Why is explicit instruction preferred in structured literacy?

Explicit instruction is preferred in structured literacy because it involves clear and direct teaching of concepts, which is essential for ensuring that students understand the foundational elements of reading and writing. This method breaks down complex skills into manageable parts, allowing educators to model the desired behaviors and provide step-by-step guidance.

In structured literacy, explicit instruction minimizes ambiguity, ensuring that all students, especially those who struggle with literacy, receive the necessary support to grasp phonemic awareness, decoding, and comprehension strategies. By emphasizing direct teaching, instructors can continually assess student understanding and adjust their instruction accordingly, making it effective for diverse learning needs.

This contrasts with other approaches, such as discovery learning, which may not provide the structured support required for comprehension in literacy tasks. While student-centered learning and group activities can also play a role in literacy education, the targeted and systematic nature of explicit instruction is what makes it particularly effective in structured literacy frameworks.