Introduction

There are many approaches to reading instruction. Two of the most prevalent in current school systems are constructivist and explicit. While constructivism is “a theory that views learning as an active process by which children construct knowledge to learn by problem solving, guessing, and approximating. Explicit Instruction is a teacher-directed strategy with emphasis on teaching a task and the specific stepsneeded to master it” (Morrow, 2009).

The National Reading Panel, established by Congress in 1997, determined through extensive research that the best approach to reading instruction is one that incorporates explicit methodology, with some constructivist theory in moderation (National Institutes of Health, 2012).

Constructivist Theory

Constructivism is a learning theory, which explains how individuals acquire knowledge and learn. The theory proposes that people construct knowledge and meaning from their understandings.Constructivismis a process in which one must be fully engaged in order to reap the benefits of this process. . The learner is an information constructor. People actively construct or generate their own personalinterpretationsof reality. New knowledgeis related to prior knowledgetherefore mental representations are subjective.

Learners discover how to identify, evaluate, and solve problems, and then transfer those skills to other problems (Thanasoulas, n.d.) Learners are continually interacting with the world around them, and solvingchallenges that are presented to them by the environment; learning occurs through taking action to solve those experiences. Moreover, the knowledge that results from these actions is not copied or instilled by birth, but is “constructed” by the individual. Learners discover how to identify, evaluate, and solve problems, and then transfer those skills to other problems, and learners figure out conceptual understanding of issues (Thanasoulas, n.d.) Thus, thought is seen as having been developed from a particularaction. Theactionis then carried out intellectually in the imagination and thus, thinking develops.

According to Piaget, there are two fundamental cognitive developments, which are assimilation and accommodation. “When the action occurs without causing any change in the individual assimilation happens; on the contrary, when the individual adjusts himselfto the environment in some ways, accommodation is involved” (Can, 2006). Both of these adaptive processes transpiretogether;even though they are different, theybothbecome processes of thinking.

In an educational enviornment, a constructivist teacher is responsible for creating a setting for learning in which students can be allowed to engaged in stimulating activities that will encourageand expedites learning. The teacher however, does not just stand byand watch children explore and learn. Instead, the teacher will guide students as they handleproblems. She or he may encourage the students to work in groups and think about issues and questions. She or he supports them by encourageing andgiving advicethem as theycome across different problems that are formedin real life situations. Teachers as a resultaid in cognitive growth and understanding.

Explicit Theory

Explicit Theory is “often considered the antithesis of constructivist learning” (Tetzlaff, 2009, p.24). Students learn from what they are presented with, and much depends on how well a teacher presents information (Thanasoulas, n.d.). In the quest to exploit students’ educational growth, one of the best tools accessibleto teachers is explicit instruction, anorganized and systematic training for teaching educational skills. It is known as explicit because it contains both instructional strategies and delivery procedures. Explicit instruction is categorized by a series of supports whereby learners are guided through the learning processuntil independent mastery has been attained.

Instructor is in charge of all decisions of the learning process—the material and the way in which the material is transmitted (Tetzlaff, 2009, p.24) “While constructivism assumes that learners adapt external information into their own internal schema of understanding, explicit teaching assumes that learners adapt their own internal schema of understanding to conform to external information” (Tetzlaff, 2009, p.25)

The goal is to move students through a serial set of tasks—it is characterized by this process of guiding students through the learning process in a systematic fashion (Archer & Hughes, 2011, p. 1). Students are provided clear explanations of purpose, learning objectives,and supported practice until they achieve mastery of the educational goal (Archer & Hughes, 2011, p. 1) The teacher takes minor steps and checks frequently for student understanding (Archer & Hughes, 2011, p. 1)

The modelof direct, explicit instruction consists of five phases that permit teachers to support instruction, slowly shifting and releasing accountability for completing a task from themto the students. The five steps of explicit instruction are:

  1. Orientation- In this first phasesof direct, explicitinstruction, teachers trigger students’ priorunderstanding, and experiences and help them to tieit to the new information they will acquire from thelesson. They also explain to the students what the lesson entails. Using students friendly language, the teacher explainsthe lesson’s purpose, by informing students what they areprojected to be able to do.
  2. Presentation - isthe explicit phase of theinstructional model. In this phase, teachers identify a specificstrategy for students, thenmodel where, how, andwhy to apply the strategy toget the meaning from a readingpassage.
  3. Structured Practice- is thestructured practice phaseof direct, explicit instruction asks teachers toinitiate the process of handing over thestrategy or conceptto studentsthat they have modeled. Usingnew material, teachers apply the steps of the strategy in ways the students will not fail. Forexample, students use graphic organizers, sentenceframes, or other structured supports that organize thesuccessful use of the strategy.
  4. Guided Practice-is the phasethat helps students change towardindependence. In this phase, teachers increase student’s responsibility for applying a strategyto newer material. Teachers usestructured response techniques to guaranteethat every student contributes and checks thestudents’ responses in order to providecorrective feedback, if necessary. Theteacher will slowlywithdraw support when learners show that they can work by themselves.
  5. Independent Practice-In this final phase of direct, explicit instruction, students practice independentwork with a concept, applying their newinformation in unfamiliar situations. During thisphase, students are fully responsible for completing their work on their own even though the teacher will stillmonitor thestudents and respond to questions related to their work. (Tetzlaff, 2009, p.25)

Constructivism and explicit teaching can be used together in the classroom for the benefit of the student (Tetzlaff, 2009, p.24)