The newest episode of the DI podcast has been released! It features Randi Saulter and Ann Baum. In his introduction, host Zach Groshell says, "Randi and Ann are two passionate special education teachers who will take us through what Zig Engelmann called the 'picky, picky' details of implementing DI in special education classrooms." Click here to listen to this interesting 50-minute interview.

Doug Carnine, University of Oregon Professor Emeritus and DI program co-author, recently appeared on the Progressively Incorrect podcast to highlight the Evidence Advocacy Center (EAC). The EAC's website states, "The EAC is a clearinghouse of research-based resources and research-based practices to be used by all stakeholders in the U.S. education system. The EAC provides research-based resources for each of the essential components of the U.S. education system."

Click here to hear more about the exciting and important work this amazing group of educators is pursuing.

Marcy Stein, professor emeritus from the University of Washington, Tacoma, was interviewed about her firsthand experience with Direct Instruction (DI) and Project Follow Through—the world’s largest educational experiment. Despite showing DI’s effectiveness with at-risk students, the results were largely ignored.

Marcy shares insights into the origins of DI and its instructional design and emphasizes that it’s effective for all students, not just those struggling academically. She also addresses common misconceptions, walks through a typical DI math lesson, and gives advice on how to bridge skill gaps in the classroom. This episode unpacks the story of Project Follow Through and the ongoing fight for evidence-based education. Click here to listen to this informative interview.

An important feature of successful Direct Instruction implementations is to celebrate success—the success of students, teachers, and entire schools. Each year, we recognize individuals and schools that have made a significant difference in the educational performance of children through the following awards:

• The Carnine-McRoberts Student Improvement Award – This award honors the parents of Doug and Linda Carnine. It is given to a student who has demonstrated outstanding improvement, academic or behavioral. Teachers submit nominations. The winner, selected by Doug and Linda Carnine, will be presented with a plaque and $1,000. The winner's school will also receive $1,000.

• Siegfried Engelmann Excellence in Education Award – This award is named after Siegfried “Zig” Engelmann, co-creator of Direct Instruction, senior author of the DI programs, and founder of NIFDI. The recipient of this award can be anyone – a teacher, paraprofessional, administrator, college professor, etc. – who has provided a significant contribution to the field of education and/or student achievement.
  
• Wes Becker Excellent School Award – This award is named after Wesley Becker, co-creator of Direct Instruction and longtime Professor of Educational Psychology at the University of Oregon. This award is given to a school for exemplary implementation of Direct Instruction.

Please take the opportunity to honor a member of the DI “family.” The nomination process is simple and means so much to the individuals and our profession. Please identify and nominate a colleague and/or school that has made a difference. Nomination applications are short (1-2 pages) and are due in our office by June 3rd. Download the  pdf application packet today or click the award titles above to complete the online applications.