Sample Programs – Direct Instruction
At Firefly Education we teach the full range of Direct Instruction programs. Each program is built around the core Direct Instruction principles of consistent language, carefully sequenced material, highly individualized delivery, and continuous assessment. The following is a selected sample of Direct Instruction programs that we teach to students who are doing well in school but who need to advance through greater challenges, all of which are available either online or at our education centre:
Corrective Mathematics
Corrective Mathematics provides intensive support in mathematics through seven strategic modules – Addition; Subtraction; Multiplication; Division; Basic Fractions; Fractions, Decimals, and Percents; and Ratios and Equations. Problematic areas are targeted and addressed in a systematic way to ensure students will learn to work mathematical problems accurately and confidently. Teacher-directed instruction focuses on critical skills and concepts which struggling students often fail to grasp. The program teaches mathematics skills, rules, and strategies efficiently and effectively, by focusing on core content and breaking this content into a series of small conceptual steps and embedded skills. Students learn how to solve a wide variety of problem solving story types by translating word problems into numerical statements, determining the operation needed for the problem, and following a step by step process to correctly solve the problem. Fact practice and timed tests help students develop a high level of fluency in mathematics.
Corrective Reading - Comprehension
Corrective Reading - Comprehension is designed for students who need to develop vocabulary, background information, and reasoning skills that are the foundation of comprehension. Intensive, robust instruction targets comprehension and word learning strategies that students can carry into content-area classes. Extensive practice in following directions is provided to help students read carefully and attend to details. Students develop strategies for retaining information and relating it to new concepts. Writing skills related to sentence structure, grammar, usage, and mechanics are taught to prepare students for the complex syntax in text. The program develops the thinking tactics used by successful readers—applying prior knowledge, making inferences, and analyzing evidence. Students learn literal and inferential skills necessary to read content-area textbooks and learn new information. Higher order thinking skills are expanded to enable students to read critically, identify fallacies in arguments, and resolve possible inconsistencies encountered in reading. Reasoning and analysis strategies are taught in content-rich contexts, enabling students to transfer newly learned skills to many subject areas.
Read to Achieve
Read to Achieve equips students with effective comprehension strategies they can apply to content area subjects including science, social studies, and English / literature. Tailored to meet the more complex literacy requirements of middle and high school, the program provides decoding instruction that supports students’ ability to read multi-syllabic words, improves fluency through a systematic plan of action, and teaches portable comprehension strategies that students can carry into their content area classes. Word learning strategies are taught to facilitate students’ ability to understand new vocabulary. The level of direct teacher guidance provided to the student begins strong and is gradually phased out as the student demonstrates the ability to independently select and apply appropriate comprehension strategies for the content they are reading. The program consists of two unique modules: In the Comprehending Content Area Text module, students work with content examples that reflect the structure and layout of popular science and social studies texts, and eventually work directly with their actual science and social studies textbooks. The Comprehending Narrative Text module helps students develop comprehension strategies appropriate for fictional and non-fictional texts, using selections of authentic trade books.
Reasoning and Writing
Reasoning and Writing integrates higher-level thinking with writing instruction to help students think logically and analytically, and express ideas efficiently and effectively. Early levels focus on writing sentences and parallel stories about familiar characters to build an awareness of logical connections and narrative structures. Later levels help students develop consistent procedures for writing, editing, and revising their work, and critiquing their work as a reader would to eliminate possible sources of confusion. Relevant practice in mechanics, usage, and grammar is provided to refine editing skills and make students accountable for checking their own compositions. A solid foundation for writing is built by teaching skills such as sentence structure, subject/verb agreement, punctuation, capitalization, subjects and predicates, and writing passages that have a main idea and supporting details. Progressive changes in writing assignments incorporate skills taught throughout the program. Careful teaching of analysis and logic skills—including drawing conclusions from evidence, and identifying misleading claims, inadequate arguments, inconsistencies, and contradictions— improves the way students communicate in all subject areas. Students are equipped with everything they need to write strong sentences and paragraphs that are organized, focused, connected, and polished.
Spelling Through Morphographs
Spelling Through Morphographs is a corrective program designed to give older students the tools they need to learn to spell. The program teaches a variety of morphographs -- prefixes, suffixes, and word bases -- and a small set of rules for combining them so that students learn a spelling strategy they can apply to thousands of words. Fast-paced lessons and a systematic review of every morphograph, combined with a few simple spelling rules, ensure that spelling strategies are mastered. In the first half of the program alone, students learn over 252 morphographs and the rules needed to spell over 3,000 words. By the end of the program, they learn over 500 morphographs, and are able to spell over 12,000 words. The fact that morphographs have meaning not only helps students remember their spelling, but it also helps them figure out the meaning of unfamiliar words. Writing and proofreading activities reinforce the connection between spelling and composition.