NIFDI has a long history of providing the Gold Standard for training in Direct Instruction programs. Our trainers have trained tens of thousands of educators throughout the world to successfully implement DI. For the first time, we are offering in-person open-enrollment training in the United Kingdom!

Plan on attending the UK Direct Instruction Teaching Academy July 6 & 7, 2023, at Heath Lane Academy, Earl Shilton, Leicester. We will be offering training in Corrective Mathematics and Corrective Reading, Decoding. Participants can choose to attend one of these two-day trainings.

Space is limited to 25 attendees in each session, so sign up early! For complete details, click here.

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

• 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.
• The Wayne Carnine Student Improvement Award – This award is named after the father of Doug Carnine, DI co-author and longtime Professor of Education at the University of Oregon. It is given to a student who has demonstrated remarkable academic success with DI. Teachers submit nominations. The winner, selected by Doug and Linda Carnine, will be presented with a plaque and $200. Click here to view last year's presentation of the award by the Carnines. The actual presentation starts at 2:15.

Please take the opportunity to honor a member of the DI “family.” The nomination process is not cumbersome, and it 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 available on our website. Nominations are due in our office by June 3rd, so download the application packet today!

In February, UK-based Teacher Talk Radio hosted the podcast Direct Instruction Beyond Rosenshine. The 90-minute show featured Terri Leighton, Principal at Dixons-Manningham Primary in the United Kingdom, NIFDI President Kurt Engelmann, NIFDI Outreach Director Bryan Wickman, and Suzy Wybrow, NIFDI UK Outreach Specialist. Engelmann and Wickman gave an overview and brief history of DI, and Terri and Suzy talked about their experience with the programs.

Terri said how her school has nearly all students reading at or above grade level and has gone from 5 classes of Corrective Reading down to 1 due to the strong foundation students receive in their earlier years. Click here to listen to the podcast.

A second podcast focusing on DI was featured in an episode of Progressively Incorrect. Marcy Stein is a veteran DI researcher, author, and teacher educator. She is a retired Professor Emeritus from the University of Washington, Tacoma. The podcast, titled Engelmann’s Direct Instruction and Project Follow Through, is an interesting 60-minute exploration of the success of the DI Model in Project Follow Through and the failure of the US Department of Education to disseminate the results of the largest education experiment in history. The information is particularly relevant in light of the current interest in the science of reading. Click here to listen to the podcast.

The Engelmann Foundation, created in 1997, recently announced they are changing their submission deadlines. The new submission dates are 5pm PDT April 1st and October 1st. The Foundation is dedicated to continuing the legacy of Siegfried "Zig" Engelmann, creator of DI and senior author of the DI programs, through the support, promotion, and development of educators around the world implementing Direct Instruction with their students. Over the years, the foundation has distributed 112 grants totaling over $700,000.

The Engelmann Foundation offers two grant opportunities: Conference Grants and General Grants. Conference Grants are tailored to provide funds to attend the annual National Direct Instruction Conference hosted by the National Institute for Direct Instruction in Eugene, Oregon, each July. General Grants are designed to support projects, training and development, implementation, and other similar endeavors that utilize Direct Instruction (DI) programs.