Daily review is one of the most powerful instructional practices for improving student outcomes, yet it is also one of the most misunderstood and poorly implemented components of explicit teaching.

When daily review is planned and executed well, it strengthens retention, builds fluency, and dramatically reduces the need for re-teaching. When it is unplanned or inconsistent, it becomes rushed, ineffective, or quietly dropped altogether.

In this article, we will explore why daily review is essential for student learning, how spaced and sequenced practice underpins its effectiveness, and why planning daily review properly is far more complex than it first appears.

What Is Daily Review in Explicit Teaching?

Daily review is a structured instructional routine that revisits previously taught content to strengthen long-term retention and automaticity.

In explicit teaching, daily review is not revision, warm-ups, or filler activities. It is a deliberate practice designed to:

• Reinforce foundational knowledge

• Support retrieval from long-term memory

• Reduce cognitive load during new learning

• Prepare students for success in the lesson ahead

Effective daily review revisits multiple skills over time, not just yesterday’s lesson.

Daily review must only include skills that have been through the skill development phase (That means students have seen a modelled worked example, been guided through the skill and had a chance to practice it independently)

👉Learn more about guided practice examples here

Brolga Education

Guided Practice Examples: 8 ‘We Do’ Activities for Explicit Teaching

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10 months ago · Trudy Mayo

Why Daily Review Has Such a Strong Impact on Student Outcomes

Research on learning and memory consistently shows that students do not retain information simply because it was taught well once. Retention depends on retrieval practice, spacing, and repeated exposure over time.

Daily review supports student outcomes because it:

• Improves recall and retention

• Builds fluency and accuracy

• Strengthens connections between concepts

• Reduces forgetting

• Makes new learning more accessible

Students who experience consistent, well-planned daily review demonstrate stronger independent performance and require less scaffolding later in the lesson.

The Role of Spaced and Sequenced Practice

This is where daily review becomes both powerful and challenging.

What Is Spaced Practice?

Spaced practice involves revisiting content at increasing intervals over time rather than repeating it intensively in a short window.

Instead of:

• Teach → practise → move on

We aim for:

• Teach → review tomorrow → review next week → review later in the term

This spacing strengthens memory and supports long-term retention.

What Is Sequenced Practice?

Sequenced practice refers to the intentional order in which skills are revisited.

Effective sequencing:

• Prioritises prerequisite skills

• Balances new, recent, and older learning

• Avoids overwhelming students with too much review at once

Poor sequencing often results in:

• Random question selection

• Over-reviewing some skills

• Neglecting others entirely

Why Planning Daily Review Is So Difficult for Teachers

Most teachers understand that daily review is important.

The difficulty lies in planning it well.

To implement daily review effectively, teachers must consider:

• When each skill was first taught

• How often it should be revisited

• How long it should remain in review

• How to balance review with new content

• How to avoid review sessions becoming too long

Trying to manually track this across a term or year quickly becomes overwhelming.

As a result, daily review often becomes:

• Repetitive

• Inconsistent

• Based on convenience rather than learning science

This is not a teacher problem. It is a systems problem.

👉Read more about success criteria and retention here

What Daily Review Looks Like When It Is Done Well

High-quality daily review is:

• Planned in advance

• Predictable in structure

• Short and focused

• Aligned to what has been taught

• Based on spaced and sequenced practice

When daily review is systemised, teachers can focus on delivery, not decision-making.

Students know what to expect. Teachers know exactly what to review and when.

The Missing Piece: A Planning System for Daily Review

Planning daily review is not difficult because teachers lack knowledge. It is difficult because spacing and sequencing practice across weeks and terms requires a system that can hold that complexity.

The Daily Review Scheduler was created to support this exact challenge. It allows teachers to map review over time, ensuring skills are revisited intentionally without increasing planning load. Rather than deciding what to review each day, teachers can rely on a structure that aligns with the principles of explicit teaching and the science of learning.

Rather than deciding each day what to review, a scheduler:

• Maps review opportunities across weeks and terms

• Automatically spaces practice after instruction

• Ensures all skills are revisited intentionally

• Keeps daily review short, focused, and effective

It removes the cognitive and administrative load from teachers while protecting instructional quality.

👉 View the Daily Review Scheduler

Introducing the Daily Review Scheduler

The Daily Review Scheduler was designed to solve the exact problem teachers face with daily review.

It provides a structured way to:

• Plan daily review across a term

• Apply spaced and sequenced practice automatically

• Maintain consistency without extra planning time

Instead of guessing what to review, teachers can rely on a clear, intentional system that aligns with the science of learning and the principles of explicit teaching.

Why This Matters for Student Learning

When daily review is planned and protected:

• Students retain more

• Lessons run more smoothly

• Independent practice improves

• Teachers spend less time re-teaching

Daily review is not an optional add-on. It is a core driver of student success.

The challenge has never been knowing that daily review matters.
The challenge has been knowing how to manage it well.

Final Thoughts

Daily review is one of the highest-impact practices in explicit teaching, but only when it is planned with intention.

Spaced and sequenced practice cannot be left to chance. It requires a system that supports both teachers and students.

If daily review feels difficult to sustain, the issue is not your commitment. It is the absence of a structure designed to support it.

Daily Review is one of the most powerful tools we have for improving retention, fluency, and long-term learning. The challenge is not understanding why it matters. The challenge is planning it well and sustaining it across a term or an entire year.

That is exactly what the Daily Review Scheduler was designed to support.

Why this tool exists

In classrooms, Daily Review often becomes inconsistent. It gets rushed, repeated too frequently, or dropped altogether when planning time runs short. Teachers are left trying to mentally track what should be reviewed, when it should resurface, and how to balance new learning with retrieval.

This tool removes that cognitive load.

The Daily Review Scheduler applies principles of spaced and sequenced practice so that review is planned intentionally rather than guessed or improvised.

What the Daily Review Scheduler does

The scheduler allows you to input your scope and sequence of learning intentions and generates a structured Daily Review plan across a term or year.

You simply enter:

• your learning area

• learning intentions in the order in which skills are taught

• the number of weeks you are teaching (up to 40 weeks)

• how many review days per week you want

• any previously taught skills you wish to maintain

The tool then produces a Daily Review schedule aligned with effective retrieval practice, ensuring skills are revisited at purposeful intervals rather than randomly or repeatedly.

This supports stronger retention while keeping Daily Review manageable and realistic for classroom use.

Access the Daily Review Scheduler

This resource is included inside the Structured Teaching Portal, alongside lesson templates, modelling tools, guided practice resources, and instructional routines that support every phase of explicit teaching.

👉 Access the Daily Review Scheduler inside the Structured Teaching Portal

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The I Do, We Do, You Do Traffic Light Posters are visual teaching aids designed to support explicit instruction by clearly showing students where they are in the learning process and what is expected of them at each stage of the lesson.

These posters make the Gradual Release of Responsibility visible, predictable, and easy for students to follow across lessons and subjects.

Access this resource inside the Structured Teaching Portal

Already a member of the Structured Teaching Portal? Your download is available below ⬇️

Why Use I Do, We Do, You Do Posters?

In explicit teaching, clarity matters. When students understand whether they are watching, practising together, or working independently, lessons run more smoothly and behaviour improves.

These posters help you:

• Set clear expectations during each lesson phase

• Reduce student confusion about what they should be doing

• Support consistent lesson routines

• Keep lessons structured without constant verbal reminders

Instead of repeatedly explaining the lesson phase, you can point, reference, and reinforce expectations visually.

What’s Included in the Traffic Light Poster Pack

This resource includes 22 editable visual posters, designed using a traffic light format to clearly distinguish each phase of explicit teaching.

Included Posters:

• I Do (Teacher Modelling)

• We Do (Guided Practice)

• You Do (Independent Practice)

Each phase is represented with colour-coded visuals to support fast recognition and classroom consistency.

How These Posters Support Explicit Teaching

This structure aligns with the Gradual Release of Responsibility used in explicit teaching lessons.

I Do

Use the I Do poster during modelling to signal that students are watching, listening, and thinking. This supports focus during worked examples and teacher explanations.

We Do

Display the We Do poster during guided practice so students understand they are practising together, responding, and participating with support.

You Do

Use the You Do poster to clearly mark independent practice time, reinforcing responsibility and independence.

These visuals reduce uncertainty and support smooth transitions between lesson phases.

How to Use the Posters in Your Classroom

• Display posters on the wall or whiteboard

• Print and laminate for durability

• Use magnets or velcro to switch between phases

• Refer to the posters when setting expectations

• Keep the same visuals across lessons to build routine

Because they are editable, you can adapt wording or formatting to suit your class or school language.

Editable in Canva

All posters are fully editable in Canva, allowing you to:

• Adjust colours or text

• Add class or school branding

• Resize for different display spaces

You receive a ready-made visual system without starting from scratch.

Who This Resource Is For

This resource is suitable for:

• Primary classroom teachers

• Secondary teachers using explicit instruction

• Intervention and support teachers

• Instructional coaches

• Tutors and small-group instructors

It can be used across all subject areas.

Access the I Do, We Do, You Do Traffic Light Posters

This resource is included inside the Structured Teaching Portal, alongside lesson templates, modelling tools, guided practice resources, and instructional routines that support every phase of explicit teaching.

👉 Access the Traffic Light Posters inside the Structured Teaching Portal

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Access this resource inside the Structured Teaching Portal

Already a member of the Structured Teaching Portal? Your download is available below ⬇️

Do these challenges sound familiar?

• Your students drift off-task during independent work because the instruction wasn’t clear enough.

• You spend nights tweaking slides and resources for explicit teaching, only to feel drained the next day.

• You know explicit teaching is essential, but without a clear system the planning feels heavy and overwhelming.

Many teachers work incredibly hard… but still feel unsure about whether their lessons are structured effectively.

Most teachers are missing strategies that:

• save hours in planning

• keep every student engaged throughout the lesson

• build student confidence and independence

• make lesson delivery feel predictable and calm

The good news?
All of this becomes simpler once you have a clear structure.

Introducing the Explicit Teaching Masterclass

A clear, research-aligned system for lesson planning and delivery that works every time.

This masterclass gives you a practical, step-by-step framework so you can:

✨ Save hours each week with efficient lesson planning
✨ Boost engagement with clear, purposeful delivery
✨ Create predictable, productive lessons where students feel confident and ready to learn

It’s time to teach with clarity and confidence.

The Explicit Teaching Masterclass shows you exactly how to plan and deliver explicit teaching lessons that are structured, engaging and effective — without the stress or guesswork.

What’s Inside the Explicit Teaching Masterclass

You’ll receive 11 comprehensive video modules that walk you through every phase of explicit teaching. Each module includes practical examples, implementation tips and structures you can apply immediately.

1. Explicit Teaching Structure Overview

Master the I Do, We Do, You Do model so your lessons feel predictable, supportive and easy to follow.

2. Lesson Introduction

Write clear learning intentions, success criteria and activate prior knowledge so students understand the purpose of the lesson from the start.

3. Concept Development

Break down new ideas into manageable, bite-sized steps that reduce cognitive load and build understanding.

4. Modelled Instruction (I Do)

Demonstrate skills effectively using clarity, structure and worked examples so students know exactly what success looks like.

5. Guided Practice (We Do)

Use scaffolding, prompts and differentiation strategies to keep students engaged and supported as they practise with you.

6. Independent Practice (You Do)

Help students apply new learning confidently, with clear routines that support accuracy and independence.

7. Check for Understanding

Use quick, reliable assessment techniques to monitor progress in real time and adjust your teaching on the spot.

8. Lesson Review

Reinforce key ideas and strengthen retention through purposeful, efficient review.

9. Instructional Routines

Build consistent routines that reduce planning time and increase student confidence.

10. Lesson Planning Checklist

A practical checklist that simplifies your workflow and ensures every lesson is aligned, structured and intentional.

11. Know Your Students

Adapt your delivery to student needs and provide support that actually improves learning outcomes.

Why Teachers Choose This Masterclass

Time-Saving

A clear, repeatable planning system that cuts hours from your workload.

Engagement Strategies

Delivery strategies designed to hold student attention and strengthen understanding.

Evidence-Based

All strategies are aligned to research on explicit teaching and cognitive load.

Confidence-Building

Know exactly what to teach, how to teach it and how to support each learner through the lesson.

Flexible

Watch at your own pace and revisit any module whenever you need to refresh your practice.

Transform Your Teaching With a Clear, Predictable System

When explicit teaching is structured and purposeful, you’ll see:

• stronger retention

• clearer student responses

• smoother transitions

• fewer off-task behaviours

• improved independence

• higher student confidence

The Explicit Teaching Masterclass gives you the tools, templates and confidence to deliver high-quality explicit teaching lessons — every single day.

Access the Full Masterclass

The full video series is available inside the Structured Teaching Portal, along with every other explicit teaching resource, template and deep dive.

👉 Join the Structured Teaching Portal to access this resource.

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Modelling is one of the most powerful parts of explicit teaching, yet it is also the stage that slips quickest into over-talking, over-explaining or disengaging students. A strong I Do looks deceptively simple. The teacher completes one clear worked example, in real time, with pen in hand, while students watch the thinking unfold.

This is not lecturing. It is not talking for ten minutes straight. And it is not presenting a fully-formed slide for students to copy.
A true I Do shows students exactly how to apply a skill. It makes the steps visible. It keeps cognitive load low. And every part of the demonstration links back to the success criteria.

➡️ Read How to Write Success Criteria: Clear Steps, Examples and Free Templates

By the end of the I Do, students should be able to describe what the teacher did, why the steps mattered and what success looks like before they try it themselves.

What Makes an Effective I Do?

A strong modelled instruction always begins with the learning intention and success criteria. Students need to know the purpose of the example and what to look for as you demonstrate the skill.

➡️ Read How to Write Learning Intentions: A Step-by-Step Guide for Explicit Teaching

The worked example should match the success criteria exactly. If the criteria say students will identify three points, your model must show three points. If the criteria say students will use a specific strategy, your model must demonstrate that strategy precisely.

The modelling itself should be short and direct. Most teachers over-talk because they are trying to fill gaps that the worked example will solve on its own. Aim for no more than five minutes before you pause, use an engagement norm or have students track with you. Attention dips quickly, and the goal of the I Do is clarity, not a monologue.

As you model, think aloud. Narrate the decisions you are making. Show students how you move through each step. Refer constantly to the success criteria. “Notice that I am checking criterion two before I move on…”, “I’m adding this detail because it connects back to what success looks like…”. These moments are what make thinking visible.

And most importantly, complete the worked example in the moment, in front of the students. A live model is far more effective than a finished (or clicked-through) one. It reduces cognitive load, allows for correction and helps students see the process rather than the product.

Students’ Role During the I Do

During the I Do, students are expected to watch and listen. This is not a time for them to write, ask questions, or attempt the task. Their role is to follow the teacher’s thinking, track each step as it is modelled, and observe how the success criteria are applied in real time. The focus is on attention, not participation. If the teacher has been speaking for more than five minutes, a brief engagement cue may be used to re-centre attention, but the overall expectation remains the same. The I Do is a clarity phase. Students stay with the teacher, stay focused, and allow the modelling to build their understanding before they try the skill themselves.

These behaviour expectations should be taught in the beginning of the year and revisited at the start of each term. Having some visuals, posters, lesson prompt cards will help with managing expectations and behaviour during the modelled instruction.

The above visual is available in the Explicit Teaching Daily Slides Pack

How to Make Modelling in Real Time Easier for the Teacher

To help with this, teachers can have a copy of the completed worked example that students never see. This is where true confidence in modelling comes from.

A Teacher Prep Notes Page can act as your presentation notes. It shows the fully completed worked example, annotates the decisions you want to highlight, and includes the language you will use in your think aloud. It removes guesswork. You are no longer trying to remember what to say next or worrying about trying to think of an example on the spot (eg. when modelling for writing), missing a step or making a mistake. You can focus entirely on your delivery.

When you model from this kind of structure, the I Do becomes lighter, cleaner and far more consistent lesson to lesson.

Before Moving into We Do

Before moving into guided practice, you should run one or two quick checks for understanding. This is not a retell of the model or a discussion of the steps. It is a fast, low-effort question to confirm that students recognised the skill you just demonstrated. The response should take only a few seconds. Students might hold up A or B on a whiteboard, choose the correct example, or identify which option matches the success criteria. This rapid check simply tells you whether the class is ready to attempt the skill with support. If most students answer correctly, you move into We Do. If not, you briefly clarify the point of confusion and continue.

➡️Read more about 15 Quick Checks for Understanding in Explicit Teaching here

✨The Worked Example Modelling Pack

This classroom-ready pack is designed for teachers who want to model with clarity, confidence and consistency – without spending hours creating slides or guessing what to say next during the I Do.

Every tool inside the pack aligns with best-practice explicit teaching and the modelling framework outlined in this post. It supports teachers to deliver short, focused demonstrations that follow the success criteria step by step and keep cognitive load low.

Inside the pack you’ll find:

1. Worked Example Lesson Template (Student-facing)

A clean, universal template suitable for any subject or year level.
Teachers simply add the learning intention, insert the success criteria (which double as the critical steps), and complete the worked example live in front of students, in the space provided.
Nothing overloaded. Nothing distracting.
Just a simple structure that keeps the focus on the skill being modelled.

2. Modelled Instruction Teacher Prep Notes & Delivery Framework

This planning page is the core of the pack.

It includes space for:

• the completed worked example (not shown to students)

• annotation notes for key talking points

• think-aloud cues to make your thinking visible

• a delivery framework to guide planning structure and to help you keep the I Do short, intentional and easy to follow.

• a spot for your quick check for understanding question before moving into We Do

This reference page acts like teacher presentation notes – not a script, but a clear structure that helps teachers stay focused, concise and confident during the I Do.

3. Quick Check for Understanding Prompts (Before Moving to We Do)

A short set of rapid-response CFU ideas teachers can use immediately after the modelled example to confirm students recognised the skill.
These checks take seconds, require minimal writing, and help teachers decide whether the class is ready for guided practice.

Why Teachers Love This Pack

These tools are intentionally simple, flexible and universal.
They enhance — not complicate — explicit teaching.
They allow any teacher, in any subject, to model a skill clearly, confidently and consistently.

Access the Modelling & Worked Example Pack: I Do Templates for Explicit Teaching

Brolga Education
Created by Trudy Mayo — explicit teaching specialist & curriculum writer.
💌 New here? 📚 Follow on Instagram for daily tips & behind-the-scenes: @brolgaeducation

Modelling Instruction is one of the highest-leverage parts of explicit teaching, yet it is also the moment where clarity is lost most easily. The Worked Example Modelling Pack gives you a complete, ready-to-use system for delivering short, effective I Do demonstrations — without writing scripts, building slides from scratch or worrying about missing steps.

Designed for any subject and any year level, this pack helps you model a skill with precision, confidence and consistency so students understand exactly how to apply what you’ve taught.

Already a member of the Structured Teaching Portal? Your download is available below ⬇️

What is included

Inside the Worked Example Modelling Pack, you’ll find three core tools that streamline your delivery and sharpen your explicit instruction:

1. Worked Example Lesson Template (Student-facing)

A clean, uncluttered structure you can use in any subject.

Just add your learning intention, insert your success criteria and complete the worked example live in front of students.
No annotations. No overloading.
A simple, universal slide or handout that keeps the modelling focused and easy to follow.

2. Modelled Instruction Teacher Prep Notes & Delivery Framework

Your private anchor during the I Do.

This page includes:

• the completed worked example (not shown to students)

• annotation notes for key talking points

• think-aloud cues to make your thinking visible

• a delivery framework to guide pacing, clarity and alignment with the success criteria

• a spot for your quick check for understanding question before moving into We Do

It acts like your presentation notes — helping you stay concise, accurate and consistent while still modelling in real time.

3. Quick Check for Understanding Prompts (Before We Do)

A short bank of rapid, low-effort questions teachers can use immediately after modelling.

These prompts are designed for:

• A/B whiteboard responses

• Multiple-choice identification

• Quick concept checks

This ensures you know whether students understood the model before moving into guided practice.

How this pack strengthens explicit teaching

The I Do phase is only effective when:

• The worked example matches the success criteria

• Thinking is made visible

• Cognitive load is kept low

• Students stay focused on observing

• The teacher models in real time rather than clicking through slides

This pack supports every one of those goals.

By combining a student-facing template, teacher-facing modelling notes and ready-made CFU prompts, you build a clear and predictable modelling routine that removes guesswork and increases student success.

Teachers report that these tools:

• Keep their modelling short, focused and consistent

• Reduce over-talking and transitions

• Make think-alouds more deliberate

• Reduce planning time significantly

• Help students understand the process, not just the final answer

You are not just delivering a worked example.
You are building a modelling system that strengthens every explicit teaching lesson.

Who this resource is for

This pack is suitable for:

• Primary and secondary teachers using explicit instruction

• Intervention and learning support teachers

• Tutors and small-group instructors

• Instructional coaches modelling I Do routines

• Teachers who want clarity and confidence without complex prep

Because the template is universal, it works seamlessly across literacy, numeracy, science, HASS, and more.

How to use the Worked Example Modelling Pack

Prepare your materials

Insert your learning intention, success criteria and worked example into the templates.

Annotate your teacher copy

Add notes for what to say, what to highlight and when to refer back to the criteria.

Model in real time

Complete the worked example step-by-step for students, keeping the model short and focused.

Run a quick check for understanding

Use the included prompts to confirm students recognised the skill before moving into We Do.

Build routine and predictability

Use the same structure each day so students learn how to learn from your modelling.

Editable in Google Docs & Canva

Both versions are included so you can:

• Type directly into the templates

• Print and annotate your teacher notes

• Duplicate and reuse across units

• Adjust success criteria and examples quickly

• Keep everything consistent with school formatting

The goal is simple: lower planning load, higher clarity in modelling.

Get the Worked Example Modelling Pack

This resource is part of the Structured Teaching Portal — a growing library of lesson tools, templates and instructional supports designed to strengthen every phase of explicit teaching.

Join the Structured Teaching Portal to access this pack and the full collection.

About Brolga Education

Hi 👋 I’m Trudy, a Lesson Design & Instructional Coach.
I help teachers plan and deliver clear, high-impact lessons by simplifying explicit instruction so it becomes predictable, manageable and effective.

Learn more about my journey with explicit teaching here
Connect with me on Instagram

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At its core, explicit teaching includes:

• clear learning intentions

• specific success criteria

• a gradual release of responsibility (I Do → We Do → You Do)

• ongoing checks for understanding

• purposeful review and consolidation

This guide gives you a complete overview of explicit teaching, including lesson design, instructional practices, templates, examples, and resources that you can use straight away.

What Is Explicit Teaching?

Explicit teaching (sometimes called explicit instruction or explicit direct instruction) is a highly structured teaching approach where the teacher:

1. clearly states what students are learning

2. models the skill step-by-step

3. guides students to practise the skill with support

4. gradually withdraws support so students can apply the skill on their own

It removes ambiguity, reduces cognitive load, and ensures that students know exactly what success looks like before they begin.

Key components of explicit teaching include:

• Learning intentions

• Success criteria

• Modelled instruction (I Do)

• Guided practice (We Do)

• Independent practice (You Do)

• Checks for understanding

• Review and reflection

If you are new to explicit teaching, you may find the following resources helpful:
👉 Structured Teaching Resources Library

The Explicit Teaching Lesson Cycle

The explicit teaching cycle begins with clarity and ends with independent mastery. Each part plays a specific role in helping students progress from unfamiliar to confident.

1. Learning Intentions

Learning intentions outline what students are learning and why it matters.
Read more: How to Write Learning Intentions

2. Success Criteria

Success criteria describe what successful learning looks like and show students how to achieve it.
Read more: How to Write Success Criteria

3. I Do (Modelled Instruction)

The teacher models the skill, thinking aloud and showing explicit worked examples.
Read more: How to Model a Skill in Explicit Teaching

4. We Do (Guided Practice)

Teacher and students practise the skill together using prompting, scaffolds and feedback.
Read more: 8 Guided Practice Ideas

5. You Do (Independent Practice)

Students apply the skill independently to demonstrate mastery.
Read more: Tips for Independent Practice

6. Review

Daily and lesson-end review in a spaced and sequenced way reinforces previous learning and strengthens retention.
Read more: Daily Review tips for better retention

Lesson Design & Instructional Practices Overview

Effective explicit teaching requires thoughtful lesson design. This involves determining the learning intention, selecting clear worked examples, planning guided practice steps, and identifying success criteria for student formative and summative assessment.

Well-designed lessons:

• reduce cognitive load

• sequence ideas from simple to complex

• use examples and non-examples

• provide enough guided practice for students to succeed

• include regular checks for understanding

Below is an overview template that breaks down these essential elements.

👉 Access the Explicit Instruction Design & Instruction Overview:
https://www.canva.com/design/DAE_3AFTtGA/I9Ed8u_MpnwfWWUNw4YWmw/view

Explicit Lesson Presentation Template

Explicit teaching lessons are easier to deliver when the structure is visually organised and consistent.

👉 Access the a free editable lesson template by subscribing:

This template includes:

• Learning Intention & Success Criteria

• Link to Prior Knowledge

• Concept Development (examples and non-examples)

• I Do / We Do / You Do scaffolded steps

• Check for Understanding

• Importance

• Review

Each slide can be adapted to any learning area or year level.

Sample Explicit Teaching Lesson

Below is a sample lesson aligned with Year 3 Australian Curriculum (ACMMG064).

👉 Access a sample explicit teaching lesson here

This sample demonstrates:

• sequencing of concepts

• explicit worked examples

• guided practice steps

• checks for understanding

• opportunities for review

Why Explicit Teaching Works

Explicit teaching is strongly supported by educational research because it:

• provides clarity

• reduces cognitive load

• supports students with diverse learning needs

• builds mastery through repetition and scaffolding

• improves student outcomes across subjects

• benefits early career teachers and experienced teachers alike

It is particularly powerful for:

• foundational reading and writing skills

• mathematical procedures

• content-heavy subjects

• students requiring additional support

• classrooms with varying skill levels

Build Your Explicit Teaching Skills & Toolkit

If you are building a consistent explicit teaching approach across your classroom or school, you may like to explore the following resources:

• Structured Teaching Resource Library

• Explicit Teaching Masterclass Video Series

• Free Canva Templates for Explicit Teaching

About Brolga Education

Hi 👋 I’m Trudy, a Lesson Design & Instructional Coach

I help teachers plan & deliver clear lessons, by simplifying explicit instruction that engages and drives progress.

Read more about my journey with Explicit Teaching here

Connect with me on Instagram

Checking for understanding should be quick, clear and responsive.
These Response Cards for Explicit Teaching give you 35+ editable templates you can use during check for understanding or daily review, so every student can respond and you can see, in real time, who is ready to move on and who needs more support.

Designed for explicit teaching classrooms, these cards help you collect accurate data on student learning without adding more preparation time.

Already a member of the Structured Teaching Portal? Your download is available below ⬇️

What is included

Inside the Response Cards for Explicit Teaching pack you will find more than 35 card templates, including:

• Multiple choice response cards
  A, B, C, D options for fast, whole-class checks.

• True / False and Yes / No cards
  Ideal for quick concept checks and error analysis.

• Agree / Disagree cards
  Useful for vocabulary, statements and reasoning prompts.

• Correct / Incorrect icons
  Simple visual prompts for rapid responses.

• Numbered and matching templates
  For maths facts, spelling, and quick-fire recall tasks.

• Graphic organiser style cards
  For vocabulary, morphology, and short written responses.

Each card is fully editable in Canva, so you can adjust wording, colours and fonts to match your class and school preferences.

How these response cards support explicit teaching

These response cards are designed to work alongside explicit teaching routines such as:

• Daily Review
  Quickly check retention of previous learning at the start of a lesson.

• I Do, We Do, You Do
  Use the cards during the We Do and early You Do phases to identify who is secure and who needs more guided practice.

• Check for Understanding
  Replace “Any questions?” with visible responses from every student.

• Error correction and feedback
  Immediately see common errors so you can clarify, model again, or provide additional examples.

Instead of relying on hands-up or a small sample of volunteers, you gain whole-class data in seconds.

Why teachers choose Response Cards for Explicit Teaching

Teachers use these response cards because they:

• Encourages participation and is inclusive

• Reduce the time spent preparing individual worksheets

• Keep students engaged through quick, active responding

• Provide instant feedback about the impact of your instruction

• Support behaviour by giving students a clear, simple task

• Align with evidence-informed explicit teaching practices

You are not just printing cards. You are building a consistent Check for Understanding system in your classroom.

Who this resource is for

This resource is suitable for:

• Primary classroom teachers

• Secondary teachers using explicit teaching routines

• Intervention and learning support teachers

• Tutors and small-group instructors

• Instructional coaches modelling Check for Understanding

The cards can be used in whole-class, small-group or partner settings across multiple subject areas.

How to use the response cards

1. Choose the template
   Select the response card that best matches the question type you are using.

2. Print, laminate and store
   Prepare a class set and keep them in a central location for easy access.

3. Teach the routine
   Model how students should hold up their cards, when to respond and what happens after you check answers.

4. Use daily
   Build the cards into your Daily Review and Check for Understanding so students become familiar with the routine.

5. Adjust based on data
   Use what you see to reteach, provide extra examples or move on with confidence.

Editable in Canva

All response cards are created in Canva, allowing you to:

• Edit text and prompts

• Add school branding or class labels

• Duplicate and adapt templates for new units or subjects

You retain full flexibility while starting from a well-designed, explicit teaching aligned base.

Get the Response Cards for Explicit Teaching

These Response Cards are part of the Structured Teaching Portal, where you will find a full range of tools, templates and instructional supports that strengthen every phase of explicit teaching.

Join the Structured Teaching Portal to access the entire collection and build consistent, high-impact routines across your lessons.

About Brolga Education

Hi 👋 I’m Trudy, a Lesson Design & Instructional Coach

I help teachers plan & deliver clear lessons, by simplifying explicit instruction that engages and drives progress.

Read more about my journey with Explicit Teaching here

Connect with me on Instagram

Read more

Check for Understanding (CFU) is an important component of explicit teaching. It is gauging whether your students actually get what you have taught them. It should occur after a new definition (Concept Development), after a skill has been modelled (I Do) and again after the guided instruction (We Do). Essentially, it is measuring the impact of your teaching in real time.

For it to be effective, you must ensure that 80 percent of students in the class get the question correct. If less than 80 percent do not get it correct, you must go back and reteach.

It is important to remember to keep check for understanding short and to the point. Choose activities that involve one or two word answers, or that can be done in no more than five minutes. All students must be included in the check for understanding questions.

A common misconception of check for understanding is that you ask students to self reflect or report their own understanding. This is not accurate because students’ opinions of their own learning do not always match reality. Or perhaps they think they understand it when being told or shown it, but they are unable to articulate it or apply the knowledge. There is a place for self report in independent practice, but not while the concept is being taught.

You can be creative when checking for understanding. To inspire your creativity, below I have listed 15 ideas for you to check for understanding.

Ideas to Check for Understanding

1. On your whiteboard, fill in the missing word.

2. On your whiteboard, give an example of ___.

3. Think Pair Share. Tell your partner what a ___ is.

4. Think Pair Share. Tell your partner three examples of ___.

5. Make up your own gesture to show ___.

6. Which of these (A/B/C) is an example of ___? Answer on your whiteboards.

7. Which of these (A/B/C) is not an example of ___? Answer on your whiteboard.

8. How do I know this is correct?

9. Draw a picture to show ___.

10. Four corners. Students choose a corner of the classroom based on their choice of answer.

11. Create a mind map to show the main ideas of ___.

12. Give out flash cards. Stand if you have an example of the concept.

13. In your own words, write what you have just learned. Allow no more than one minute.

14. Do you agree or disagree with this statement? Answer on your whiteboards.

15. Is this statement true or false? Answer on your whiteboards. If false, why?

For Teachers Who Want Ready-to-Use CFU Tools

If you would like to strengthen your Check for Understanding and Daily Review routines without creating resources from scratch, the Structured Teaching Portal includes a full set of Response Cards for Explicit Teaching.

These are editable in Canva and provide more than 35 templates you can use during:

• Check for understanding
• Daily review
• Concept development
• Early guided practice
• Quick response routines

The collection includes true or false cards, multiple choice layouts, agree or disagree prompts, picture response frames, number lines and other formats that help you gather accurate whole-class responses rapidly.

These tools are designed to save time, build consistency and support explicit lesson delivery across all subjects.

You can access the full set inside the Structured Teaching Portal subscription.

Join the Structured Teaching Portal Now

Are you spending hours searching for guided practice activities that actually work inside an explicit teaching lesson?

Do you feel the pressure of finding examples, routines and differentiation ideas that support every learner, yet still keep the lesson moving?

If you have ever wished for a streamlined, reliable way to deliver guided practice with clarity and confidence, this Deep Dive is designed for you.

The full Guided Practice Deep Dive is included inside the Structured Teaching Portal.

Strengthen Your Explicit Lessons With Guided Practice That Works

Guided practice is not simply an activity. It is a delivery phase that determines whether students consolidate new learning before moving to independence.

Teachers deserve tools that make this phase easier, clearer and more effective.

This Deep Dive provides practical, ready-to-use support so you can deliver guided practice with structure, purpose and efficiency.

Why Teachers Choose This Resource

Comprehensive

A complete set of guided practice activities, routines and slide templates designed to support accurate rehearsal, reduce cognitive load and strengthen student understanding.

Differentiated

Clear strategies and variations that help you adjust tasks for diverse learners without increasing planning time.

Time Saving

Ready-to-use templates and predictable routines that remove the guesswork and allow you to deliver high-quality guided practice consistently.

Engaging

Meaningful, interactive activities that anchor new learning through repetition, modelling and supported practice.

Structured

Frameworks that promote mastery, clarity and follow-through across year levels and subject areas.

What’s inside the Guided Practice Deep Dive

Core Strategies

• Step-by-step instructional sequences
• Student thinking flowcharts
• Faded guidance routines
• Whole-class and small-group graphic organiser tasks

Collaborative Activities

• Problem pairs
• Pair-share and think-aloud routines
• Shared writing
• Sentence stems and structured prompts

Instructional Routines

• Time-saving planning hacks
• Differentiation options
• Solutions to common guided practice challenges

Plus: Editable Templates

You will also receive 25 editable slide templates designed to help you deliver guided practice efficiently and consistently.

These templates provide predictable formats that reduce cognitive load, support accuracy and allow students to focus on essential thinking.

Download a free sample template

Transform Your Explicit Teaching

When guided practice is structured, clear and intentional, students experience:

• more accurate rehearsal

• stronger confidence

• higher-quality independent performance

• greater retention of new learning

The Guided Practice Deep Dive is part of the Structured Teaching Portal, which includes a full suite of tools, templates and instructional supports for every phase of explicit teaching.

Access the Full Guided Practice Deep Dive

Join the Structured Teaching Portal to access this resource and elevate your explicit teaching with clarity and confidence.

About Brolga Education

Hi 👋 I’m Trudy, a Lesson Design & Instructional Coach

I help teachers plan & deliver clear lessons, by simplifying explicit instruction that engages and drives progress.

Read more about my journey with Explicit Teaching here

Connect with me on Instagram

Read more

Keep your teaching clear, predictable, and aligned with evidence-informed practice.

This free Explicit Teaching Lesson Template gives you a ready-made structure you can drop your curriculum content into. No more building slides from scratch or wondering how to sequence your instruction. One template. Every lesson. Consistent practice.

This template supports:

• A strong lesson opening

• Clear learning intention and success criteria

• I Do, We Do, You Do

• Guided practice

• Independent practice

• Quick checks for understanding

• Review and consolidation

It keeps instructional steps in the correct order so you can focus on delivering high-quality teaching rather than managing slide design.

What you will receive

An editable explicit teaching template that includes:

• Space for learning intention and success criteria

• Explicit “I Do, We Do, You Do” frames

• Prompts for modelling and guided practice

• A structured section for independent work

• A quick end-of-lesson review prompt

Suitable for primary or secondary. Works with any subject. Fully customisable.

Why teachers use this template

This simple structure:

• Saves time

• Reduces cognitive load

• Creates predictable routines

• Supports student engagement

• Ensures each lesson follows explicit teaching steps

• Strengthens classroom clarity and consistency

You are not downloading a lesson plan. You are downloading a framework that anchors every lesson.

Download your free lesson template

Enter your email to receive instant access to the Explicit Teaching Lesson Template Slides and join Brolga Education’s community of educators using structured, high-impact instruction in real classrooms.

But before you’ve even introduced the first piece of content, you’re already managing behaviour.

You’re redirecting, calming, trying to get everyone on the same page and sometimes it feels like the actual teaching is the last thing that happens.

And even once the lesson gets going, you’re still chasing focus, repeating instructions, and redirecting students back in.

It’s not that they’re incapable. It’s that we’ve skipped the step that sets them up to engage well. We’re don’t have the strategies that communicates the energy, tone, and expectations we’ll carry through the rest of the lesson.

There’s one strategy I now use at the beginning of every structured lesson that changes everything. It’s simple, fast, and uses content students already know. And yet, it’s one of the most powerful tools I have for behaviour not just to settle the class before the lesson, but to shape the way they engage throughout.

It communicates:

✔️ This is how we listen, engage, respond

✔️ This is the positive energy we transfer to the lessons

✔️ This is what success feels like in this room

In today’s voice training within the Structured Teaching Portal, I’m breaking down exactly how I use this strategy, how it impacts behaviour both at the start and during the lesson, and how to implement it with intention even if your class is currently unsettled or inconsistent.

Join the Structured Teaching Portal

Read more

The Reality I Faced in Remote Classrooms

When I first started teaching in remote schools, the reality of the classroom was confronting in a way no university degree, lecture or teaching prac had prepared me for. Attendance was inconsistent, student engagement was low, and classroom behaviour felt like a constant battle that I was losing more often than winning.

The Misconceptions About Explicit Teaching

In my teacher training, I was equipped with inquiry learning, flexible learning journals, and student-directed tasks, and I believed that more “flexibility” and less structure would be the answer to keeping students engaged. At the same time, I often came across the misconception that explicit teaching was outdated, too rigid, and would only lead to more behaviour issues.

But what I saw in the classroom told me a very different story. Students didn’t yet have the foundational skills to arrive at an answer independently, nor the decision-making skills or ability to self-regulate their focus. They struggled to sustain long periods of time in unstructured tasks, which led to frustration. What I witnessed instead were students walking around the classroom, talking to each other, and disconnecting from the learning. The lack of scaffolding didn’t empower them. It left them stuck.

How to Deliver Explicit Instruction Effectively: The Turning Point

The turning point for me was when I was coached by Dr. Silvia Ybarra. I was taught how to deliver a truly structured lesson, particularly how to guide students through worked examples and the guided practice, and how to do the heavy lifting in that stage so they were set up for success when it came time for independent practice.

Once I applied this approach, everything shifted. Behaviour didn’t spiral, it improved. Students who had been completely disengaged started leaning in. I had students who had previously been on behaviour plans choosing to complete maths activities during lunchtime. During independent practice, they were calling me over for feedback, eager to show what they had achieved. They felt empowered because they were starting the day able to complete the work, rather than being caught in a cycle of constant behaviour issues and conflict with the teacher.

Are You Using Explicit Teaching the Right Way?

And that’s the part that so many teachers miss. It isn’t simply about delivering presentation slides in the correct structure, it’s about delivering them properly with the right guidance, steps, the right scaffolds, and the right clarity. That’s where most of the misconceptions stem from. The real question every teacher should be asking is this: Am I using explicit teaching in a way that sets students up for success, or is my delivery confusing students and unintentionally fuelling the very disengagement I’m trying to overcome?

What I Learned After 500 Explicit Teaching Lessons

What I learned is that structure changes everything. A consistent framework keeps students anchored. They know what’s coming next, which means less confusion and more focus. Their cognitive load shifts to the content instead of the task. That’s when engagement starts to rise.

Why I Built the Structured Teaching Portal

That’s why I created the Structured Teaching Portal — a place where teachers can access frameworks for more consistent teaching, such as guided practice examples, ready-to-use explicit teaching templates, and step-by-step resources that remove the guesswork and show you how to deliver explicit instruction the way it was designed to be used.

Because at the end of the day, it isn’t about working harder or constantly reinventing lessons, it’s about leaning into structured teaching strategies to cut through the noise and achieve results, even in the most complex classrooms.

Join the Structured Teaching Portal

Teachers across Australia lose hours every week designing presentations in the structured explicit instruction pedagogy, only to spend their lessons glued to a screen, tapping through animations while their students disengage.

Here’s the truth: explicit teaching done well is structured, responsive, and effective and it doesn’t require you to spend nights and weekends, nor lessons in front of PowerPoint.

In this audio training, I’ll show you:

• How to slash your lesson presentation prep time in half

• How to deliver lessons that actually meet your students’ needs without the death-by-PowerPoint approach

• How to get away from clicking through animations to teach your students

If you’re tired of wasting time creating slides that don’t engage all students in your class, this training will help you claim back your weekends.

Read more

When you join the Structured Teaching Portal, you’ll unlock the full Daily Slides for Explicit Teaching, along with a suite of extras designed to:

• Expand on the Free Template and Simplifying your processes to save you even more time.

• Deepen your students' engagement.

• Support every phase of explicit teaching seamlessly.

Here’s What You’ll Get Inside the Structured Teaching Portal:

1️⃣ Even More Tools for Explicit Instruction

• Dedicated slides for each phase of I Do, We Do, You Do to guide instruction and scaffold learning with ease.

• Pre-built Check for Understanding slides to assess student progress and adjust your teaching in real time.

• Slides designed specifically for guided practice to help students build confidence with support.

2️⃣ Pre-Designed Classroom Routines

• Templates to establish predictable routines for Morning Meeting, transitions, and lesson closure, ensuring your day flows smoothly.

• Clear frameworks that help students know exactly what to expect in each part of the lesson, reducing confusion and boosting focus.

3️⃣ Enhanced Planning Support

• Additional prompts and tools built into the slides to help you stay on track and deliver lessons that are both purposeful and efficient.

• Resources to help you streamline transitions and keep students engaged throughout the entire lesson.

By joining, you’ll gain everything you need to make explicit teaching more manageable and impactful—helping both you and your students succeed.

📲 Click Here to Learn More About the Structured Teaching Portal and Unlock the Full Daily Slides Bundle

Trudy Mayo

Explicit Teaching Instructional Coach with over a decade of experience in lesson design, curriculum planning and instructional coaching. I now help educators simplify explicit teaching so that they can deliver effective lessons without burning out.

Click here to learn more about my career in education.

In this short training, I walk you through a practical, low-prep way to activate prior knowledge using a 3-step process that creates meaning and helps students access relevant skills.

It’s simple. It takes 2–3 minutes. And it helps students connect what they already know to what they’re about to learn so you’re not reteaching from scratch.

In this episode, I cover:

✅ Why activating prior knowledge before concept instruction matters
✅ A clear 3-step process you can use in any subject
✅ Real wording examples and how it fits within explicit instruction
✅ Why this step is more than just a warm-up. How it builds clarity and connection

I’ve also added a free printable below as a prompt that you can use and apply straight into your next lesson 👇🏼

🖨️ Download the free template: Link to What You Know

Link to What You Know: Activating Prior Knowledge

This tool helps students recall, activate, and connect learning. It sets them up for success from the very start.

🔊 Press play to learn how to apply this simple 3-step process.
This episode is short, focused, and designed to support you in real time. Straight to the point.

💡 Want more support like this?
If you found this helpful, it’s just a taste of what’s inside the Structured Teaching Portal: A Lesson Planning & Delivery Hub for Explicit Teaching. My all-in-one hub packed with practical strategies, templates, resources and video trainings that make explicit instruction easier to plan and deliver. Contact me viad the details below for more info.

📬 Connect with me

📸 Instagram: @brolgaeducation
📧 Email: trudy.mayo@brolgaeducation.au
💬 DM: Send me TEACH on Instagram or Substack and I’ll send you the details

Too often, teachers rush to skill development before students have a solid grasp of the concepts. When this happens, the “I do, We do, You do” may lead to misconceptions. Students stumble not because they lack ability, but because they are trying to perform a skill without the language or conceptual understanding that underpins it.

The Difference Between Knowing and Doing

There is a clear difference between what students need to know and what they need to do.

• Concept knowledge is the foundation: the terms, definitions, and examples that make sense of the skill.

• Skill development is the application: the procedures and actions that build fluency.

When we teach skills without first building this foundation, we increase cognitive load and reduce the chances of long-term retention.

Building Concept Knowledge

Concept development comes first. Students need clear, concise definitions, examples, and non-examples.

Effective concept-building includes:

• Clear and succinct definitions.

  • Key concepts in your learning objective must be defined in a clear manner. Keep it simple so students can understand.

    But it is also important to build familiarity with academic language.

• Examples and non-examples.

  • Use audio, images, videos, sample numbers, words or text to show instances that demonstrate the concept in use.

    Include a range of examples from different contexts.

  • For non-examples, clarify misconceptions about the concept by including items that contain shared attributes with the concept (when teaching about improper fractions you can include mixed fractions as a non-example).

• Quick checks for understanding.

Example quick checks:

• “Teach a partner the definition in your own words.”

• Sorting examples vs non-examples.

• True or false questions with immediate feedback.

Here’s some examples:

Why Concept Development Matters

Concept development is the anchor of explicit teaching. Without a strong understanding of key terms and ideas, students are left trying to memorise steps or procedures without understanding the “why” behind them. This often leads to surface-level learning, errors in application, and a lack of confidence.

When students grasp the concept first, they can:

• Connect new learning to what they already know.
  For example, when teaching equivalent fractions, students who understand the concept of ‘same whole, different parts’ can see why 2/4 and 1/2 represent the same quantity, rather than just memorising number patterns.

• Recognise patterns and make sense of the skill steps.
  In maths, understanding the concept of place value helps students see why adding 10 shifts digits rather than simply following a rule.

• Apply their knowledge flexibly in new situations.
  When students understand the concept of ‘persuasion’ in English, they can identify persuasive techniques in both written ads and spoken debates.

What Happens When We Skip Concept Development

If we rush to skill practice without securing the concept, students may:

• Rely on rote memorisation rather than meaningful understanding.
  For example, students might learn to divide fractions by flipping and multiplying without ever understanding what division of fractions represents.

• Struggle to explain their thinking because they lack the language.
  A student may know how to solve a maths problem but cannot explain it using terms like ‘numerator’ or ‘denominator,’ which are critical for deeper reasoning.

• Develop misconceptions that are harder to correct later.
  For example, students might think that a square isn’t a rectangle because the distinction was never clarified during concept teaching.

• Lose motivation when they repeatedly make avoidable errors.
  In writing, a student who doesn’t understand the parts of a ‘sentence’ will continue to string together phrases, feeling frustrated when corrections are made.

Where Concept Development Fits in the Lesson

In an explicit teaching sequence, concept development belongs immediately after introducing the learning intention, success criteria and activate prior knowledge but before any skill modelling or guided practice. This ensures that when students move to “I Do, We Do, You Do,” they are building on a foundation of clarity.

For example:

1. Learning intention & Success Criteria: What we are learning and how to achieve success.

2. Activate Prior Knowledge: Providing links to previously taught concepts & skills.

3. Concept development: Defining key terms, exploring examples and non-examples, and checking understanding.

4. Skill modelling: Demonstrating the procedure or process (I Do).

5. Guided and independent practice: Applying the skill with support, then independently (We Do, You Do).

Final Thoughts

Before you begin any skill-based activity, ask yourself:
Have I given students a definition of the concepts they need to make sense of this skill?

When you separate concept building from skill application, your “I do, We do, You do” sequence flows more smoothly, and students develop both confidence and competence to apply and extend their skills.

Brolga Education
Created by Trudy Mayo, explicit teaching specialist & curriculum writer.
💌 New here? 📚 Follow on Instagram for daily tips & behind-the-scenes @brolgaeducation