Explicit instruction at Mistake Creek State School
Explicit teaching guides students through the learning process. We give clear statements about the purpose and the rationale for learning as well as clear expectations about what students need to know and do.
Warm-up phase
WALT and WILF is a tool we use in our classroom to explicitly highlight to students what they are learning, and why.
WALT (We Are Learning To) is the learning intention and what we hope students will learn. WILF (What I'm Looking For) is the success criteria used to help students identify what is needed from them to be successful with each task.
Teaching and learning phase
I do - Teachers explain, model and demonstrate what is to be learned and how to think during this step. The students’ job is to watch and listen carefully to the teacher.
We do – Students work with the teacher as more examples are practised. This gives the students further opportunity to be supported until they demonstrate the skills and knowledge necessary to move the final, independent step.
You do – This is the final step of the model where students have the opportunity to demonstrate mastery in the skill or knowledge by working independently.
Feedback phase
Hattie’s research identifies that ‘feedback has one of the most 
powerful effects on student achievement’. At Mistake Creek State School, the WALT and WILF posters are also tools that can be used strategically to provide opportunities for feedback, which allows the teacher to know that the content has been learnt and remembered.
*Explicit Instruction - Anita L Archer and Charles A Hughes