Due to a scheduling conflict, the dates for the 52nd National Direct Instruction Conference and Institutes are July 20-24, 2026. We are happy to announce that you are able to secure your room for the conference week. The most comprehensive Direct Instruction training event will be held at the Graduate Hotel. The Graduate is located in downtown Eugene, steps away from restaurants, shopping, and entertainment options. 

Reservations can be made by calling 1.800.991.8903 and referring to booking code 92N or online by clicking here.

In the coming months, we will be releasing information on the conference, but we wanted to share this news now so you can start making your plans to be in Eugene July 20-24!

November 26, 2025, would have marked Siegfried “Zig” Engelmann’s 94th birthday. He passed in 2019 after an amazingly productive and full life. Zig was the creator of Direct Instruction (DI), beginning with his work in education in 1965. Zig devoted most of his life to bettering the lives of children by applying his theory of instruction to a set of instructional programs that are unparalleled in their efficacy with all learners, particularly learners at risk for failure. Prior to his passing, he had written over 100 instructional programs, 30 books, and hundreds of articles and papers.

NIFDI was founded by Zig to work with schools worldwide to implement Direct Instruction with a high level of fidelity. We are proud to continue his legacy of helping all students realize their highest potential with DI.

Our links to our favorite videos featuring Zig can be found by clicking here.

We are pleased to announce that Dr. Carl Hendrick will be the featured keynote speaker at the National Direct Instruction Conference and Institutes in Eugene, Oregon, on July 21, 2026.

Dr. Hendrick is an internationally recognized expert in the science of learning and instructional design. He is a professor at Academica University of Applied Sciences in Amsterdam and leads research projects that bridge cognitive science, educational psychology, and classroom practice. He recently wrote a posting on his Substack- 10 Rules for Designing Effective Instruction. He does an excellent job of summarizing the most important points Engelmann and Carnine make in their classic Theory of Instruction. It is both insightful and useful.

In the coming months, we will be releasing information on the conference, but we wanted to share this exciting news now so you can start making your plans to be in Eugene July 20-24!

Zach Groshell recently released another DI Podcast. This installment features interviews with educators Jon Owen in the United Kingdom and Jessica Colleu Terradas in Australia. They share their experience in implementing DI in a variety of settings. They both speak of the need for high-quality training, as well as the value of continued support, and how NIFDI has fit into fulfilling those needs.

 

Click here to access the interviews and hear what these two have to say about Direct Instruction, NIFDI, and their conference experiences.