How to Use Specially Designed Instruction (SDI) for Effective Teaching

Specially Designed Instruction (SDI) is an essential approach for educators aiming to meet the diverse needs of students, particularly those with disabilities. By thoughtfully implementing SDI, teachers can reduce processing complexity, enhance student focus, and promote effective learning. Here’s how to effectively use SDI in your classroom.

Reducing Processing and Complexity: SDI simplifies the learning process, allowing students to concentrate on relevant information without being overwhelmed. By minimizing extraneous cognitive load, students can engage more deeply with the material.

Action Steps:

• Use graphic organizers
• Use sentence starters
• Provide a list of steps needed to complete the problem/activity
• Use a multiplication chart when solving multi-digit problems or working with fractions

Strategic Skill Sequencing: SDI involves carefully selecting the sequence of skills taught. This progression ensures students build upon their prior knowledge, creating a solid foundation for new learning.

Action Steps:

• Determine prerequisite skills students need
• Pre-teach vocabulary
• Teach skills that build upon each other
• Teach skills from simple to complex

Modeling Skills and Teacher Thinking: Teachers should model the skills being taught while also sharing their thought processes. This transparency helps students understand not just what to do, but why they are doing it, which enhances comprehension.

Action Steps:

• While you are teaching, say everything you are thinking about to solve the problem. For example, if you are teaching 2-digit subtraction with regrouping, you may say something similar to: "I know I need to start in the one's column. The larger number is on the bottom, so I can't subtract 5 from 3. I have to borrow from the ten's column so I can subtract the one's column. When I borrow, I need to mark out the digit in the ten's column and take one away. One less than 8 is 7, so I write 7 here and take the ten I'm borrowing and place it in the one's column. Now I have 13 instead of 3. 13-5=8. Now I can move to the ten's column. 7-4=3. The answer is 38."

Using Clear Language and Expectations: To further reduce cognitive load, teachers must use clear language and provide clear models and expectations. This clarity helps students grasp concepts without confusion, promoting better understanding.

Action Steps:

• Use clear and specific language
• Limit the number of examples used
• Stay on topic and refrain from tangents

Offering Guided Practice: Frequent opportunities for guided practice are vital. Teaching to mastery ensures that gaps in learning are addressed, preventing misunderstandings from growing. This approach empowers students to develop their skills in a supportive environment.

Action Steps:

• Have students practice several examples with you
• Have students practice examples with a partner/group
• Have students practice individually
• Use whiteboards for practice
• Have students explain how they solved the problem or the steps they followed to complete the skill

Focusing Attention on Instructional Goals: SDI helps students maintain focus on instructional goals, which is crucial for effective learning. By eliminating distractions and providing targeted instruction, students can engage more fully with the material.

Action Steps:

• Clearly explain what the goal for today's lesson is and how that relates to the overall goal. Some examples include: 
1. Today we are looking for keywords to help us determine if we need to add or subtract. This will allow us to solve word problems accurately. 
2. Today we are going to decode words that follow the vowel consonant e pattern. This will help us increase our fluency which will help us understand what we read.
3. Today we are going to write topic sentences. Topic sentences are the first step in writing a paragraph.
• Focus only on the small part of the daily goal when giving instruction and feedback.

Providing Frequent and Specific Feedback: Immediate feedback is essential for correcting mistakes and reinforcing learning. Teachers should offer specific comments to guide students toward improvement, fostering a growth mindset.

Action Steps:

• Correct mistakes immediately.
• When more than 1 student makes the same mistake, show that mistake and ask the class why it is incorrect. Have several students repeat the correct reasoning.
• DO NOT assign homework on skills that students have not mastered. They will practice the skill incorrectly, which leads to unlearning the way did it and relearning the skill. 
• Continuously monitor student progress by reviewing class work, data collection, quiz results, etc.

Facilitating Long-Term Information Storage: Ultimately, SDI supports the long-term storage of information, allowing students to retrieve and use what they have learned in future contexts.

Action Steps:

• Teach content to mastery
• Review previously taught skills/concepts when teaching new skills
• Have students explain how the skills they previously learned relate to the new skill

By implementing Specially Designed Instruction with intention and care, educators can create an inclusive learning environment that effectively meets the needs of all students. Through clear communication, strategic planning, and ongoing support, SDI facilitates meaningful learning experiences that empower students to succeed. Embrace the power of SDI in your classroom and watch your students thrive!