticity. Teachers use TAPPLE and Engagement Norms to engage students successfully during each lesson. Our staff collaborate regularly to streamline the programs delivered in each year level, and keeping learning fun is a key component to our pedagogy.
The school also uses a number of Direct Instruction Programs across the school, endorsed by our School Board and P&C. These include but are not limited to; Lorraine Hammond’s Let’s Decode, Reading Mastery, Spelling Mastery, JEMM/EMM and Discreet Trial Training.
Fogarty Foundation
Ellen Stirling is an Alumni member of the Fogarty Foundation‘s hugely successful School Improvement Program, who endorse EDI as a successful evidence based pedagogy. Our school hosts many visitors from across the State and Nation each year, to view the high impact teaching and learning programs at our school.
Centre for Excellence in the Explicit Teaching of Literacy
Ellen Stirling Primary School has been selected to participate in the Internship program for the Centre for Excellence in the Explicit Teaching of Literacy in partnership with the Curtin University School of Education. Ellen Stirling provides professional learning, coaching and mentoring to strengthen, expand and share exemplary practices for literacy in our school to our staff, and also other schools.