NIFDI staff have prepared bibliographies and summaries of DI related research in a variety of areas ( pdf Reading Mastery and learning disabled students , pdf Corrective Reading with adult students , pdf outside the elementary school setting , pdf ELL students , and pdf African American students ) and the relationship of Direct Instruction to pdf mathematics achievement , pdf language achievement , and pdf school attendance . Other bibliographies list citations to research on pdf Project Follow Through and pdf research syntheses of efficacy studies of DI.
There are many opinions and perceptions surrounding Direct Instruction. Some of them related to structure, others related to content, others related to appropriateness for various populations of learners.
In 2017 we sat down with Siegfried "Zig" Engelmann to get his take on these issues. In the following video segments, you will hear Zig's thoughts on everything from "Drill and Kill" to multi-sensory learning to teachers' creativity in a DI classroom.
This nine-part introduction is free and covers a range of topics addressing the fundamentals of Direct Instruction. Designed to provide information relevant to individuals new to DI, topics include:
Each video is only about three to five minutes long, providing a succinct introduction to each topic. Users can browse through the videos separately, but we recommend viewing them in the order they appear below.
See also:
Guide to Getting Started with Direct Instruction
Implementing Direct Instruction Successfully: An Online Tutorial
The National Institute for Direct Instruction (NIFDI) receives inquiries from individuals trying to locate schools and districts using Direct Instruction. Below is a list of schools that use Direct Instruction (DI) programs for core instruction in English Language Arts. Reach out to the contact person if you would like additional information on the school’s use of DI or to schedule a visit.
| School | Location | Contact | |
| Arthur Academy (6 schools) | Portland, OR | Stephani Walker | swalker@arthuracademy.org |
| Core Knowledge Charter School | Verona, WI | Stephanie Krenz | krenzs@verona.k12.wi.us |
| Classical Charter School | Appleton, WI | Nick Winch | WINCHNICHOLAS@aasd.k12.wi.us |
| Dixons Manningham Primary | Bradford, UK | Terri Leighton | info@dixonsmn.com |
| Hampstead Hill Academy | Baltimore, MD | Matt Hornbeck | JMHornbeck@bcps.k12.md.us |
| Mystic Valley Regional Charter School | Malden, MA | Alex Dan | dan@mvrcs.org |
| The Roger Bacon Academy | Leland, NC | Baker Mitchell | bamjr@RogerBacon.net |
| Thales Academy (7 campuses) | VA, TN | Bob Luddy | bob.luddy@thalesacademy.org |
| THRIVE Community School | Santa Fe, NM | Sean Duncan | seanduncan@thriveschoolsf.org |
| Youngsville Academy | Youngsville, NC | Emily Henson | emily.henson@youngsvilleacademy.org |
This is not a comprehensive listing. The use of any given curriculum can shift so quickly, for reasons such as adoption cycles to new administrators or the implementation of a new initiative. We recommend the following as possible avenues in locating other sites using DI:
Get in Contact with the Publisher's Sales Representative
Each of the Direct Instruction programs are published by educational publishers such as McGraw-Hill, who utilize local and regional sales representatives. These individuals are knowledgeable about locations that have purchased various programs and may be able to connect you with a site using DI in your area. Don't know who the representative is? Call the publisher's customer service number and ask for the representative's contact information.
If you're looking for a McGraw-Hill representative, you can also search for your local rep on McGraw-Hill's site.
Post your Query to the Direct Instruction Discussion List
The DI List is hosted by the University of Oregon and is a discussion list with a few hundred subscribers from around the world. List participants represent a wide variety of positions and expertise and are often informed of implementations happening in a number of locations. As such, participants are often able to assist others with questions like yours. You must be subscribed to the list to post a message. You can subscribe to the DI list here.
