Guided Practice Examples: 8 ‘We Do’ Activities for Explicit Teaching
Practical, classroom-ready guided practice strategies for explicit teaching.
Thinking of effective guided practice ideas can be challenging.
How do we design “We Do” tasks that are supportive, engaging, and closely aligned with the independent task that follows? And how do we scaffold learners in a way that genuinely prepares them for independence?
Guided practice is one of the most important phases of explicit teaching. It provides students with a safe, supported environment to apply new learning while receiving immediate feedback and correction. When guided practice is delivered well, it strengthens student accuracy, confidence and readiness for independent work.
Below, you will find eight guided practice examples designed to support the “We Do” phase of explicit instruction. These strategies are practical, easy to implement and suitable across subjects and year levels.
What Is Guided Practice (We Do)?
Guided Practice, or the “We Do” phase of explicit instruction, is where the teacher and students work through a skill together. The tasks used in guided practice must be similar in structure and cognitive demand to the independent task that follows. This ensures students have the opportunity to rehearse steps, clarify misunderstandings and strengthen accuracy before responsibility is released.
Guided practice is the bridge between modelling (“I Do”) and independent practice (“You Do”). Its purpose is simple:
support students through the thinking steps while gradually reducing scaffolds.
Below are eight guided practice activities you can use immediately in your classroom.
For additional context, you may also like to read:
8 Guided Practice Ideas for the Lesson ‘We Do’
1. List of Steps
Provide a clear, ordered list of steps required to complete the skill. Read each step aloud and have students complete the step on their whiteboards. Ask students to show their boards after each step so you can check accuracy, correct errors and reinforce precision.
This routine strengthens procedural fluency and helps all students internalise the required sequence.
2. Student Instructions
Give students the steps and select individuals to read each step aloud while you model the process. This routine builds student ownership, reinforces the language of the steps and allows students to practise verbal rehearsal.
It is particularly effective for skills requiring specific vocabulary or sequential accuracy.
3. Spot the Mistake
Model the skill and intentionally embed an error. Students must identify, correct and justify the mistake using the success criteria or step list.
This routine strengthens metacognitive checking and reinforces attention to accuracy.
You can vary difficulty by adjusting how noticeable or subtle the error is.
4. Pair Share
Students work in pairs to complete the guided task. After comparing answers, pairs discuss differences and share their reasoning with the class.
This encourages mathematical reasoning, vocabulary use, concept clarity and student talk—key components of explicit teaching.
5. Peer Feedback
Students complete the task on whiteboards. Select a few students to share their responses while others cross-check using the criteria.
Peers provide quick feedback on accuracy and reasoning.
This routine supports classroom culture, clarity and reflective thinking.
6. Graphic Organisers
Use a graphic organiser connected to the skill—for example, steps, input/output, sequence, comparison, or worked example structures. Complete the organiser together as a class, modelling how to map thinking and organise essential information.
Graphic organisers reinforce clarity and provide a scaffold students can later use independently.
7. Guided Instruction in Levelled Groups
Divide students into small, flexible groups based on need. Begin with the group most likely to reach independence quickly. Once confident, this group moves to independent practice while you provide closer support to students who require additional scaffolding.
This routine is a powerful way to differentiate guided practice without overcomplicating planning.
8. Self-Report / Student Ownership
After modelling, ask confident students to begin the independent task. Invite students who want more guided practice to work with you on the carpet or at a small table. Continue providing supported examples until they indicate readiness.
Always check in on those who began independently to confirm their self-assessment matches performance.
Looking for More Guided Practice Tools?
The Guided Practice Deep Dive is a comprehensive resource for teachers implementing explicit teaching. It includes:
a deep dive into the purpose and structure of guided practice
step-by-step “We Do” routines
core guided practice strategies with examples
differentiation guidance
time-saving lesson planning hacks
templates and editable guided practice slides
solutions to common classroom challenges
additional supporting resources
These tools help you design guided practice with clarity and confidence, especially if explicit teaching is new to you.
👉 Access the Guided Practice Deep Dive inside the Structured Teaching Portal.
FAQ: Guided Practice in Explicit Teaching
What is an example of guided practice?
A common example is students completing each step of a skill on whiteboards while the teacher guides, checks accuracy and provides immediate feedback.
Why is guided practice important?
It allows students to rehearse the thinking steps required for mastery, correct errors early and build confidence before completing tasks independently.
How long should guided practice last?
As long as needed for students to demonstrate accurate and confident responses with minimal prompting. Duration varies by year level, skill complexity and class readiness.
What types of tasks work best for the ‘We Do’ phase?
Short, aligned tasks that mirror the independent activity—steps, graphic organisers, pair share routines, spot-the-mistake tasks and scaffolded practice.
What to Read Next
📌 How to Write a Learning Intention
📌 Success Criteria: How to Write Them
📌 15 Quick Checks for Explicit Teaching
These posts reinforce clarity, structure and high-impact lesson routines.
Your Experience
What guided practice routines work best in your classroom?
Do you use whiteboards?
Do you encourage student self-report?
Share your “We Do” ideas with the teaching community below.
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Brolga Education
Created by Trudy Mayo — explicit teaching specialist and curriculum writer.