What is a key benefit of explicit strategy instruction?

The key benefit of explicit strategy instruction is that it teaches specific techniques for comprehension improvement. This approach focuses on clearly outlining and modeling strategies that students can use to enhance their understanding of texts. By providing clear, step-by-step guidance, teachers enable students to internalize these strategies and apply them independently, leading to greater success in comprehension.

Explicit strategy instruction is systematic and often involves direct teaching of strategies such as summarizing, predicting, questioning, and clarifying. This method ensures that all students, irrespective of their initial proficiency levels, have access to effective tools that can significantly improve their reading comprehension skills. This contrasts with passive learning approaches, where students might not receive the same level of direct support in developing these vital skills.

In essence, the benefit of teaching specific techniques allows students not only to understand how to approach texts but also to become more confident and effective readers over time.